Orphanage rebuild brings appreciation

Heidi Aarsen

Otago Girls' High School pupil Heidi Aarsen (17) recently returned from a month-long trip with international organisation Teen Missions, where she and 23 other teenagers helped rebuild an orphanage in the Nepalese town of Urlabari.

Heidi, who is in Year 13, said it was the ‘‘most amazing'' experience of her life - even with a 14-hour bus ride from capital Kathmandu to Urlabari.

She said the poverty of the country was difficult to experience, but the gratitude and happiness of the people there was something that greatly inspired her.

‘‘The kids were just so happy.''

The trip involved rebuilding the top storey of an earthquake-damaged orphanage, which meant lugging bricks up three flights of stairs.

Heidi said the work was ‘‘hard but good'' because she knew that once it was completed it would help a lot people.

She remembered a particularly special moment of the trip, which involved playing with a bunch of children - who later turned out to be the children that would be living in the rooms they were rebuilding in the orphanage.

They spent just over three weeks working on the orphanage, but did get two days off to go see the Himalayas and shop at the local markets.

Heidi, who is in her last year of school, said she was not sure what she would do next year but would potentially take a gap year to do more volunteering overseas.

She said on returning to New Zealand her gratitude for her lifestyle has increased - especially after seeing the lack of educational opportunities in Nepal.

‘‘I think that was the big thing for me, coming home and realising what I have and appreciating it so much more.''‘‘Education here [is] . . . just so unappreciated.''

- by Greta Yeoman