Smiling Faces
Photos and words by Richard Bull

While walking back to Simikot from Sarkegar, I misjudged where I could reach before dark, and consequently walked for an hour and a half in the dark along the rock river trail.

A house appeared out of nowhere, so dimly lit was it lit and after giving my unprepared greetings and assuring I was not there to rob them or worse, I asked if I could stay and if I could get food.

The family had 6 members, mother, 3 daughters, a son and father who was away working. The eldest daughter attended a Christian school in Kathmandu and loved Jesus Christ very much. The younger (pictured) attended a boarding school in Simikot.

While the food was cooking, I was asked by the mother if I would like to take the youngest daughter with me.

I stayed in a room with a sleeping chicken at the end of the bed, that stayed perfectly quiet in the dark, and moved and was unsure if it was morning when my torch was switched on.