Thanksgiving

What a great Thanksgiving day we had with our friends in Colorado. Cindy and Dominick are everything that they come across as in their blog.. An incredible couple that have an incredible family.


I really enjoyed the interaction between the kids . I was sharing with Dominick how each of their kids reminded us of one of our kids in KG with the personality and the appearance... We are used to our kids jocking around and playing, but could never understand them well... it was col to be able to understand the banter...


The girls had a wonderful time as well.. Bekah really enjoyed her time with he girls as well. They were able to converse in both English and Russian, and discussed all the different foods that they remember ..

so for a few days the Lajoy's had 7 kids... as our girls just fit right in...

Last night we had an open house at the Danners in Salt lake city... we met some incredible people , it was such a good time.. I will get some photos of that day up soon.

Don't forget about the pie in the face challenge.. $5 will buy a Christmas present and a party for an orphan or underprivileged child... not only that , but an equal match gift will go to the on going operations of LAMb as well so that we can continue to help the kids throughout the year...

If your name is not on the side bar ad you would be willing to take one for the kids, let me know and I will add you to the list.. A pie in the face at $500 is a small price to pay to know you have been responsible for providing Christmas for 100 kids.

Tomorrow the fun begins

Yesterday we had a beautiful drive from Salt lake City to Montrose. We left early to avoid a nasty storm, and for the first couple hours we ducked under some very threatening clouds, but then the skys cleared and we cot to experience some of the most incredible scenery

5 hours in the car seemed to pass in no time .

As we arrived, we watched the most incredible sunset.

The best part was when we arrived at the home of the Lajoy's ... It is funny that you can meet someone for the first time, yet have such a connection that has spanned so many years.

We were not in the door for more then about ten minutes when the kids came out singing and carrying a birthday cake for Bekah...

we have had a few more names submitted for the pie in the face challenge starting tomorrow... If are interested in letting your name stand let me know and I will add you to the list

this is a little taste of last years challenge ton get you into the spirit ...

So much to be thankful for.

Right now we are somewhere over Kentucky on route to Colorado.  This has been a long awaited visit . The lajoys have been good missions friends of ours for several years.  We have shared a lot of ups and a lot of downs, but through it we have seen God move in incredible ways.  This week is thanks giving.. I time when we are to stop and reflect at the goodness of God over the previous year..  We missed the Canadian thanks giving , but are so blessed that we can celebrate the US thanksgiving with a family that like us, knows what it is to be thankful.
    This is also the week of the Christmas pie Challenge that was started 3 years ago when Cindy on a whim suggested that if her friends donated $1000 for us to bring Christmas to the orphanage, then her boys could throw a pie in her face... That has grown, and this year on Thanksgiving day from Cindy's home we will kick off the 2010 Christmas challange.. $10 ooo to bring Christmas to over 2000 is the target, but we just had some exciting news...
   We have a donor that recognizes the need for not just a one  day celebration, but recognizes the need for on going advocacy for the children that LAMb provides, so her is the deal...  for every $ donated this year, they will match $ for $ to the LAMb fund... What a blessing... all the more reason to be thankful...
   Then after Thanks giving, we will be heading back to Salt Lake City to meet up with the Danners for the weekend... They were one of three families that we hosted in Kyrgyzstan for a month after their children were misplaced in the system ... when we located the kids, they were at our door by the end of the week and stayed until they could bring their kids home with them... This was an incredible time for us... We are in Kyrgyzstan to be embasitors of hope... And we got to see such hope play out as these kids came home form the orphanage to their forever families.. it was life changing for us to be a part of, and we are thankful to the Danners, the Lee's and the Howells for including us in this special time... It will be so awesome to see the kids this weekend ... something else to be thankful for .

Home

We are home safe and sound... Snug in our Beds by 4:00 am Canadian time. We were up and around by 9:00 this morning.. The car it licenced and back on the road, and we have had a text from Turat that he is doing great...
We will write more soon, But wanted to let everyone know we are home safe, and thank every one for theirs prayers..

