But just because it's Christmas doesn't mean the hurting stops... The fact is that we are deep into the clutches of winter in a country still gripped by the effects of a world recession.... The hurting goes on... I am so blessed that we have had the opportunity to get around to those children that we know and love, but that doesn't mean the hurting stops we have even been able to bring some special blessings to the hospitals the invalids and the seniors... , and the blessings will continue for a few more days yet, but that doesn't mean the hurting stops....
We have the mattresses made, and are have begun making over 180 blankets for the baby orphanages and the hospitals, and in a few days they will be delivered as well, but that doesn't mean the hurting stops... We have now topped 30 tons of coal we have delivered in our efforts to keep those in the dark corners of society from freezing this winter, and we have another food drop ready for the baby hospital, but that doesn't mean the hurting stops..
If we step back and look at the big picture , we see an incredible movement that is bringing hope and restoring dignity , but if I truly stop for the one in front of me, I see that the hurting has not stopped ...BUT, and this is a big BUT... there is HOPE.... As I have said , our focus has been to restore HOPE and Dignity to those in the dark corners of society....
Here is the message I received today from Jengish....
"Hey John Baike, can you give me a call sometime soon. I need to tell you about this guy that is going to get his leg amputated if they don't do some surgery now".
I Gave him a call right away... I needed to hear the storey...
This man he is trying to help is survivor from Chernobyl... after the melt down he found himself living on the streets in the Capital, against all odds he has survived over 20 years ... with out the proper documents he could never get ahead... then a year ago he came to the rehab centre with jengish where he has been working as a cook... he has done very well there, and although he is finished the program, he will stay on working at the centre... then when he was in the city shopping, he was hit by a car... something any of us who have been on those streets will understand... He now has a serious infection in his leg. The Dr's have said that they could save the leg if they operated, but since he does not have the means, just come back in a few days and they will remove it.... this is where HOPE comes in.. He has asked Jengish to please talk to his friends ( That's you and me ) and see if we could help... he recognises that this is a lot of money , and he is not sure that he could ever repay it, but he is kind of attached to his leg and would like to keep it....
For me, I just think about what life would be like with out a leg in that country. I have been to and visited with the men in the invalid homes, and would give just about anything to get them out of that situation, and now we have the opportunity to save this man from such a fate... I told Jengish that I would share this need and see what we could come up with... what is needed is $250 ...
It kind of reminds me of an email I got last year... it simply said "Our friend has injured his hand at work... the Dr's want to know do we have $700 or should they just cut it off...?"We were able to convince the Dr to begin the restoration process, and buy us a bit of time to find a sponsor...
It did not take long before one of our readers heard about his storey, and how close his injury was to her own... it hit home, and she was able to raise the money to save his hand... in an amazing turn of events, she ended up in Central Asia has our friend was completing his physiotherapy.... This is a life and a family that has been forever changed... and now is an ambassador of HOPE in the region ... 
I have told Jengish to get me some more information, to talk to the Dr's himself , and to give me a day to see what WE are able to do.... and that our answer will follow.
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