Day 9: DSA Farewells

This morning, everyone woke up with enthusiasm and determination to get the hostel finished. More importantly, we had a deadline of 4:30 so there was plenty of time to hang out with the kids.

As we all set into the work it became apparent that it was going to be frustrating; the renderers had set in and were completing the hallways which limited the work that could be done. To get around this, all the furniture was taken outside, cleaned, sorted and moved back in as soon as they finished.

At a frantic pace, the Tetris puzzle slowly came together. Jo Gray was finishing the sink and the kitchen, Matt Anglicas was installing shelves and plumbing and all 6 boys had formed a chain link to get everything into place.

As the sun was setting, a complete picture was starting to be seen. The ladies of the hostel kept enthusiasm high with warm sugary teas and all the deaf students were helping too.

At about 7 o'clock, we reached a point where work was complete. Looking at before and after photographs reveals a huge job that was completed successfully and with pride. The hostel is now clean, painted, rendered and has fresh carpet throughout. Electricity will be installed over the next week and there is a new sink out the back. A truly amazing undertaking which makes St Augustine's, the parents and the community proud.

The last part of the day was also the one which people weren't looking forward to. We were treated to a delicacy of yaumari and in true Nepali style, the electricity cut out and we were eating in the dark. This did not stop the vibe and atmosphere. As a thank you, we were all given a painting by the kids, a beautiful wooden carving with a photo in it and a stunning photograph of the Himalayas each. With hugs (and a few tears) we all said our farewell to the kids.