Camp update

Vera just had an amazing day giving out the Samaritans purse boxes .  There were 500 kids at this event, and Vera and her team did an amazing job.

We also got a report from the extreme camp.  Everyone had so much fun and appreciate all the suport.  

Back on the farm they are taking advantage of the hot dry days to dehydrate some apricots for the winter months 

 

At the guest house they are repairing some of the walls on the Banya that needed to be patched up before winter. 

Our scholarship fund sits at $1500 right now.  I have a couple more weeks before we will need to have $10 000 to cover the tuitions of those we have committed to help If you would like to help out, please use the link on the top right side of the blog. 

Relieved

 

We are so relieved that the scholarship fund totals 

  have started to climb. 

This will make such a difference for so many incredible young people like Julia who works so hard and volunteers her time to help others .    Just one of the many that can only move forward if someone is willing to help sponcer their tuition.  This is your opertinity to invest in their futures .. our goal is $10000 , we have $8500 to go .

Update on Summer Camps

 Camp is under way for many of those we work with.  Vera is preparing for camp for her village this week , photos to follow.  The guys from the farm and 5 other youth from the village will be heading around lake Isykool next week. 

Right now we have a group of kids at Isykool for "extreme camp"  This is such a blessing that we were able to sponsor so many to attend . 

                                                    Romina and Sabina at the lake 

This next photo shows the kids on the beach partaking in some cool games . 

Sabina and Romina are two of the kids we would like to get into a safer and better environment for school this fall .  As I shared before they are currently in a terrible school and must travel between 1 1/2 and 2 hours each way by bus to get to it .. There is no room in any of the schools closer to home, but we have found a private school very close to home for them . 

Another person we would like to help with Education is Elena.  

Elena comes out to the farm twice a week and meets with everyone on the farm individually and as a group.  She also works with our people in Bishkek one day a week as well as home visits with some others that we are working with.  I am so blessed when I look out at the farm and see her sitting on the bench in the orchard or on the veranda sitting and having a one on one counselling session with one of the kids or workers  .

 Elana is always taking courses to give her more tools and a better understanding of the people she is helping.  She has an opertunity now to study on line a course on clinical psychology and psychiatry  

This course is over $1000 so it is way out of her price range.  we would love to be able to assist her with this .  like we try to do for Nick .   For years Nick worked on the farm, and had a chance to start his post secondary education .  He could have done anything, and he decided to go into Psychology   When I asked him why he chose that, he said it was so he could "Help with the Family Business " 

Like many of those we sponsor, they are bettering themselves so that they are able to give back !

If you would like to invest in the future of these or many of the other kids we sponsor through our scholarship fund, please donate through the link on the top right side of the blog .  We are looking for $10 000 this year to cover the needs . 

A few items from the wish list

 We have a couple days left for the prime days wish list .  The items purchased will be shipped directly to a team coming next month. That means that you can purchase a donation for the work in Kyrgyzstan and it will be delivered right to the farm.

I thought I would highlight some of the items on the list . 

We have a hole assortment of vitamins .. these are so important.  In Kyrgyzstan they are more than a supplement, but are more of a medication. 

I brought a lock box with me in the spring, and realized how great they are when we have multiple locations and guests and groups coming , we can't always be there in person so this way we can give them the code to be able to get in. 

New towels are always in demand .  We like to keep the towels fresh and new in the guest houses, so each time we get new ones we pass the old ones on to the boys and people we support ,and there old ones move on to be cleaning clothes 

We have some water tanks that we can pump from when the village water is often turned off .  With these valves installed, when ever there is water, the tank will automatically top up and shut off when full.

This fall we are planning on having a meeting of bee keepers. We would like to have a welcome pac for them .. what  better then bee hats and are gloves .

Along with the water tanks I. The farm, we have two large tanks at the Kashar.  The water can get skunky in the heat , but if we drop in a chlorine puck it will keep it clear for a week.

Amazon deals to Kyrgyzstan July 8 - 11th

 I know we are in the beginning of our scholarship fund raiser , but we did not what to pass up this opportunity for some great savings .  We have created a wish list that will allow you to purchase some items that we would like to have in Kyrgyzsstan .  You follow this link, purchase the items from the link, and they will be delivered directly to a team that will hand deliver them to the farm in just over a month from now.   

