Since 2009, a partnership has grown between several members of our Oregon Conference family and the village of Kumari in Nepal. Those familiar with Big Lake Youth Camp (BLYC) may have learned some of the unfolding story from the documentary, Kumari: A Father’s Dream, which was selected as a finalist at the Banff International Film Festival in 2022. This year, the teams at Big Lake Expeditions and the Common Ground Adventist church plant partnered to return to Kumari once again this Spring.
“Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world,” shared BLYC director, Les Zollbrecht. “A lot of people we work with and employ through these expeditions don’t have much in the way of sustainable, life-giving work other than what we can bring in. So when we bring in an expedition we do everything we can to be really intentional to hire local and think about how we work with people, to make sure everything we do is giving life to the community and that we’re treating people well.”
According to the National Library of Medicine, around 30% of people in Nepal survive on less than $1.25/day, and access to quality medical services remains one of the greatest needs in the country. Together, Big Lake Expeditions and their partners have helped fund and facilitate the construction of a local medical clinic, a major road, and access to electricity, sustainable jobs, and education in the village of Kumari. “We’re constantly revisiting how we engage with the community,” said Les. “How are we doing the things we do? What are the best ethics for how we work with local guides, porters, and others in the area?”
In addition to the community development and relief efforts, the team at Big Lake Expeditions aims to train up strong and compassionate leaders through an intensive mountaineering experience. “The beauty of mountaineering is that you don’t have winners and losers. The whole team wins together,” said Les. “When you get up to the pass there are significant winds. It’s cold. People are struggling. It’s the highest elevation most people have been to besides the guides. No one is jumping ahead to get to the summit first – we do it together. And that, to me, is such a powerful metaphor for what true leadership is. We win as a team, and when we struggle we’re going to struggle together. We don’t leave anyone behind.”
By facilitating these expeditions, Les shared that there are several major goals; continuing to support the development of the Kumari community, training leadership skills of authenticity and discipline, engaging and continuing to mentor Big Lake staff, and helping to fund Big Lake Youth Camp through the expedition fees paid by those who take on the challenge.
“I think a lot of people want to be part of a healthy culture, but they don’t know how to do that very well,” Les continued. “So having the chance to go and have this deep connection with the people you’re walking with all day long, hanging out with in the evenings, listening to their stories, and doing really hard things together is huge. For many it’s the hardest thing they’ve ever done in their lives, but it’s also so rewarding. You find a community who is all in for you, people who will walk with you and help you along the way. Everybody is willing to fill the gap because that’s what healthy leadership is, and here everyone is a leader. Everybody has influence. I think that’s what a lot of people come to find – the value of a healthy culture in one of the most beautiful places on earth.”
