One family's annual trek to the Himalayas

SixSeeds is especially drawn to the vision of families serving other families in need.  One SixSeeds partner family, the Raticheks have lived out this vision over a long period of time and a very long distance of travel.

In 1998, Ellen and John Ratichek and three of their four sons began what has become an annual “trek” to the country of Nepal.  It began with the parents hearing about 35 children who had been brought by Prison Fellowship Nepal (PFN) out of the prisons where they were living with their parents.  In Nepal, when one parent is jailed, the other parent is often absent or is forced by economic reasons to
abandon the child.  That abandoned child then is sent to the prison to live with the imprisoned parent.

PFN takes these children out of prison, gives them a home, education, healthcare, and loving relationships. The youngest of those children are now teenagers, and the oldest are young adults in university or working in trades.  Along the way, new children have been added to this special family.  As John, Ellen, and three of the Ratichek sons traveled to Nepal annually to serve with PFN, they too have become part of this extended family.

Over the years, the work expanded to include other local Nepali organizations.  The people in these organizations have become friends as well as colleagues.  As the Ratichek boys have moved out of the family home, Ellen and John have begun expanding the scope of their work with these partners. 

John, a Harvard Business School graduate, made the career change to lead Foresight International, a fledgling development organization designed to support local initiatives in Nepal.  Currently, John is directing four initiatives:

1. A model school in the town of Trishuli, 70 kilometers (but 3 hours) northwest of Kathmandu.  The school will break out of the traditional system of passive memorization by encouraging analytical thinking, an appreciation for the differences in students, and the joy of creative learning.
2. Four business development programs for poor village people and released prisoners.
3. Technical support for a teaching hospital in the central Nepali town of Tansen.  The hospital supports medical services to remote mountain villages.
4. A vocational/career guidance service for the PFN children who will leave the home after finishing grade 10 in school.

Through the years, the work in Nepal has proven to be a touchstone for the Ratichek family, a ready reference point in conversation.  It has helped them to think about needs that exist far beyond the Boston suburbs, and ways they can participate in alleviating those needs.

The regular trips have made a profound impact on the children’s choices. One son is currently working with a small micro-enterprise organization in Nigeria.  His commitment is a direct result of his exposure to the poverty in Nepal (and El Salvador on a previous trip).  Another son developed a thirst for different geographies and cultures that drives his interest in international relations.  Yet another, after only one trip, returned to his high school classroom with a first-hand knowledge of Hinduism and the accompanying caste system that allowed him to challenge the false notions of that culture promoted by his social studies teacher.  Along the way, each son has developed a confidence in travel and a discernment about culture that only comes from experience.

The SixSeeds pooled giving fund is already supporting John's leadership of Foresight with a grant towards its school building project.  But if you would like to make individual contributions, you can do so to:

Foresight Development International
8 Daniels Drive
Bedford, MA 01730

All contributions will be tax receipted.

John also has brought fellow professionals with skills in business, education, health and other areas with him on these treks. Some have included children in the family.  If you're interested in exploring whether this could be an option for you, you can contact him at: ratichek@gmail.com

Of course for most families, the Himalayas may seem way out of reach.  But even if your project is merely crossing the socio-economic or cultural barriers in your own city, there is great merit to sustaining that engagement over time.  You may find yourself, like John, moved to consider how your own professional skills may help that community. Your kids, like the Ratichek boys, find their own trajectory and perspective dramatically altered.