Dear Friends
My name is Furgel Sherpa Lama, l am 45 years old. l came to "Children's World" as l was 14. l lived there till l completed my University studies at the age of 24. l was born in a small Himalayan village in a family of very poor farmers. Since our small childhood all the 6 children of the family had do do hard works on the fields and take care of the yaks and of the other animals. We could not go to school.
As l was 10, l started to have strong headaches, but my parents didn't believe that l could be very sick. With 13 the pains became so unbearable that l had to be brought to the hospital. A very big tumor had to be taken out of my brain at the back of my head. After a difficult Operation l woke up, but my eye sight had been destroyed and l had to face the Situation of a blind person, which was very hard for me. After one year recovery, l could learn reading and writing in Braille and l was admitted in the blind school of Kathmandu. Since l lived a good life in "Children's world", l was a brilliant Student. To study was very easy for me. l loved very much to learn and read a lot of books. My eye sight is gone, but l am blessed with an extraordinary memory power which normal people do not have.
As l was in Children's World, l experienced the most happy time of my life. l could concentrate only on my studies and got the help of my sighted brothers and sisters when it was necessary. The Wo-men working for the project took very good care of me, taught me a lot of things making me able to face life as a blind person and gave me Love which l had never experienced before in my life. During my studies l met my wife Sabita, who was at that time only partially blind. We married after 5 years and we got one son Pema Tsering Lama who is now 16 years old. He is studying Hotel Mana¬gement at the University of Kathmandu and is an intelligent boy who takes care of me and his mo-ther since he was a iittle child, Till he was 5, the father of my wife was living with us and helped us to educate him.
For him it is normal to be the son of blind parents and he helps us with a great kindness. As he was a baby, we took a loan from the bank and built a very small house where we are now living happily. Sabita is now completely blind and is working as a teacher in the school for the blind, l am a senior teacher for English in a boarding school for normal children. It is sometimes hard to guide them, but l punish them when they are insolent and things work well for me. l am teaching with the help of a laptop and l am also still using braille books. l am very happy to have this year the opportunity to thank you for all what you have done for me. All the years which l have spent in "Children's World" have made me to the man l am today. They are for me the basement of my actual life since they allowed me to be highly educated. Without you l might have ended on the road as a beggar to beg for food as it is often the case for handicapped people in our country. Through you l got an intelligent and important guidance that brought me to the choice to be a teacher, a work which l really love very much.
Thank you to all of you for your generous help. l will never forget the Chance that you gave me and will always carry you in my heart. My wife, Sabita, my son Pema Tsering and l are wishing you all the best for 2025 and for your future years as well as a Merry, peaceful Christmas.
Furgel Sherpa
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