We have things on the list like vitamins and first aid supplies, along with some specific items that we would like on the farm , like the water purification t ablets , the water shut off valves and door lock boxes.  Towles for the guest house and of course we can always use coffee for the cafe.  There are many items to choose from, and they each have a counter showing how many we would like that will let us know when those needs have been met .  

The sale starts today and ends at midnight on July 11.  So we have just 4 days to make the most of these deals .   please act fact , and share with others that you think would like to help.

Thank you for your help.

Scholarship fund

 

As we head into the fall, it is time to start preparing for all the tuitions that we cover, and top up the scholarship fund .    This makes such a difference for the kids and will give them such a boost going into the future .  This year we have a target of $10 000.  I will give you a little insight into a few of the kids that this money will cover.  

Rustam is from one of the orphanages that we try to support.  He is a very bright and promising young man and is wantig to take a athetlitics program.  

We have had Vika at a pre school.  She was behind in development when she came to live with Kamalla, but Kamalla has done an incredible job with her.  She is in a private school and thriving .  this also gives Kamalla a bit of time to care for the household. 

Romina and Sabina are Vika's older sisters.  Right now they are traveling over  1 1/2 hours each way,to get to school.  There are no openings in the schools near where they live.  The school that they are attending is a very poor school. last year there was a finght in one of their class rooms and a boy was killed.  We have been trying to find them a school closer to home .  There is one just a few blocks away and has an excellent reputation.  they have room and are willing to take the girls this fall.  Getting into a good and safe school for their final couple years would be such a blessing .. and could save about 3 hours of time sitting in a bus every day 

Nick is still working on his Psycology degree.  He has been working at the same time for US Aid , but this position is on hold right now so he has been teaching English to help with the cost of living.   

Julia is another very hard working young lady.  We met her at the english school where she volinteers teaching Art class to the kids there.  She also works as a Baresta in an island booth at the local mall.  Julia has come and worked for us as a translator and has done an incredible job. She not only translates but works right along side the teams and is atentave to their needs.  We see such a hope for her future, and with some financial suport, we have been able to help her enroll in the Petagogy program at the local University. 

These are just a few of the kids that we are looking for someone to invest in their futures.  They have such potential and it really is an honour to be able to suport them .. Please consider suporting our scholarship find at this time.  

A few great ideas

I got some great ideas for ways to make such a bid difference in the lives of some of the young boys and girls we have conection with . 

The first comes from Vera , she writes ;

 John, good afternoon. How are you?

I wanted to ask if you could help us with finances for a summer children's camp. We want to hold a camp after July 20. For 5 days, for 20 children. We have some finances, but not enough, everything is getting expensive now. We need another 30,000 soms ( $500 CDN), These are prizes for children, goodies, stationery, sports equipment, etc.   If you can help us, we will be very grateful., also Today we are going to pick up Samaritan gifts, this year we ordered 500 pcs.   We want to start distributing in July and after the distribution hold a summer camp.  

Handing out boxes with Vera 

this day we hostes 250 kids 

These Samaritan Purse boxes are always a big event, but are xpensive for the teams on the ground .  They will be hosting a party for the kids , plus have the transportation expences .. Part of why they are asking for support. 

The next up is a request from sergey and the boys at the farm.  Every year the boys save up so that they can go on a 5 day trip around like IsyKool .  The boys cover their expences, and I cover the cost of the gas for the bus , and usualy one nice meal out.  This year they have noticed and been talking to the parrents of some of the families we have been helping .  It turns out that many of the kids have never even seen Lake Isykool , and some have never been further away then Tokmok.  Thy would like to offer to bring these kids along with them.  So Today Sergey writes ;

Could you post a need on the blog? We need money for the boys from these disadvantaged families for the trip. About 30,000 soms( $500 CDN) is the minimum for the trip. If there are people who will help more then we can make the vacation more interesting. God willing. Thank you.

A couple days ago we got word from Acel that it was Camp season for some of our kids in Bishkek , like Kamallas girls and a few others .. the cost for this four day camp of camp for 5 of our girls is 25000 som. ($400 CDN)  .. So in total, we are looking for at least $1400 for summer camps if anyone out there would like to help with this.  

and in other news, we had a rain way up in the mountains last night , and when they went up to prepare the Kashr for guests coming tomorrow morning they found that the rod had washed out.. this time a little more thenn the boys could fill in.  We had to hire an earth mover to rebuild the road .. it had a 2 1/2 food trence carved through it . 

But on a brighter note , the gardens are coming along well.