Easter Sunday

the day started with an early morning knock at the door .  It was our upstairs neighbour .  She brought us a beautiful Easter bread with assorted treats .  Today is the Orthodox Easter, and every greeting begins with `Jesus has risen `.  

It was good that we were up, because a few minutes later, to young boys came to our door.  We have been helping them, and a few day ago Julie had mentioned that we really wanted to clean the balcony and the windows out side .  The boys came to the door and asked for a bucket of water.. they were here to clean the Balcony for us . 

No Ladder needed 

We then went out to deliver Easter breads as well .. We had bought a bunch for the students we help out as well as the kid over at Bacute orphanage .. but our first stop was to bring one to our Neighbor . 

Maria is an 88 year old Babushka who has no relatives left alive.  She tells her friends that her family is us.   As soon as we arrived she got out the Easter treats .  She made some really good sweet bread rolls and decorated eggs .  She gave us a lesson in making these cool eggs .  They are first wrapped with small leaves, the wrapped in onion skins ,, then cooked .  and when they are cooked and unwrapped you get these cool designs

When she found out our next stop was the orphanage , she gave us a bag full of eggs for the kids .  She says that now that she is going blind that this was going to be the last time that she made these .  I suggested that we could bring her to Bishkek to the Dr and see if there was an operation that she could have ,and if they could , we would help with that .. her response was funny `JOHN ... HONEY.. I am 88, I have seen enough... I started writing with a quill and ink we made from beat juice and walnuts . I worked by an oil lamp until we got electricity in 1965 ... I have seen all I need to see... ``    She said that the only problem she has is paying her bills , she can not see the money clearly to know if they are giving the correct change .  We have suggested that Emma could help her with that . I think she likes that idea ..

Cakes and Eggs to Bacute 

Toni8ght we went out to the village for supper with a couple of the families there.   We were trying to make some planes tonight for taking the village to the mountains next Sunday .  They have decided to wait until a couple days before , then give out tickets for every one to come .. I guess the concern is that if they know to far in advance that we are doing this they will all invite all there family and friends as well .. Larisa says that we could easily end up with several hundred extra people.  So we will give out tickets to everyone who lives in the village .. that way we will know exactly how many are coming , and we can use them for door prizes as well ..   Right now Julie is working on a file of several hundred photos from the last 6 years with them.  We are going to make copies for them , and let the families put together photo albums to take home ..