We do volunteer in the USA, but we also like to travel. We wanted to make sure we went to a country without active wars. Mel didn’t want to pick a volunteer company from the USA that places you in another country. So he looked on the Internet for a place in Nepal that wanted volunteers. He found VSN and Tej Shrestha contacted him. Since Helen is a teacher and Mel was the president of the school board, we thought working at a school would be ideal. We found that VSN would help us. Tej had the CBIA school. When we came in 2010, we brought books and school supplies with us. Helen worked with the teachers and students of the primary school and Mel did a bit of everything, including digging a drainage ditch for the school football field.

Mel has come back for 7 years and Helen for 4 because sometimes she had to work with her own students back home. We love coming to Nepal! The people here are so friendly and accepting of people from any place. Once we were standing on a street corner listening to a band coming down the street. The music was great and we were moving to the music. Then someone from the group took Helen’s hands and brought her into a circle of dancers. They didn’t care that we were from a different place or that we looked different and we were of a different religion. We just shared the joy together. It happened to be a wedding procession. We think people are the same around the world. We all want peace, love and happiness and health for our families. It is the same everywhere. The little children do not see differences. They see kindness. We all smile in the same language. We always tell people about our experiences here in Nepal. Some schools and individuals have given us books and supplies for the schools. We shipped over books and football nets. Mel has now dedicated himself to making a library in the CBIA school. He has had bookshelves made for all the books and recently improved the area with a beautiful carpet. We also go to the Bright Future Children’s Home. We have truly become grandparents to the children there. We go on outings with them or play sports, help them with homework and knit. They are part of our family!

Tej and Rupa Shrestha have opened their home to us. They are wonderful people and family also. We have watched their daughters grow into fantastic young women.

We love Nepal and plan to come back every year!

Thank you for welcoming us to your great country!
Mel and Helen Williams
U.S.A.