Luke remembers when his friend Anjit first explained to him that it's common for the street kids to get high off industrial glue just so they can cope.

"They huff (ingest) the glue," says Luke. "It makes them warm and takes their appetite away and gives them a high. A lot of kids start using it when they're 7. But it cooks their brains. It's an awful thing."

At the Optimistic Children and Youth Home of Nepal, industrial glue is not allowed — and as many of the orphans as possible are sent to school so they can get started on a self-sufficient life that leads to natural highs.

For Luke, caring for the kids takes precedence over caring for himself.

"There is nothing material over here that could compare with giving those kids something to eat and an opportunity for a decent life," he says.

He is booked on a Dec. 17 flight for Nepal, and it's a one-way ticket.

"I'm hoping to return with enough funds to stay at least nine months to oversee the expansion (of the orphanage) and communicate our progress back to the primary sponsors here," is his stated plan.

"I live a simple life there," he says. "But I find it very satisfying."

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Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.