US Trained Dr. Returning to Central Asia

Many of you who have been following this blog for a long time will recognise Dr Tatyana... he is the local heart Dr in town. She was such a blessing to us. When we had any medical concerns with ourselves, the people we were helping, and even late night consultation with adopting families, she was the one we would call... we have her cell on speed dial... One of those behind the scenes people that were responsible for making our time in Central Asia successful when ever we are there. In our absence, she has continued to over see the medical treatment of many that we are helping. She is the one that many

of you donated blood test strips to back in the spring.

Vlady is equally important to us , and those that we work with in Central Asia... He has a little old car , and speaks English... but most of all, he wants to help... He worked with us 2 or 3 days a week as a driver and translator, but also was the one that did all the running around and shopping when we would take groups of kids on picnics... he would arrive at the site before us and have everything set up, and even have a cold coke cooling in the stream for me... He also works a large garden, and provides about 4 tons of potatoes for us that he delivers to the needy and the feeding programs for us through out the year. Several of the adopting families have had the pleasure of spending time with Vlady while they were in Central Asia, and their kids know him as Grandpa Vlady.

It was through Vlady and Dr Tatyana that we were introduced to another very important piece of the puzzle.... As we have been working our way through the maze of paperwork to allow our tax status to be extended to cover the United states, we came into contact with Mr Hank and his wife Susan... For years we had heard about them and the caring heart for the people of Central Asia... In fact several of the people that help us and work with us have benefited from there support. Hank is the director of the Society of Cornelius. S of C is a registered charity in the US that dedicates itself to improving the standards in Central Asia, and there main focus is through education... Hank had visited the Orphanages and some of the other places that we support, but despite having a strong desire to help, he knew that the emotions would be to close to the surface for him to maintain that kind of work... that is why he was so eager to come along side us and be able to officially recognise the projects that iam1ru is undertaking and to be able to provide the tax covering.... I might add that he does this at no charge to us. In fact many of his people are hands on in helping us to meat the dreams ....

Hank has some dreams of his own. Along with the many kids that he provides scholarships for in Central Asia, he also has some local kids that are in school in the US with the desire to return to their country and "Give Back "

One of his star students happens to be Alona... Alona is the only child of Vlady and Dr Tatyana.

She is starting her final year of residency as a Nero surgeon, then she will be returning to town to work with her mother. This is just so exciting for us ... Can you imagine the benefits of having a US trained surgeon who is fluent in English ... that knows and understands the culture... living and working only a couple blocks from the orphanages.... If she is anything like her mom and dad, and I hear she is, she will be the bomb..... Now like everything else, there is a small glitch. With the down turn i the economy, several of he sponsors took a big hit. I am used to setting up sponsorships in the range of $30 to $50 a month, but for the last year of her internship S of C is coming up $16 000 short,and with 90 days to go........ I have been so blessed by everyone involved with SOC and the support that they have been to us that I will be assisting them in there fund raising efforts. We will be launching a dedicated blog for Alona in a few days , and set up avenues that people can support..... If anyone out there has any other ideas, please let me know.