In it for the long haul ...

letter from Emma "Samat's work paid for 2000c of the operation, so he gave back 2000c and asked me to take them back to school shopping. Arzamat got a sports costume and running shoes and Aktilek got a blouse and skirt. They said, " thank you very much"

Emma and Bekah are still very busy making the rounds making sure everyone is ok and is preparing for school.  One of the things Emma does is to keep track of all the kids we work with and help over the years .  She recognizes that its not good enough to step into someones life and help once then disappear, but it is important to maintain a relationship and be there for the long run.  Damira and her two kids are a family that a team from Millbrook helped last fall to get there house cleaned from the mold and safe to live in again.  Threw the winter they had a few ups and downs.  Damira has been in and out of hospital, and our God son Samat has helped a lot with the kids as our point of contact .  Just a few weeks ago , Damira needed an operation,   another organization was able to sponsor it, but they could only refund a receipt , part the there aid policy,  fortunately was there to advance the funds .. it was about $50 .  A couple days ago the funds were returned , so Emma and Samat thought it would be great to use the funds to take the kids shopping .    For a single mother with no other resources, I can not begin to imagine the relief it is for her to have people like Samat and Emma in her life.    Julie and I had a slow day last spring, and the circus was in town, so we had a chance to take these two with us for the night .. we had Kolya come as a translator, and we had such a good time with them .. We feel so blessed that we can be a part of the lives of so many families like this , and we don't take for-granted ever, the sacrifices people like you make so that we can be a part of their lives , not just a one time shot , but for the long haul .