When do you know when to throw in the towel ?

These last few weeks I have questioned and waited, and questioned.. Just when is it time to give in. This last summer we had such a let down and almost a blow to our understanding of what we were to be doing when the girls could not get their visa's for Canada.. we were sure we were following the right steps and yet eventialy had to give in and except it...were we wrong to try in the first place, I stll don't think so.. In the end things did not go as we had planed.. in the big picture, they went better then we could have ever planed.. so when the troubles for Turat started I sudenly started to question...
Turat was ready and packed when we arrived in Kyrgyzstan in August.. for him there was no other option. Then we began the work of getting his documents together . This is not the easiest thing for a child from an orphanage to first of all take their legal place in society.. to be recognised as a person.. this took us 28 days and a lot of back room discussions.. next he had to have a military clearance slip giving him permition to leave the country. this and a medical and a few other tests, and we were ready to apply for his internationl pasport.. already it had cost more then the average Kyrgyz might make in a couple months.. then the trips to Bishkek and the cost of a rush pasport was just over $300.
Once we had the pasport in hand, we went to the Aeroflot office to buy the ticket.. they would not except visa ( this is how I get travel inscurance on my tickets ) so had to pay in cash... as we were leaving she said in Russian to Sergey.. he needs a certified true letter from both his parents giving him permition to travel before he gets on the plane.. we explaned the situation and her response was simply ... not my problem... so before leveing the building returned the ticket as there would be no refund if I could not get the documents..
Then started the frantic week of watching the available seats and the on going strugle to find documents and his father to get a notorized letter.. we found the father and the documents, but they were to old so no one would touch it.. The Judge would not get involved, but finaly the family of a child we had just helped steped in at the end and came up with the solution... the were able to aquire medical documents that delcaired his father unstable to make such a decision, then get the noterized letter from the mother and finaly signed document from the courts and agreed by them that I was to be his guardian, and could travel if he was in my company...
That night I got on line and bought one of the last tickets.. and was able to put it on visa by purchasing it on line... problems solved...... but then think again
When we went to check in, they did not hav record of his ticket... so I gave them the e-ticket.. the proof of purchase, the prnt out of the reciept they emailed me and finaly proof it came out of my account... Oh yes you ar right here is the ticket here.... CANCLED.... sory he is not getting on the plane... That is when Julie thinks she would have thrown in the towl... I got mad and told them it was not exceptable and he was getting on the plane... meanwhile Turat was meltng away... Realizing I did not have time to fight this and the only way he could leave was with me, I said " fine I will buy him another ticket now and fight this one out latter... FINE they said ... go down stairs , pay last minute price and and pay CASH....SO I DID... It took all three bank machines in the airport and all my available funds for the day, but I ended up with a ticket... then get this ... she says OK so I have re activated your ticket for you now so it will work... and would not give me a reciept, or a new ticket... so I have no idea what is going to happen with this one... but again what point do you turn to a child and say " You know what ... your not worth it" NEVER.. its the same when we take a child to an eye Dr with a $30 glasses sponsorship and it ends up being a $300 operation... once you start into something,.. I think you have to see it through... so I ran back up the stairs and through security to the counter just in time to tell them to try the ticket again now... and Tadaaa Turat had a seat with us on the plane... from tha point the 1o minuts of interigation at passport controle, and the grilling of both of us about what I was up to was a walk in the park... and we were on the plane...


When we got to the Moscow airport, and made it through customs, we had about 2 hours to kill... I got on line right away and tried to figure out how to get ourselves out of this financial mess we were now in and get some wiggle room on a card so we could access some money when we got to Ukraine... Turat went to the washroom, and then for the next hour, we franticaly searched the airport for him... he had dissapeared... we combed every level and every store. then after we were just about ready to go find security to help, we found him about 50 feet from us curled up sleeping... Its funny,,, I was so relieved that I just wanted to go over and push him off the bench or something... but we decided it was best to just let him sleep off some of the stress... It had been a harry few weeks... but he made it...

