Kashmir Late May 2

The Younger The Better
I have learned from working with Sami that it is far easier to fix a bone deformity early in life. So he focuses his efforts and his limited resources on finding the children whose disability can be reversed by relatively simple surgery while they are still quite young, as this patient in the photo. And education is important, too, so that some deformities can be prevented before birth. I recently came across an article which said that no polio cases have been reported in Kashmir in the past 8 years because of a World Health funded vaccination programme. I sent it to Sami for his comment. Most of Sami's patients are polio victims, so either the article is wrong, or I haven't been paying close attention to the age of Sami's patients.

Visitor from Jammu
One day we had a visit from a man from several hundred kilometers away - from Jammu, in the southern region of Kashmir. This state of India is called J & K: Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu is the wintering area of the Gujar people - warm and flat. Our visitor had had an accident and lost his leg. He had heard about Sami and came to get help with a couple of his friends. Sami took a good look at his stump and advised him on exercises to strengthen the muscles so he could wear a prosthesis. They gave Sami a most welcome donation of 2500 rupees ($50 US) as they left.

During the visit of Handicap International, Andy and I and Wes and Mathieu rode with the creche students back to their homes in the van/ambulance to drop them off. We saw where they lived, and got to see a few family members. Mubeena, the girl who had lived in a corner of a room for the first 18 years of her life, was photographed by Andy in her room. Here they are reviewing the photos he took of her. She is so full of joy, and so intelligent, and so happy to be experiencing life outside her room.

Sunday cleaning
I find that Sundays are the best days for me to help with cleaning. There are no staff, no children, no visitors, and it is really the only time the floors can be washed without a lot of foot traffic. So a couple of times I have washed the floors of the centre. Sami wants me to leave it to the cleaner, but she typically only sweeps, not scrubs. Here I am sweeping in preparation for scrubbing the floors.

One day I was walking to a village to visit some disabled people. Sami was ahead of me, and these ladies were on the footpath. One of them asked me to take a photo of them. Why not? Typical village ladies heading out to do some shopping, perhaps. They were very good natured, and happy just to see their photo in my camera.

Kashmir Late May

Sami and I went once again to visit Naza, up in the mountaings to see how she was doing. Her cast is off now, and it is time for her to learn how to walk properly, now that her foot is facing forward, and not at the side. As Sami worked with her, many of the villagers came to the window to see what was happening. So I went to say hello to them and took some photos of these beautiful people:

Sami laid out a grid in the hallway for Naza to walk on. She needs to learn to walk equally on both legs now, and this grid will help her do that. Sami instructed her aunt in what she needs to do. When one of Sami's patients is so far away from the Centre, it becomes very important that the children's caregivers learn how to do the therapy for the children.

We had a visitor with us that day. Andrew from Germany, a photographer, is taking some photos to help Hope Centre. He may use them in an article in Germany, and will give some to us to use on our website. His website is www.andyspyra.com

LANDSLIDE
We were heading into the mountains to visit some of Sami's patients, when the traffic stopped. We snuck past most of the cars and buses and trucks, up to the front of the line, where we learned there had been a landslide. The ambulance status means nothing now. So we waited around a while for the road to be cleared. I noticed some men working in the Sindh River below us, moving big rocks. Were they setting up some way to trap fish? Didn't look like it really. I learned later that they were setting up a trap for sand. OK. I get it now.











I took a walk over a nearby small bridge, and took some photos of the mountains we were hoping to get to...

While on the bridge, I noticed there was an Indian family trying to get a group photo. So I offered to take the photo of everyone, so no one would be left out. They were happy to accept my offer. Afterward, they wanted a photo of me with them, so I got into the action too and handed them my camera.

Right after this, it was time to give up on the landslide clearing and head back the way we came.

Around Hope Centre
Here is a photo of one of the beautiful little disabled girls with her mother. The girl comes several times a week with her mother for therapy. She cannot stand by herself, so the standing frame is put into use to help her learn to stand.

Rehana is doing well, and visited the Centre recently while Andy was there, plus Wes and Mathieu from Handicap International.Rehana had one leg 6 inches shorter than the other, before surgery.

Plowing with Oxen
I was surprised and delighted to learn that the fields are plowed still by oxen. I was determined to get a good photo of this, and when I approached one of the men plowing, to ask if I could take a photo, he replied in quite good English. He might have had a cell phone on him, too!

Kashmir Mid May 2

May is the month when the Gujjar people move north into the mountains from the plains of Jammu, where they spend the winter. We are right on their path. So every night there is a new group of nomadic people and their animals camped by our centre, and passing by my window very early in the morning as they leave for the day's trek. They speak Urdu and Pashtun, not Kashmiri, so I need Imtiyaz to translate for me if I wish to visit them.





