Thursday, November 26, 2009

Tulasi Ghimirey's Thanksgiving letter

Guest author: Tulasi Ghimirey

"I have the pictures of all the volunteers
in my memory of my heart."

Editor's Note |  In 2000, Tulasi Ghimirey arrived in the U.S. from United Nations-run refugee camps in southeastern Nepal. Last month,Tulasi's parents joined him in an emotional reunion (photos here) at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport. Thousands in his community are still living in the camps' squalid makeshift huts of bamboo and plastic. These homeless, stateless victims who have been enduring years of struggle and poverty were exiled from Bhutan, their homeland, in an ethnic cleansing, in 1991. 

Dear Friends,

It is a THANKSGIVING time and a happy time. In recent months, many great citizens of this country were involved in helping our Bhutanese people in our transformation process to this new way of life. It is totally different to the way we are brought up and raised.

Take my family, for example. They know manual work, not like high technology work here. We know how to plough the fields using a big bull but not a tractor or the one shown in [children's TV program] Bob the Builder.

We came to this land where human rights and democracy are respected.
After my arrival, I realized that I can wear the clothes of my own choice and can eat the food of my habits. I can speak freely and write freely and can have a lawyer in the court house in one's defense. What a free world.

My dad used to pay fees for having a radio in my house and that was a source of great entertainment. Few lucky ones used to own this, also. Here everyone has their own TV, computer and wristwatch.

We were never exposed to the greater world... and came from a bamboo hut to a beautiful furnished house where heating and cooling device is under your control. No more running to the muddy rivers. Boy! Clothes can be washed within a few hours.

Yet every evening you go and talk to my friends: they are nervous.
Smoke alarm is beeping. Someone tried to  warm a boiled egg in the microwave and there was a big bang. Three people came and robbed our cash, showing a gun. A Bhutanese guy was in a dumpster [to recycle some items], and the pickup truck came. The guy's friend saw [the situation] yet couldn't explain in English to the driver that a man was in the dumpster. The driver kept loading the dumpster until, the friend knocked on the door of the truck and pointed to the dumpster. The driver finally understand, and the man's life was saved.

Cold was the greatest danger for us.
Back in refugee camps, the temperature was always hot. People reached Atlanta with no warm clothes. Children and older people were the victims, especially. And several HEROS OF MANKIND jumped in and started helping our people. There were child volunteers, young volunteers, old volunteers, female volunteers, male volunteers, and of all colors. No one asked me, What is your race?

There are thousand of such stories and a reality. Now things are getting better. Yet this transformation process definitely will take a long time, and your help and support is always needed.

American citizens are great and now we have to learn this culture too.
I have the pictures of all the volunteers in my memory of my heart. Your love and kindness. Your hard work, time and dedication to improve the living conditions by using your talents is a greatest gift for us. Several projects have began to support us. God, please protect this great people.

Today Tulasi is with his family for Thanksgiving and would like to thank each of you with greatest respect for your support for me, my family and my community.

Wish you a happy Thanksgiving. Namaste [Sanskrit: a friendly greeting meaning, I bow to you].

— Tulasi, Kumari and Ryan

Related posts
Cross-posted at Only Connect

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Blanket Brigade covers neediest families, warms all hearts

Guest author: Tamar Orvell

We were loading and distributing, and we were
like small kids having fun.
(Bishnu Odari)

Bishnu Odari
The night before, Birendra and Kamal had made a list of the needy people in each apartment complex. In the morning, I went with Pabitra and other teens to get the 220 blankets that had been delivered to Lisa's and Robert's garage, in Duluth.

The blankets were packed in cartons and stored in one room. We took each carton, opened the top, and separated the blankets by each apartment complex, took the number we needed (using the list), and loaded them into separate cars. We left the cartons there.

Nirmala and I drove with Sanjay to Northchase Apartments in Chamblee. We had seven blankets for them. And we called one woman there, and she knew all the people, and each family came out, and we met them at their apartment. They were excited and so thankful. We gave only to needy people who are new. They don't know how cold it is here. They arrived this summer and fall. It was the first time I met them. I like to work this way, helping people and distributing.

___________________________________

Kamal Dahal
Today's delivery was a great success. It was such great help from all who coordinated to distribute this very basic thing. Your coordination, support, and expense of valuable time is really fascinating. This grand distribution helped needy people who were suffering from cold and lack of resources to get some warmth. This great job obviously gets rewards of blessings from the families who were in trouble. Thank all of you who directly and indirectly helped a lot to get this task done perfectly.
___________________________________

Leslie Sokolow
I was so impressed with how things went. I felt euphoric the rest of the day. Such beautiful blankets will last a lifetime! Pabitra coordinated the deliveries superbly with the cars loaded in less than an hour. Thanks to you, Pabitra, and to everyone else who came and threw their hearts and muscles into making this happen.

DRIVERS
Bill Tynan, Elizabeth Hill, Jeff Sokolow, Jen Murphy, Leslie Sokolow, Mita Patel, Narayan Katel, Pabitra Rizal
, Robert Willis, Sanjay Dahal
, Sarman Samal, Swadesh Katoch, Tek Thapa

TEENS
Bhima Thapa, Birendra Odari, Bishnu Odari, Chakra Subedi, Chandra Neopane (Charlie), Hari Timsina, Kamal Dahal, Lalita Thapa , Nirmala Regmi, Sanita Thapa, Tilchand Mapchhan (Mark), Tula Mapchhan, Yan Neopane

___________________________________

Pabitra Rizal
Hello Atlanta Bhutanese Refugee Support Group,

Kudos to all for making the blanket distribution event a great success! You wholeheartedly helped needy Bhutanese families.

To Lodgian, [hotel owner/operator company] for donating the blankets: You have earned our immense gratitude. Your blankets will definitely keep our people warm even in severe Atlanta winters. May you make continued progress with all our blessings and good wishes.

To CDC volunteers and others, for your generous help to our community: Special thanks. Your initiative to set up the blanket donation campaign is highly appreciated. I have not enough words to express my gratitude adequately. Special thanks to Leslie, Lisa, Robert, and Tamar for meeting our great need at a difficult time. and to Lisa and Robert for providing storage in their home for the blankets until the distribution.

To the volunteer drivers who missed their Sunday leisure to help us to drop the blankets in various apartments: Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

To the volunteer teens from Druid Hills High School and Stone Mountain High School (Lalita): You deserve my deepest appreciation. You guys are awesome. You did a marvelous job beyond our expectation. You took the novel initiative to collect names of blanket recipients from various apartments, loaded the blankets into cars, guided drivers to different apartments, and distributed the blankets. Thanks for being with us till the end.

To everyone: Your work was appreciated by everyone. I got many calls from many people. I anticipate your generous support in the days to come. I hope we all will be together for a cause like this again. Together we can make a difference.

Thank you on behalf of the Bhutanese Community of Georgia.