We got a ride out from the airport to the Ywam boat in Kiev by a friend of Eds, then headed strait to McDonalds... one of everything for Turat... He liked this....


As we were leving and heading home, we went through a little market section... there was a man replacing sipers with this cool little sewing machine... Julie stopped and took some photos and showed them to him.. Bekah and Turat were looking at him and decided that he was Kyrgyz, so Turat wnt over and started to talk Kyrgyz to him ... his face lit up and he said " OOOwaaa " whis is Kyrgyz for "WOW YES I AM KYRGYZ AND I AM SO EXCITED TO MEET SOME ONE HERE IN KIEV WHO IS KYRGYZ.. YOU ARE MY BROTHER" Then Turat said "AAaaii"... which is Kyrgyz for " WOW SO NOW I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS BIG CITY AND I HAVE KYRGYZ BROTHERS HERE TOO.. I WILL BE OK NOW"
We made it... we have done our part... and for Turat the adventure is just beginning...

Delivered Turat to Ukraine...

Safe and sound on the Ywam boat in Kiev.. getting here a storey if it's own... but for now, I think I smell a McDonalds down the street.

One person at a time

There are so many people that are on the fringe of what we do here in Kyrgyzstan.. they are the people that altought they do not work for or with us, we do hire them time to time to drive, and have proven to be trustworthy, and as such, sometimes I get them to do small tasks for us or have them keep an eye on different projects for us..

Bucketbeck and Aieta are one of those couples. Bucket is Talants brother and drives cab here in town... He is a fun guy .. drives the wrong way on one way streets, drives down the sidewalks if necessary and has even been seen driving his little stationwagon threw the isals of the Bazaar.. and when the police see him, they just nod and smile..... this is BucketBeck..

Yesteday I realized the impact we were having on him.. We were driving along, car full and heading to do some more shopping , he had been with us for about 2 hours by this point . He said to us .." will I be spending all my time driving " we thought for a moment hat maybe he wanted to be doing something besides driving us so we asked .."Is there something else he would rather be doing" .... He responded that he wanted his life to be more then just driving, he wanted to be able to help people in need the way that we do. once again I was reminded.. thats how you make a real difference... One person at a time.

Alas my poor Yorick... I knew him well

I began today thinking I was going off to by some wood for the Daysprings home, but planes changed. After we found the wood, I was met by BucketBeck who wasthere to help me find the perfect sheep for the party tonight... there were 7 birthdays tht we were celebrating, as well as a going away party for Turat.

After about a dozen stops we ended up at the bazaar where we had about 200 sheep to choose from... not to old, not to small.. looking for just the right one... Just when I thought I had found the right one, Bucket called Acel with a bit of distress, then after her saying something he seemed to relax... so I called her back to find out what he said.. he had told her " John Becky is looking at a strange sheep that has no BUT FAT.... what should I do"... Acel laughed and told him that's the way the Canadians like there sheep, and it was OK... I guess the saving factor was that the sheep came from Narin so that seemed to make it all better...

There was great excitement with many that were at the house for the big event... there is a whole ceremony that goes along with the killing of a sheep... and it is like some sort of right of passage or something.... every one had their part.

with the casan smoking and the Samavar ready with hot water for cleaning, the process began with a prayer.

Every single part of the lamb was carefully washed and prepared for this and future feasts..

We met in the multipurpose room at Day Springs. there were about 60 people in total there tonight.

Everyone joined in the fun.

After the meal, we had singing and traditional music by many of the Kyrgyz youth followed by Anya sharing few words about all the birthday people.

The evening finished with Talant, Sergey, Myself, and Turats pastor praying a blessing on his future travels, and that he would come home again safe..

If the purpose of our time in Kyrgyzstan is to 1. encourage the nationals 2.restore hope and dignity, 3. to bring hope for a future, and finally to promote change from within.... Tonight was our Magnum Opus...

