takukot Archives - Canadian Medical Assistance Teams

“Many old folks at clinic today. Their faces etched with stories of times past and hard lives tempered by smiles.”

June 1, 2015 – Takukot, Nepal – With special thanks for this contribution to Jill Allison, Logistician with Team 3!

“First day in the new clinic in Takukot. Very busy day. We had so many people we could not see them all in one day. Many homes are damaged and some have already been rebuilt. The school has suffered damage and local sub health post is completely unusable.

“Very busy day. We had so many people we could not see them all in one day.”

The community health worker and auxililiary nurse midwife are seeing people in a tent behind what remains of the building. When they will have a new building is hard to say. Krishna and Nirmal are wonderful professionals who have helped us tremendously. Today is hot and steamy after a heavy rain last night. Everywhere we hear the sound of industry as the community replaces their infrastructure. This is a remote community where cell phones are less obvious and the impact of the outside world doesn’t reach.

“The community health worker and auxililiary nurse midwife are seeing people in a tent behind what remains of the building…. Krishna and Nirmal are wonderful professionals who have helped us tremendously.”

Many old folks at clinic today. Their faces etched with stories of times past and hard lives tempered by smiles. With government action, the local politicians work with local military to develop strategies to assess and address the needs. Tomorrow is another day.”

CMAT Team Two gathers in front of the field clinic in Baluwa, Nepal. (With local translators and driver)

May 30, 2015 – Takukot, Nepal – With special thanks for this contribution to Jill Allison, Logistician with Team 3!

Dr. Tonia Temperley-Berg getting her heart checked, just to make sure it hasn’t completely melted yet.

“Long journey from Kathmandu to Takukot in Gorkha district. We drove for ten hours on roads that grew ever narrower, on steeper cliffs and higher up the mountainside. We passed through villages where nearly every house was a pile a rubble. We passed houses with cracks and sagging rooflines and missing backsides. We passed trees laden with flowers in front of scarred walls and crumbling porches.

And everywhere the Nepali faces are aglow with smiles . Everywhere people are rebuilding with remains of old house and stones and brick. Back breaking labour and beautiful dispositions as children shouted “Namaste!!” We came upon an impromptu market in the middle of the road as people were bargaining for sheets of corrugated metal roofing recently delivered. Eventually our driver conceded defeat and would go no further. We began an hour long walk uphill with our tents in our packs as dusk approached.

“Eventually our driver conceded defeat and would go no further. We began an hour long walk uphill with our tents in our packs as dusk approached. People with their metallic burdens destined for new rooftops laughed and joked as they made their way alongside us on the road.”

People with their metallic burdens destined for new rooftops laughed and joked as they made their way alongside us on the road. Rain threatened and thunder rolled. We arrived in the dark and made camp hastily, welcomed by the second CMAT team. After a wonderful meal of dal baht we have settled in to our little camp community. We are looking forward to the coming days. There is no sound like the thunder in the Gorkha hills.”