Honoring A Nepali Porter

Namaste, my name is Sandy and my husband Harry (a former Peace Corps Nepal volunteer) and I are writing to request donations for the wife and young son of our beloved porter, Durga Nepali, who recently died after falling from a horse on a Himalayan mountain trail.

Durga was an extraordinary man and friend. He portered for us in 1996, 1999 and 2015. Deb joined us in 1999 and he has portered for other friends and his daughter and son-in-law have assumed the mantle. We all loved, admired and appreciated Durga's warm heart and beautiful smile. He was very knowledgeable about his country, and culture and he spoke many languages. When he was not guiding and keeping tourists safe he was a subsistence farmer in his remote village. Durga was in his fifties.

Our experiences in Nepal have been very impactful. Those who know any of us know we love Nepal. Any support you give is greatly appreciated and will go a long way in helping Durga's family.

From Tie/Karen Edwards: In 2022 I visited Nepal for the first time. My experience was profound. Meeting Anita, her husband Deepak, and their son, Prabesh, has been transformative for me.

Anita's father, Durga, shared his deep love and knowledge of the Himalayan mountains with many visitors. By following his example, Anita and Deepak learned to guide and welcome people from all over the world.

A donation of any amount will be very significant. The cost of a coffee and a muffin in the USA is approximately 1000 rupees in Nepal.

I hope you will offer prayers and healing thoughts for Durga's family. They are facing many financial and emotional challenges.

From Todd: It has been eight years since I embarked on a journey with one of my very best friends, Sandy Scott. This journey would change my life. I had the privilege of meeting some very special people and one of them was Durga. Durga was very kind. Our time together was filled with joy and laughter. Durga was our travel partner for weeks and was extremely attentive to our needs. One very fond morning is when I arose before others and sat watching the sunrise on the mountains. I did not hear Durga behind me bringing my coffee and he whispered in my ear, "this sunrise is just for you". I will miss my friend and cherish my memories of him. My memories bring me courage and joy. I cannot imagine how his family is holding up. I hope some of our memories will inspire others to contribute in a small way to help Durga's family during this difficult time.

Nepal is a beautiful country with amazingly generous and kind people living there. It is also a very poor country with the annual income in 2015 being $811 a year. All of us thank you in advance for your support of Durga's family.