Testimony from Sandy Gear
Sandy Gear from Lechlade
I was privileged to travel Nepal last October in a group from St Lawrence Church Lechlade. Many years earlier I had met Milan Adhikari from Nepal when he was on Community at Lee abbey and I decided to stay on for two weeks to visit the Aanandit Church and Charity Centre.
I was taken to see the church to attend spirit – filled services and also the Day Care Center in its ground which is somewhere safe for extremely poor families to leave their toddlers whilst they work at hard manual labour.
I visited the Home for Girls whose backgrounds are of deprivation and tragedy, but they are vibrant, friendly girls thriving on good food care and education. I asked to see some of the church projects out of the Kathmandu area, and was sent to stay at the mountain village satellite church – a totally different experience. I was shown all kinds of situation the church has helped with – children awarded scholarship; crafts workshop established with a micro finance loan; schools vastly improved through a grant and practical help from Aanandit ,and many other situation where Aanandit has offered Christian love and fellowship along with practical help. This work is turning lives around. I was amazed by the large numbers of young people attending church, the range of activities offered and the depth of commitment of each church member which puts many of us to shame.
I also spent some time at Milan home and with his lovely wife Shusma and two young daughters. Everyone there was so kind and generous, despite great adversity and I long to return, and thoroughly recommend anyone to go there to volunteer in any capacity or just visit – you will be made warmly welcome , and be greatly appreciated.