THE LIFE CHANGER
A middle-aged Englishman heads to Nepal for a few weeks and many visits later ends up adopting a family. It may sound like an improbable story, but this is exactly what happened to retired head teacher Nick Morrice. Although he initially went to Nepal to teach and keep tabs on a child he had sponsored, his life would profoundly change after meeting a local woman who ran an orphanage.
Indra Maya Shah introduced him to a young man called Ramesh (one of her five charges) and, after a year of agonising indecision, Nick agreed to pay for him to go to medical school. It wasn’t a cheap commitment (around £40,000) and there was always the possibility he was being ripped off, even if Ramesh’s ambition to be a doctor did appear genuine. However, Nick was right to brush aside his reservations and follow his gut instinct as Ramesh is a top-grade student on course to graduate with flying colours. Nick has since gone on to finance the orphanage’s four other male residents and is now an integral part of their family and social network, where he is affectionately known as “Godfather” and “Uncle”.
Discovered in Kathmandu delightfully illustrates the transformative power of giving and the unfailing ability of the human spirit to win out against adversity. Although Ramesh grew up in poverty and was often mistreated by his alcoholic step father, he never lost his faith in human goodness. The orphanage was his lifeline and his gratitude for the care it bestowed on him is touching. For Nick the challenge of assuming those responsibilities was initially daunting, although the rewards have more than compensated for his earlier doubts. There is satisfaction in knowing that a difference has been made to the lives of people who in other circumstances would be strangers: there is also a heartfelt pleasure in belonging to a family where integrity is as important as blood ties.
Discovered in Kathmandu is a humbling read that appeals to our compassion. How can we not be moved by the simple dignity of children born into grinding poverty whose only wish is to have an education; or the plight of Kiran, the suicidal, penniless tailor whose life is transformed by Nick’s generosity. The privileged of the world have much to learn!
The only fault I have with this book (and it really is a minor one), is the time it takes for the story to get into its stride, although the pace does pick up after the first four chapters. Nick has a good eye for detail and his descriptions of downtown Kathmandu with its bustling traffic and crowded streets are vivid. We can almost smell the spicy aromas of food wafting from the stalls of the roadside vendors and cafes, just as it’s easy to visualise the lush green of the countryside dotted with ancient temples and Buddha carvings.
It doesn’t matter if Discovered in Kathmandu lacks the stand out brilliance of a literary prize winner. Take it for what it is: a warm, engaging account of how a man born into a life of middle class privilege is making a difference where it really matters.
Reviewed by Juliette Foster
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