For my first ten days, I have been working at Pashupatinath Elderly Ashram alongside a few of the nuns from the Kathmandu Mother Theresa home. Every morning I meet Sisters Tonitika, Mona Lisika, and Myriel at the convent then  together we walk down to the elderly home. 

Along the way, we are greeted with smiles and namastes, people love their presence. The work we do at Pashupati includes laundry, feeding, and cleaning up after their morning meal. I am in reverence of the way the sisters carry themselves, they bream with a child-like glee towards the many monkeys that surround the place as well as bring a dedicated serene quality when attending to their work. It truly is an honor to work alongside them.  After Pashupati, I go over to the Mother Theresa Home, Santi Bawan. There we meet a spectrum of women in need: elderly, mentally, and otherwise physically impaired. I help to serve them lunch and observe the differences between a government run home and a privately run one. The most obvious one to note is the cleanliness factor as well as the implications of the differing religions.

The elderly home at Pashupati has over 150 tenants and while we help with about 60 of the most in need, there are plenty of areas in which there could be cleaner measures taking place. Unfortunately, I have witnessed more abuse-like behavior at the Mother Theresa home including hitting, withholding food, and mean-spirited teasing.  And still, I have inklings of what goes on when “no one’s watching”. This simple fact is why I hope to bloom compassionate action within the homes and help to reflect the light that is seen in the eyes of those who dwell there.