"BRINGING DAWN TO DARKNESS"
"BRINGING DAWN TO DARKNESS"
A CAMPAIGN TO HELP THE SICK IN NEPAL
The tiny nation of Nepal is a neighbor of India and has some of the highest mountains in the world, including the very highest: Mount Everest. However, it’s also one of the poorest. There are rural areas where the people need health care but cannot afford it.
Life expectancy is 54 years for males and 53 years for females. The infant mortality rate is 98 per l,000 which is very high.
The nation’s ministry of health provides care to the more fortunate city residents with private hospitals and nursing homes. They also provide basic immunization and programs for tuberculosis and leprosy.
One citizen of Nepal is trying to help improve the lives
of the neglected by establishing an organization to provide health services to
rural communities. Mr. Misheal Pariyar’s plan is in its first phase which
targets the agrarian district of Gorkha in central Nepal. Residents there are
uneducated and believe all disease comes from the anger of many gods. They are
simply unaware of the real causes such as bacteria, viruses, etc. Even simple
diseases like malnutrition, parasitic infections, and acute respiratory illness
continue to cause thousands of deaths in Nepal’s farming areas.
Mr. Pariyar grew up in a Christian welfare home and became a convert. He took a medical lab technician course and then established a pathology clinic in the capital city of Kathmandu. He feels directed by God to serve the poor in agricultural Nepal.
The main purpose of "The Gorkha Association of Social
Health" of Kathmandu, Nepal is to do away with medical ignorance, bring
awareness of health, and provide specific health service to country areas.
The Association ". . . was established by a board of Christian members and its vision is to reach the darkest communities, poor ... rural areas of Nepal through multiple health services as well as the Gospel of our living Christ ..." They plan to: (1) set up community health clinics, first in Gorkha and eventually in other agricultural areas; (2) establish eye camps and dental camps; (3) direct important programs about HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases; (4) provide primary health to pregnant women; (5) offer parasitic prevention programs; (6) conduct school health programs and provide basic health education; and (7) reach remote communities, both medically and spiritually.
Mr. Pariyar says, " ... Presently we have no ... donors
or sponsors (to help) run our organization ... Please keep on praying (to)
fulfill our needs ... You are heartily welcome to ... help support our
organization ..." His mailing address is Gorkha Association of Social
Health, G.P.O. 8975, E.P.C. 2446, Kathmandu, Nepal. (Asia). E-mail: gash_nepal2003@yahoo.com
The organization has a new web site at this address: www.geocities.com/gash_nepal
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