Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal

“There are tens of thousands of children still missing in Nepal.”

Although Grennan has worked since 2004 to locate and reunite children with their families, the task is a gargantuan one. Before the memoir even begins, this quote signifies to the reader that despite Grennan’s successes, there are thousands of children still without homes, missing, or deceased, and most of these children are victims of the civil war that ravaged the country between 1996 and 2006. Grennan’s nonprofit, Next Generation Nepal, continues to find Nepal’s lost children in present day.

“I needed this volunteering stint to sound as challenging as possible to my friends and family back home.”

In 2004, Grennan plans to visit Nepal and volunteer at an orphanage for three months. In this quote, the author openly admits that his motives are less about being concerned for the children of Nepal and more about gaining attention for his service. Grennan confesses to these ego-driven feelings to mark the transformation he will undergo in three subsequent years. By 2007, Grennan is a changed person, far more mature and committed to the children of Nepal.

“As it turns out, wondering what you’re supposed to do in an orphanage is like wondering what you’re supposed to do at the running of the bulls in Spain—you work it out pretty quickly.”

Upon arriving at the Little Princes Children’s Home, he feels overwhelmed and unqualified for the task of caring for so many kids. Despite his hesitations, the children immediately ingratiated him into their daily routine, and Grennan learns to go with the flow.