Nameste, the greeting



EVEREST BUILD, 2010



No longer "Hello". Instead use the familiar "Nameste" of southeast Asia.

When Nepali folks meet and part, palms pressed together and fingers pointed upwards, they often say, Namaste, which signifies the real meeting between us. It represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart.

It is both a greeting and an acknowledgment of the soul in one, by the soul in another. ‘May our spirits meet’.

As most commonly used, Namaste is roughly equivalent to "Hello", implicitly with the connotation "to be well". As opposed to shaking hands, kissing or embracing each other, Namaste is a non-contact form of respectful greeting and can be used universally while meeting a person of different gender, age or social status.

I honor the place within you where the entire Universe resides;

I honor the place within you of love, of light, of truth, of peace;

I honor the place within you, where, when you are in that place in you and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us. -- Mahatma Gandhi

Where? ? ?

Where is Kavre?
Can you locate it on a map of Nepal?
Can you even find Nepal on the map?   Here is some help....

Volunteers at EVEREST BUILD 2012 will work alongside families to build houses in Kavre, a popular tourist destination, about 28 km. east of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Together with Habitat families,volunteers will construct houses for these soon-to-be new homeowners.

More than a celebration of the 40 or so homes to built in October, this Everest Build recognizes the 15,000 families in Nepal who have been helped by Habitat for Humanity in the past decade. This year's event is a milestone on the path to assist 100,000 families into safe, decent, affordable homes by 2016.

Countdown: Sept 7 - Oct 7

Are you wondering about our team members? Who they are and where from?

Leslie Bell says the number now is at 99 members, with a final cut-off date of Sept. 10. This is our team group. Are you curious about them?

Here are some facts:

Our volunteers are from U.S. (naturally the greatest number) but also, from Canada, Singapore, Australia and Austria. Of that total number, 59 are female and 40 male. Furthermore, of those, 21 are couples.

No break down on the representation by U.S. state, however there are more from Alaska than any other state, nine, including two Alaska natives!

 

TRADITIONAL NAMASTE WELCOME -- EVEREST BUILD 2010

  Organized by Habitat Nepal, HFH International says more than 380 international volunteers have signed up for the week-long build. More than half hail from the U.S. with the next largest contingent coming from New Zealand, and others in addition to the countries listed above, from UK and Malaysia.

Yeah, team!  Get ready. A warm welcome awaits you.

Today is September 7 and the build begins October 7.

Countdown is only one month. Namaste!