Today has felt quite surreal.It has been quite a bitty day.Three new volunteers arrived during the morning to visit and they start tomorrow.I am quite envious as they will have all the children at home for two weeks due to the festival.However most of the staff will not be in for the same reason.Shruti and Reema are going away to see their families.Kausalya has just over a week off so their experience will be very different.

I spent the afternoon with Rabin,Sonia Nina and Seina.They have come such a long way in 5 weeks.I am going to miss all the children but particularly these four as I have spent so much time with them.I think they will miss me too but there is going to be so much going on for them with the new volunteers that I don't think it will last long.

I then spent some time with the girls while they did their homework.They all work very hard and really deserve to do well.

Shruti and I then went and ordered a cake for tomorrow.They sell cake here by the pound so we bought a 4lb cake.It is going to be quite big!

I am struggling writing this today because I don't actually want tomorrow to be my last day at OCCED even though I want James to come out and to see more of Nepal, but it is bitter sweet.I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every moment at OCCED.I know things aren't perfect or ideal and there is more that can be done to improve the children's lives but what they have is something very special.They don't have personal belongings or private space.They have very few clothes( which when they start school they have to wash themselves) ,but enough, and very little space to play in.They have plenty of food and water,although probably not enough fruit.They are clean (mostly,most of the time) and they all have beds to sleep in.However,to me what is most apparent is the love that fills the home.47 children between 9months and 15 years is not only alot of children but a huge age range.All the children are loved and well cared for.They may not get as much attention as they sometimes need but what they don't get from an adult they make up by supporting and helping each other.The older children especially appreciate what they have but it must be hard because they see American and British films and are also aware of what they don't have.

Many people said to me before I left that it would be a life changing experience.I would say not life changing but life affirming.

I know I have said it before but I have an enormous respect for the OCCED board and for what they have achieved.They are a group of businessmen with a vision of a future that is going to be different.They are now working on a project for the empowerment of women.