Thank you to iam1ru for your on going support

If you have a moment, take a look over at the iam1ru dream sight at some of the amazing opportunities that are out there to help people around the world.. In the last few months we have seen many dreams met right here in Kyrgyzstan because of the on going efforts of iam1ru supporters. You might start by looking at this dream in particular. they are people that we are working with here in Kyrgyzstan as we are working to have people with disabilities recognized as valuable... it is an up hill battle, but like we often say ."if we start by doing what we can do, before you know it we will be doing what others said could not be done... I especially like when a dream touches many people on many levels like this one does... go have a look HERE

One last trip around the Valley

Yesterday was moving day for Turats family... YAY we got his documents to come to Ukraine... now we just need to get the family settled before we go. They are moving to the city to a home close to everything and a place that they can keep their animals. The home with Aiperia here and better schools as well as their friends and church family close, this is much more convenient. The main purpose for this home is an emergency bed for seniors. Many times seniors who are living on their own my get sick and need some help, but are still not in a place where they need to move to a seniors home. Aigoola and her family will provide the care needed to nurse these precious seniors back to health... It is a perfect match for Aigoola as she is such a wonderful caring host. In the back of the house there is a small chicken coop that in the near future we hope to clean out and renovate, and will make a great little studio for her sewing business.. she is also only about 1 1/2 km to the main Bazaar and 2 km to the day springs home where her friends Acel and Talant are the house parents.

It was kind of interesting watching them move.. so many of the things that we watched go into the house are now making the journey to the new home. As I was taking these photos, I could not help but think of the day a few years ago when they moved here from the orphanage. they each were carrying a small plastic grocery bag.. today it took a car, a bus, and three trips with a small utility truck....

This morning we stopped out to the seniors home in Kemin to bring them some medical supplies .. we went through the bag and wrote all the directions on them in Russian and explained the purpose.


After that we took a look at some of the latest projects.. the new back door

and the linoleum upstairs... here is a small TV room that they have set up in the hall

then we saw the new heating system in all the rooms upstairs ,

as well as the new linoleum and the new beds in place ready for the next guest.

There is nothing fancy about it at this point, but for the winter a warm bed sure beats cold manhole

From there it was off to the village to visit the community centre and see how they were doing . They have things well underway renovating the homes there to open a mens and women's rehab centre. Next week there workmen will be going to the rehab centre we work with near Bishkek to receive training, as well Vera is working on her Law degree and her friend is getting her accounting certificate to look after the administration... they are so enthusiastic.. I just found out that they have found someone that will be helping them to build a chicken barn for 1000 chickens so that the centres will be self sufficient.

Remeberance day

Nov 11 , a day that we stop to remember those that gave their lives for our freedom... For me it has another meaning .. Nov 11th was my parents anniversary, and for the last 20 years now, it is A time that I tend to remember my father more..
I think it was my father that shaped in many ways the way I think and act now... He was a defender of the underdog.. he said that every battle was an important one and everyone deserves to have some one that will stand up for them... I often think of that when we are called to help many in need here. I remember that it was my father that my friends came to when they were in trouble.. I remember that it was My father that so many came to when life was not treating them right.. and I remember that it was my father who time and time again put what we had on the line for the sake of others.....
I did not realize the selfless manor he lived until he died, and there was nothing material to remember him by.. maybe the greatest things that he left were not the material things, but the mind set that he tried to instill in his kids ...
Today I remeber him....

The challenge has begun.... please help !

As we were preparing to leave for a few months, our friends started to come to us . like Larisa with a worried look she says " John I have 500 children this year, what am I going to do ?" I shared with her that it's not up to us, but assured her that there were thousands out there that wanted to be a part of something as special the Christmas challenge...

you can see the video below of last years challenge

We are now looking for people who want to be part of the challenge this year... Would you like to challenge your family and friends .. $500 in sponsorship and they get to through a pie in your face... at $5 a child, that will sponsor Christmas for 100... and you will have a whole lot of fun while you are at it..

