Since 2009, a partnership has grown between several members of Oregon Conference and the village of Kumari in Nepal.
Some may have learned of the unfolding story from the documentary, Kumari: A Father’s Dream, which was selected as a finalist at Banff International Film Festival in 2022. This spring, the team at Big Lake Expeditions and the Common Ground Adventist Church plant partnered to return to Kumari once again.
“Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world,” shared Les Zollbrecht, Big Lake Youth Camp and Big Lake Expeditions director. “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 intentionally hire local and think about how we work with people, making sure everything we do is giving life to the community and we’re treating people well.”
According to National Library of Medicine, around 30% of people in Nepal survive on less than $1.25 per day. 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 Zollbrecht. “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 Big Lake Expeditions team aims to train strong and compassionate leaders through intensive mountaineering experience.
“The beauty of mountaineering is that you don’t have winners and losers. The whole team wins together,” said Zollbrecht. “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,” said Zollbrecht. "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.”
“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,” Zollbrecht continued. “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 that's all in for you. Everybody is willing to fill the gap because that’s what healthy leadership is, and here everyone is a leader. Everybody has influence,” said Zollbrecht. "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.”
The expedition to Nepal combines leadership training and mentorship with local community development.
