Looking Back ---- Thank you

Here is a collection of "Thank Yous" gathered from our family.( in no specific order.)

Thank you to those who have brought or sent us some of the "wants". The familiar taste of Honey Nut Cherrios nearly brought tears to my eyes. Peanut Butter, coffee, Kraft Dinner, tuna......really made a difference.

The antibiotic creams, vitamens, children's Tylenal and those type of things were priceless for the people there. It was such a blessing for us to have triple antibiotic creams for a little baby and a women that were badly burned. It made a significant improvement in their healing.

The Vitimen D for rickets will have a life changing effect for several children. Thank you so much.

The thousands of dollars of blood glucose test strips will give Dr. Tatyana the tools she needs to help diagnos and treat hundreds of people.

We thought we could find tinfoil in town that would work for this specific craft, but we couldn't. Thank you so much for sending excellent tin foil, butchers string, Tempra poster paint and "Sharpie Markers". The children loved doing this art project.

Thank you to the ones who continually prayed for us, day after day. This type of commitment carried us. Thank you to everyone who prayed us through some difficult decisions and situations. Some of you we havn't even met yet, thank you.

Thank you to those who support the "Your the One" project. Through this project we were able to see the signing over of a house to Ira and her family. Ruslan, his mom Raheema, and his sister Maleeka were settled in to their new home. And even as we leave Sergei and Anya are getting ready to place another family in to the third home.

We don't know how to put "thank you" into words for all the many things sponsored by indivudals and groups from a two year old who sponsored a chick to an entire church community who sponsored larger projects. They all had a part in things like:

farm animals to give a family a fresh start
an activity room at the home for Invalid Men
educational sponsorships
many operations that changed lives
eye check ups and new glasses

weekly suppers and family night at the town Orphanage
many cases, like Nicolai the elderly homeless man, where dignity was restored
Village water project
a prom dress

shirts, shorts and shoes and a fun day for 150 children at Village Orphanage
doctors and dentists visits for those who would never be able to afford it

Thank you that we could stay in such a nice apartment. We loved living there.

Thank you for sponsoring the weekly outings with the children. The impact these extra experiences had on us and the children cannot be measured in terms of material things. If this was all that was accomplishsed we could call this trip a success.Here are a few of the outings; puppet show, playing at the town playground, concerts, museum, dance contest with John's famous chili, hot springs, overnight to the yurt camp at the lake, several swimming in the river trips, fishing, shopping sprees at the bazaar, dinners at restaurants, BBQ's, shashleek at the yurts, sleepover for the older girls from village, special days with the younger girls and then the boys, trips to the mountains, the Tower, (so many times we are now considered nationals and we get in free) and probably other trips that we can't think of.

Each time there was a comment on the blog our hearts were warmed. Comments of encouragment, songs written out, just being remembered, knowing that the blog is being read was really appreciated. Emails from family , friends and new friends were vital for us to feel connected and we couldn't have done with out them.

Thank you very much for the ongoing , generous support that helped us get to Central Asia, stay there and have the time of our lives and to get home again. We are so grateful.

Thank you to those who took care of things at home. It was great not to have to worry about these things and to know that they were in good hands. Our dog Lilly, our house, the parrot Buddie, the mail and the bills, our cat Norman, the snow, the grass, the wood, the den, airing out the house, etc, etc, even the person who collects our mail says. "I just got htis letter with a check, I have just two questions. Where do you want me to buy a cow and how do you want me to ship it to you.? " We say, Thank you.

Thank you to the groups and teams that brought excitment, support, and encouragemnt to us and the people we were working with. A.V.P. team with Pam, P.I. Tour, the adopting mom's team, NPC Youth Team, Loads of Love, and Lamb International. As we look back it is amazing to see how the timing of each team was just right.

Thank you to my place of employment, The Canadian Mental Health Association, for initiating a Self Funded Leave, and supporting me to carry through with this adventure. I wonder if they will let me do it again lol. Thank you that I have the security of my job back in September. Thank you to my co-workers who are picking up the slack for me while I am gone and for keeping in touch with me and for being such a strong encouragement. Thank you to the lovely woman who was hired to fill the seven month contract of my leave. And I am so thankful that you were hired on full time in another position.

It was a special blessing to our family to have the team from our home church. What a great time we had. Thank you to all the senders that generously made that happen. A special thank you to all the terrific personalized gifts for the children and workers in the village. Emma and Bekah were just as thrilled with this as the kids. It was something very special to have our own dear friends and family from Canada love and cherish our new dear friends from Central Asia.

Thank you to our friends in other Central Asian countries who went out of their way not only at home but who joined us in Central Asia. They certainly set a standard that we could only hope to one day acheive. We had such a great time there in April. Thank you.

Thank you to my family for supporting and loving us. Thank you to my sister and brother who gave me their blessing to go on this adventure even when our mom is very sick.

Another added bonus for us was being able to be a part of a McJoyful Christmas Celebration and the distribution of some Samaritans Purse Shoe Boxes. We have supported these programs for years and we were thrilled to watch and be a part of it on the other end.

Thank you to our logistical support at Possibilities International and NPC. Everything from booking flights for ourselves and others to collecting funds and keeping them straight for Revenue Canada. We can only imagine the time and effort you put in to keeping this trip on the rails.

Thank you to our friends in Central Asia. We hope and pray that our friendships will continue to grow for a very long time. It is still very difficult for me to put into words how our lives have been forever changed and impacted so profoundly. As I pause to find what I should say, all I do is cry.