Double portions

Today We took one for the team... I can remember about 7 or 8 years ago Julie and I discussing how we would love to one day get invited into a home over here to experience what life was really like.. Well I think we have come along way from that day..

As we have made friends here , we more and more have the opertunity to ecperience raw culture... Acel and Talant have us over regularly as does Aigoola. It is nice for us to be imersed intot the culture, but it really is not the real thing because they are very mindfull of what foods we are able to eat.. the same with your Russian cuisine at Sergey and Anya's or the Dungan food at Isars house.. that is when we know that we are being watched ...when everything is just the way we like it ..

We try very hard to be gratious, and eat what is put in front of us... but some times it is simply not humanly possible...

Today we were invited to Aerofots relitives... or as they say here ..his ansestors.. well it actually was his ansestors.. the oldest Babushka there tonight was 100 years old... she looked every minute of it, but was as spry as a fox.

he meal began with a huge table set for us... they do not eat.. they all serve...

There were about 4 platters of fruit and cookies..chocolates and squares, and a pot of tea that refilled your cup with every sip... I know ...I tried...

Then they brought out 4 different salads for each of us... wiggly and giggly and many strange flavours... then a huge bowl of Lugman each.. ( like a thick hand made spaghetti ) when we were just about done they brought us each a fresh hot bread loaf.. about the size of a shot put.. it weighed about 2 lbs and was steamed rather then baked.. it was very good, but could have been a meal of it's own... Whe we were just about finished... proud of ourselves besause we managed to make it look like we were eating, We recieved the main course... a huge platter of ploff.. one platter per two people... But thats not the only double portion we experienced this week....

But what was evedent through the meal was that by helping Aerofat, dignity had been restored to the entire family.... And young Aerofat was happy to see us again....

Part of the storey I had not told is that we were stoped in the streets in a small village when we first arrived.. the people had herd that we were in town and the aunt of another child came out looking for us. There baby had a cleft pallat and hair lip as well, and they went to the Dr, but were told that the baby was too sick and to come back when it was better.. this was more then they could comprehend, and the parrents shut down. It took all they had to try the first time ..

So while we were proceeding with Aerrofot, we had Laurisa bring the other baby along with her for all the blood work etc..

yesterday I got this photo from our friends in the city with the update that Baby is doing great and has been sent home.. Kind of strange.. I have never met this little one or the direct family... I don't know what our futures will have in store, I wish I could tell more... this little one had no sponsor, but the timing was right that the Drs and the team in Bishkek decided to give us a freebee.. and the transportation and pre op were piggy backed on Aerofats .. so to Aerofots sponsor and our Bishkek team.. thank you so much for the double blessing...

GRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrr

   Up early this morning to find out that the documents that That Torat got for his father are too old, and would not be excepted by a notary, so even if we did get the father there we can still not get approval from him for Torat to leave the country until we got him documents ... another $200 and another month...  Of course its Saturday before we find this out, and of course Monday is a Holiday .  Our only hope at this point is our friend Olga will put on her Barrister Cap, and will Take Torat and his mom and go to a Judge on Tuesday to get the Judge to sign off on Torat's travel.  I am just told that it may cost a little something to get the case heard before next year!.. I asked how many something to get it heard right away  ? 

   Right in the middle of this Altynai asked me to call her brothers boss to see if her brother could have the day off to go with her to visit her cousin who was stolen this week... we had just had this discussion last night, and I think she saw the confusion ass a chance to slip in and get her way.... I told her that I was not calling her Brothers boss, but just say the word and I would gladly get the police and go with her myself... So now she thinks I am a bit of a tool , and she went back to bed pouting...