And of course they stop or slow the traffic on the roads as they pass. I find them endlessly fascinating. the goats have such a great variety of colours and sizes and markings. Very beautiful. One evening I visited a camp and was given a baby goat to hold. It laid quiet and peaceful in my arms for a long time. Unlike the baby lamb they also gave me to hold. Its mother came looking for it and immediately called it away from me.



The local shops in Wayil have few vegetables to choose from. Tomatoes, potatoes, and onions are it. So when the vegetable man in the 'auto' came to the road outside our Centre, we took advantage of his visit.






























On a visit to a small village not far away, I was waiting in the van and school children gathered around. I pulled out my camera, and took a few photos. They were amazed when I showed them their photos on the digital camera. They have obviously not yet seen a digital camera - or at least not had people show them their photos in it!

One of the therapies done at the Hope Centre is this standing frame, for children who cannot stand on their own. It strengthens their limbs and gets their bodies used to being upright.

I spotted this truck and its misspelled request to blow your horn. Was it a mistake of the sign painter, or done on purpose????

The shop is now painted and wired, and waiting for money to finish the inside and stock it with goods before it will open. A disabled man has been located to manage the shop. It has been interesting to watch the development of this project.

Manasbal Lake is not far from the Centre, and is another beautiful lake with boats and a lovely garden. We stopped by there for a short visit one afternoon.

Kashmir Mid May

Sami and I went to visit a disabled boy who lives near the commercial fish ponds and a large lake. There were no animals allowed near the fish ponds, so the grass and clover was growing luxuriantly. A number of people were harvesting the clover. It will be dried and stored in the upper stories of the houses for winter.

One of my projects is to document the disabled women who are making a living by doing handwork. So Sami took me far up the mountain near Wayil to visit one of them, Shamimi, and her family. They are very poor, but have the most amazing views from their house. Here are some photos of the family:

And here is Shamima and her work:

Shamima's family keeps bees in the walls inside their house. Sami and I were quite surprised to find the walkway to the entrance of the house went right past the beehive! If one was allergic to bees, this would not be a warm welcome! It is a very practical solution, though. The bees stay warm through the winter, and are safe from bears, and the family can keep a close eye on the welfare of the bees. Apparently they have several house hives, and harves 20 kg of high quality mountain flower honey each year.

One morning I looked out the window at Hope Centre and saw a flock of sheep had been allowed into the back yard of the property next door to mow the grass!

What an efficient way to handle that problem! We couldn't do that though because Sami has planted an extensive flower garden, and it would not last long with all those hungry sheep.

The older buildings in Kashmir are beautiful. Here is a typical one: Along with men in their pherans waiting for something to be welded inside the shop.

The oat harvest continues....

I had my first side-saddle ride on a motorbike. With Din, the ambulance driver. Women ride side saddle here - as passengers on motorbikes and bicycles. And the motorbikes and bicycles are built for it.

Hope Centre is building a shop out front, to take advantage of all the summer traffic that passes on the road. I was walking to the shops one day and saw the electrician doing his work, and took a photo to document it for the centre. Then I noticed what he was standing on!!!

Gulmarg trip

Sunday, May 9
Break! Sami planned a trip to Gulmarg, in the mountains. The group included Sami, his girlfriend Arifad and her sister Cosa, and driver Din. Arifad lives in Srinagar, and I took a few photos while waiting for them to join us in the van.



Typical Srinagar street, with free roaming animals and many shops.





























This shop is typical of hundreds of shops in Kashmir. So many of them, and they all seem to carry the same things, with minor differences. This photo typifies life in Kashmir: beautiful roses growing on barbed wire, above an imposing wall. Despite the militarism here, life goes on and it is still beautiful.

























We went way up into the mountains. I am not allowed to take photos of any military installations or military people, but I took a chance on this military vehicle in front of us.

















I knew it would be cold, so brought my jacket and scarf. Good thing, because Arifad and her sister Cosa needed it to keep from freezing.



We stopped for breakfast along the way, and the hotel had this most interesting toilet. For sitting or squatting, as you prefer.





































Across the street from our hotel was this mosque:















































We arrived, and walked around for a bit. There was a beautiful church





























The thing to do at Gulmarg is to ride horses - ponies, really. Very tough little horses. We selected a group and rode them higher into the mountain. We dismounted at a spot in the woods where people were serving tea and pulling people further up the hill on sleds and coming down again.

































Arifad fell off her horse on the wayback and hurt her shoulder and back. Fortunately it wasn't serious, but she was not having a good day, since she got car sick in the van on the way up, with all the twists and turns.









We went to a hotel where the manager tried to convince us to bring guests there. He doesn't know us very well, because at $100 US per night there won't be many Hope Centre supporters staying there. We ate at the hotel and Din and I went for a walk while the others rested. We had a lovely walk up the mountain stream. I took lots of photos of the wildflowers blooming in the shadow of the receding snow banks.

And I had Sami a photo of myself showing off my socks. These socks were a Christmas gift from my sister Sandy, and I wanted to let her know they are well traveled.