2009 A busy summer in Nyerma
At the end of April, I went back to Ladakh. Meeting the Nyerma nuns after half a year of absence I noticed they all look healthy. This was because head nun Dechen has the knowledge about the importance of healthy food, especially for older people in a though climate like that of Ladakh. Fortunately there is enough money for good food thanks to the income from the guest house last summer.
Earlier this season activities started for extending the vegetable garden and building the greenhouse.
More far-reaching were the building activities to connect all separate parts of the nunnery. After that was accomplished, the nuns can walk from one room to the other without getting cold or wet with snow during winter. Also a room for a teacher was built. In the near future young nuns will come to live in Nyerma. It was agreed with the Rinpoche of Thiskey that a teacher will be appointed.
It was great to see how every one of the nuns, each in her own way, was helping. Stones needed to be carried to level the courtyard. Old nuns who have trouble walking sat down and made piles of stones and those who are physically fit carried them away.
Solar energy
In November 2008 participants of the Dutch energy company Essent took part in a famous run in the city of Nijmegen. The company sponsored the runners for a good intention, which happened to be the DFLN that year. The runners did a very good job, the foundation received € 10.000 to spend on a project for solar energy for the nunnery and guest house.
The process of getting informed about the best local company and most suitable system until signing the contract took all summer.
In Ladakh carrying out projects, ideas and plans have their own ways. Now we hope the solar panels can be installed before winter so the nuns can profit during the dark days.
HomeStay
The summer of 2009 was the second season of home stay with nuns “the Tara’s”. Last summer we already were quite enthusiastic about the amount of guests and the proceeds, this summer the proceeds were three times more! This is splendid for the livelihood of the nuns.
Guests from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Great Britain, Sweden and the USA came to Nyerma. Some stayed for one night on their way through, others stayed for a three-week meditation. Guests enjoyed the impressive environment, the quietness, the contact with the nuns and the good care and tasty meals provided by the volunteers who took good care of guests all summer.
For the volunteers it is hard work to take care of so many guests. In Nyerma it is physically hard work because electricity often fails, water has to be pumped manually, cleaning and doing laundry are though jobs. It is also the climate that is demanding.
The first volunteer to arrive at the end of May was Ellen, a last year’s old hand who was willing to substitute during intervals of volunteers and to instruct them. Together with Dechen and Chamba, two nuns involved in the project, she could go on with the work where it stopped last year.
In June Angela came to run the guesthouse. During that period the first “big” group came.
Kris and Els came in the beginning of July to take over. They have been busy continuously.
Being a physiotherapist, Els offered massages to the guests to raise extra money. Some nuns with physical problems enjoyed her treatment too.
At the end of July almost all of last years volunteers where back in Nyerma. This is significant for Ladakh and specifically for Nyerma. Together with the nuns we went for an outing: first a visit to a gompa and then a picnic. A day enjoyed by everyone.
In the beginning of August Gijs and Lotte came. August and September were very busy months. Not one day without guests. For purchasing groceries the volunteers have to go to
Leh. The bus ride, both ways, by itself takes at least two hours.
They stayed until the end of September when the guesthouse closed. Now everything is clean and prepared for winter, waiting for next summer that hopefully will be as successful as this summer.
It is wonderful to see how Chamba and Dechen learn and develop. They now know how to deal with western guests and they have their ideas about how to run the guesthouse.
They have to get used to the quietness in Nyerma now volunteers and guests have left. Just like we have to get used again to our way of living in Europe.
- Aniek Jaartsveld
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