   We then went over to the house that we are trying to get Torats family moved into for a week now, and the people  that were there are not around with the key.. the apartment that they are moving into we are providing them, except that for a week now the electricity has not been on.. the bill has been paid and the power company promised to turn it on Wednesday and Thursday.. now it is Saturday and next week starts the holiday week... Olga took off her Barrister cap and put on her Thug hat and threatened them.. The guy said that for 200 som we could be on the top of the list and would be reconnected.. we told him OK... we will pay him to do a job that he was to do 3 days ago, ..200 today to him.. and if its not done.. 2000 tomorrow to his boss to fire his sory but....

   From there I stopped for a fight with the bank machine in town that has a mind of its own.. but to get to it I have to run the gauntlet  of Gypsies at the front door.. the ones calling out curses on you if you don't give them cigarette money ...  

   So by noon with the world around me all stirred up and basically nothing accomplished.. I have decided to go back to bed for a while .. I will try starting the day over again later....  

 

Where have all the dreams gone ?

I like everyone else has had , and has dreams.. dreams of retirement.. a beautiful house in the bush, blue sky's.. great fishing .. no neighbors.. just a beautiful tranquil spot... maybe on a lake with a red canoe under the ceader tree... I have had hobbies .like . Model trains.... radio controlled planes...woodworking .. fishing.. I have had collections...Hockey cards... beer mugs... antiques... at one point I even had a collection of over 50 strange breeds of chickens... They all were interesting, they all brought me joy and satisfaction for a time... but some how these dreams and distractions have fadded away...

Its kind of strange, I feel happy for family and friends, and we are often blessed as they allow us to be a part of their dreams and interests, but it all fades away when you look down the table at a dozen orphans having the experience of choosing off the menu in a high end restaurant for the first time in their lives... Or when you bring underwear to 270 disabled men who have not had any for a year... Looking into the eyes of a baby that has just received an operation because we were in the right place at the right time...

I remember a couple months ago I was with our friend Ed.. He shared how he was feeling so sorry and had such a bourdon for everyone back home held hostage to their dreams and distractions... stuck in the vicious circle... working to pay for stuff that they think they need to look after their stuff... all the while accumulating more stuff to keep them from doing the stuff they want to do... That conversation has played over and over in my mind this trip...

As I watched these precious kids I thought to myself.. " Where did all the dreams go " ? ... I don't know, but I sure don't miss the pressure they put on me.

fitting the pieces together... we all have a part !

As I shared , I have been a little punk lately, so I really have been trying to take it a little easier, and just in case I am not, Julie makes sure I take a Graval (motion sickness pill) .. not only does it help me from getting car sick, but it also keeps me pretty calm..hahaha...


I have stopped trying to be in so many places at the same time.. I have realized that I have kids and a phone for that. I have been so impressed with our girls and how they know and understand the vision and the reasoning behind what we do, and are able to carry the ball... for example this week.


Aipery took a young girl shopping for us... she had been stolen and once she was pregnant she was put back out on her street and then rejected by her family... her clothes were now to small and he belly was exposed and cold, so She was taken to get good warm cloths to last the winter..


Emma has a few of the girls from the sewing school that she takes to the ophanages, and continues to keep a watch for any need that they might have, as well as keeps the "forgotten kids" close to the front of our minds.. there are always kids that drop from the radar for one reason or another.. Emma is ther to make sure that they do not stay forgotten...


Bekah has been busy at the University. she has been not only teaching, but she has been watching for needs there as well... Many have been medical needs ... most things can be cured quickly with simple creams / drops , or ointments, but time to time she needs to be more proactive and insist on medical attention...


Yesterday she brought Altynai to our Dr because the Ear Dr had prescribed a 1 week dose of IV antibiotics... I think that the bag of meds weighed almost as much as she did.. Our suspicions were right, and after visiting our own Dr Tatyana, Bekah was able to return everything and trade it for the 4 injections of antibiotics she needed .. the only thing she could not return was the saline solution, but she gave that to Dr Tatyana to use for other patients..


