A Ticket to a New Life
Dear friends, dear project sponsors of Back to Life,
Warm greetings on the fourth Sunday of Advent. Some life journeys change through a single event – not because it is extraordinary, but because help is missing. Such was the path of Dinesh Bista from the mountains of Mugu in western Nepal. Today I am glad to tell you what becomes possible when support remains reliable.
An Odyssey Over a 3,700-Meter Pass
It begins with a broken arm that at first seems harmless, but because of the lack of medical care in Nepal’s mountains becomes a deadly danger. When Dinesh’s arm discolors and the smell of a severe infection sets in, a true odyssey begins for him and his father. For days, the father carries his son over narrow mountain paths from one remote hospital to the next. In Mugu there is no doctor, and to reach the neighboring province of Jumla they cross a 3,700-meter pass on foot. But even there, they cannot help the boy.
Finally, the lowlands remain the only hope. After an agonizing bus journey that lasts a whole day, they reach Nepalgunj. There, there is only one way to save Dinesh’s life: the immediate amputation of his right arm. Dinesh is seven years old.
A Ticket to a New Life
When Dinesh returns home to his mountain village, nothing is the same as before. It took 10 months for his stump to heal; he missed almost a whole school year and had to laboriously learn to write with his left hand. His classmates and even his former friends excluded and mocked him. For a child with fresh physical and emotional wounds, this environment – without resources, without protection and without understanding – is a daily struggle that he cannot keep up in the long run. The Back to Life team got to know Dinesh in 2021, when we were setting up a drinking-water project and apple-tree orchards in his region. His parents took part in the income-generation program. That is the turning point: Back to Life offers the family long-term support. Suddenly the door to Kathmandu opens for the boy, now 14 years old – for medical care, a good school, a supervised residential home. Real opportunities instead of discrimination. For a boy who had never seen an airplane before, the journey to the capital alone is a small miracle.
In Kathmandu, we first arrange for the fitting of an arm prosthesis. But with that, the next challenge begins for Dinesh: lessons in English, a loud big city, strangers everywhere, homesickness, uncertainty. Even so, he does not let himself be discouraged. Teachers translate for him, he makes friends – and slowly the unfamiliar turns into a real home. His friends call him the ‘soul of the children’s home,’ and the caregivers describe him as responsible and helpful. His great passion is playing football on the school team.
A Clear Goal in Sight
Step by step, Dinesh works his way forward and proudly completes secondary school. This year brings the next great success: he passes his higher secondary exams with the very good grade B+. We then actively support him in exploring career options. He visits the university, sits in on lectures in various fields, and quickly finds clarity. With determined calm, he prepares for the nationwide Central Management Admission Test (CMAT) and passes. This opens the way for him into the BBA program (Bachelor of Business Administration) at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu. What distinguishes the now 18-year-old is not only his academic success – it is his attitude to life. While many of his peers begin a management degree to later pursue a career in the corporate sector, Dinesh thinks differently. His goal is to pass the demanding Lok Sewa exam of the Nepali civil service. For him, education is not simply a path to a secure job. It is his preparation to become a voice for those whom hardly anyone else hears.
“I want to work where decisions can improve the lives of people like me, especially those in the remote areas,” he says, smiling but unwavering.
Help Make the Future Possible
Dinesh’s path shows impressively what long-term support can achieve – quietly, reliably and with lasting impact. His studies began this winter semester. We are glad to continue accompanying him and to keep you informed.
Together we can stand by many more people, dear friends.
I wish you and your loved ones a special second Sunday of Advent,
Yours,
Tara Stella Deetjen