Then last night Bekah was preparing some dreams that she had come across at the school.. These kids are the brightest in the country and have the most potential... and many times they only need a little lift to be able to soar... Like the boy that Bekah was writing about last night ... He is in his 2nd year in the I.T. department. he is incredibly gifted and will really do well... he is one of 7 kids, and he lost his father some time ago... He is living with his older sister and her husband, but they have a low salery and many kids of their own... He worked long hours every day all summer in the containers in Kazakstan, and was able to save $400 toward a lap top. This is so important for his schooling especially considering the program he is in... He wanted us to purchase one for him in Canada with the money he had... It was hard to explain to him that although that is so much money here.. it really will not get him a computer as advanced as what he might be dreaming of... as well, it would be better to wait and pay a bit more for one here so that if there was a problem he could return it... He was very disappointed , but then Bekah suggested to him to share his storey, and write a letter explaining his situation, and that she would try to find some one to help him to upgrade... Just another storey ..just another piece of this big puzzle...


As I am typing this one of our kids has come to the door cold and tired... Winter is here now, and he does not have a warm coat or boots... before saying anything, Bekah was up and ready to take him to the Bazaar..

Asimba`s Need

I am not sure where I left off last, I know there will be so much to share in some catch up posts... it is almost time to do a big photo review again as well.

  

Today we are getting ready for a group of kids from the street orphanage in the city to come here foir a visit. They will go to the bazaar, and do a little shopping, then they will go to our shop to see the things that they made for sale there.. we will let them set up the items that we just purchased from them .

then after we will take them all out for lunch.

 

Yesterday we had a busy day .. Julie taught at the Humanitarian University in Bishkek, and we went to take a look at some containers that had been turned into class rooms .  We stopped to get  Totrats ticket..things did not go so well there.. we got the ticket , then they informed us that he will have to have signed, notarized consent by both parents before he can get on the plane.. we explained that there is no father available.. her response was ``that's not my problem... no letter ..no flight``   and if we can not get it, there is no refund on the ticket... so I returned the ticket right away... and now the pressure is on to get this letter..   The problem now is that to get a notarized letter, even if we find this father and get him to a lawyer he does not have documents ... Not sure what we are to do now.. except call Olga... maybe we will find the right lawyer.....

 

Our last stop of the day was to a home orphanage in Bishkek.  We have helped them a few times, but have never actually met them.   One of the main reasons we wanted to go this time is that there is a very sick little girl there . She has a hole in her heart that needs to be repaired.  You can hear about kids and needs and feel bad, but when you sit with them and get to know them , it is a whole different feeling .. What it comes down to is that she needs an operation in the next couple weeks.. the cost will be somewhere between $500 and $700 depending on how extensive this turns out to be .. I wanted to see her before we left, because I knew that once we had met her and made a connection that we would not let it go... I really don`t want to wait until she is at risk.. right now she is not suffering, but our friends are concerned that this will not last long...  David and Jayne have posted more about her storey and a short video about her over on their blog .  http://dandjschooler.blogspot.com/2010/11/krgyz-moment-visiting-foster-home-and.html  Please take a minute and go visit her yourself... she is a beautiful bright young girl.

two new orphanes

Today I recieved some upsetting news that a lady we have been helping had passed away. The hardest part is that she leaves behind 2 beautiful children..
Below is their original storey from iam1ru.com but power is out and the bateries are nearly dead so I will have to share more when we have power again.

Today Larisa brought us to visit a small family that has faced a lot in the last few months. Their country has been torn apart by wars and revolutions, the economy has been destroyed, and the years of oppression have left them with only the basics and little ability to dream. Then if that was not bad enough, cancer has brought them to their knees. Desperate to help, Larisa had asked what a dying wish might be. It seemed so out there for me when I heard that they dreamed of a washing machine, that it would make life so much easier.

Iam1ru donors heard about this dream, and today we delivered a brand new washing machine to them. As we shared with them how people in North America cared for them, they began to cry because for them it was totally overwhelming. Thank you so much to everyone that had a part in making this special moment possible.
Thank you so much for making this dream to come true!!!
September 2010