Monday, August 31, 2015

end of Day 3 " ON THE WAY "

This morning started with a train ride from Bayonne to St Jean Pied De Port .  Thie is the traditional starting point of the Camino.  Here they got registered as pilgrams and got there camino pasports that they will have stamped along THE WAY .. Their first stop today is a short but difficult one It is just 8km, but it is the steepest section half way up the Pyreneese mountains 




They are booked in at the refuge in Orisson.  If you watched the movie " the way with Martin Sheen, you will recognise this guest house.  


The next stop tomorrow morning will be the pilgrams hostal in Roncesvalle just another 12 km UP...

So lets talk about womans isues . The reason that Julie and Acel are making this journey ..

Every day women , young and old around the world are living in terrible , un just, and poverty situations.. acing the most horific things , Sexual abuse, bride knaping , sex traficing , slavory, and many of these right under our noses .. we need to bring light to these areas.  But there is more we can do .  We can suport people who are making a difference.  Peopple that are providing savety, health care, helping to rescue women, and help them to start a new life, an people who are there to help those in need.

Today in Kyrgyzstan we had the privilage working with many people making efforts to suport these women

Our first stop was to the baby hospital where we visited a preme that we have been helping to feed.  We watched as this young nurse cared for this young abandoned baby , both Emma and I picked up on and noticed how this young nurse had such love for this little baby ..  Because people like you have mad a WAY, we are able to provide the formula that this baby needs ,  The next stop was to pick up Dr Tatyana to go see a young mother with a sick baby.. It turns out that this baby may not only have savear diareea , but it is possible that mother and baby have Tb, and will need to come into the hospital tomorrow.. we made the arrangements and gave taxi money to get in , along with the necessary meds, and vitamins.  we even had to put time on her phone so she could call the taxi.





Next stop was to the TB section of the mental hospital in the same vilage.  We were delivering Vitamins to them and seting up some dates for some follow up checks to make sure that the patients were being given them .   While there we got a call that a young boy we have known for some time had just been diagnosed with Hep A, and the mother did not know what to do so we headed there next to bring more Vitamns and meds while we had the Dr with us .


Delivering Vitamins and filling out the paper work to register the donation

the next stop was out to the farm to pick produce for the Baby Orphanage , we had stoped out to see them earlier and to see what they needed ... carrots, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, and tomatoes  .. we were able to get it all for them .. and a little extra as well ..

Jadon eating as many Rasberries as he picked 

One of the boys came over to the Food share farm to tell us that there was trouble with Goosey.. He had gotten into a fight with the Turkey and was beat up a bit.  So we went over to make sure he was ok ..  He was inside , so they brought him out.. As soon as he saw me he started telling me all about the trials of his day .. Oh it was quite a storey he was telling me ....


 He used his baby goose crying voice , and after about 2 minutes of that, he just snuggled in for a big hug 



He just stayed like that for about 10 minutes, and evrey time I went to put him down he started crying again.. It was a terrible ordeal for him .  I know that if any one had trouble with him , it would have to be their fault ! .. So the Turkey has been banashed to the goat barn, and has been given a new name ... THANKS GIVING DINNER !

We then loaded up the van and went to the Baby orphnage to deliver everything .



Lots of good fresh produce...

We then went out for supper tonight .  It is Yvonne and Jaydons last night here in KG, Sergey will be taking them o the airport at 2 am .. It was such an incouragement to us to have them along for this time , they have been good friends of ours for about 20 years , and neighbours for about 10, so it sure was great to spend time with them on this side of the globe ..


Tomorrow we are going to start "THE WAY" challange , when we start challanging YOU to help us raise awareness for women like the ones I told you about today .. because with out sponsores like you , we could not do the things we do ..












On The way starting day 3


Last night the girls made it from paris to the city of Bayonne 

Surrounded by sturdy fortifications and splashed in red and white paint, Bayonne (Baiona in Basque), capital of the French Basque Country, is one of the most attractive towns in southwest France. Its perfectly preserved old town (until 1907 it was actually forbidden to build outside the town's fortifications) and shoals of riverside restaurants are an absolute delight to explore.
In addition to its chocolates, which you'll see sold throughout France, Bayonne is famous for its prime cured ham and for the baïonnette (bayonet), developed here in 1640 on rue des Faures (Blacksmiths' Street).
The Rivers Adour and Nive split central Bayonne into three: St-Esprit, the area north of the Adour; Grand Bayonne, the oldest and most attractive part of the city, on the western bank of the Nive; and the very Basque Petit Bayonne quarter on the east.
To the west, Bayonne meets the suburban sprawl of Anglet (famed for its beaches) and the glamorous seaside resort of Biarritz.

This is just a short stop for them , in around 10 pm and then on the next train for St Jean Pied Port  by 8 am .  the hotel they are staying in is in this old part of town beside the train station .



Each day as the girls are walking for the women of Kyrgyzstan I will be sharing an example of the needs that they will be helping ... Here is what is going on right now .

There is a young mom on here way to Tokmok with her baby that is sick , She is from one of the outer villages, Her husband works but the employer has no money to pay them the last couple months.  They need to go to the DR but have no money for the dr, no money for the trip in, and no money for meds... and in all likely hood the baby is sick becuase they did not have money for proper baby food.   Today is a holiday so even if she could get to town there would be no Dr's working today.
Emma is making clls and we will pick up one of our Dr friends and go out to see them with Food, medicin and anything else that they need.  Thankfull that we can help like that .. On her own , this young mother would have NO WAY.. this is why many poor children end up in orphanages , but by helping her we can keep them together .. This is just an example of how by suporting and donating now, you could be THE WAY to make a difference in her life and many like her .. Please donate NOW

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Day two ON THE WAY... and a trip to the mountains

Well Julie and Acel have reconected in Paris. There was a chance that they could get an early conection to Bayonne , so as soon as they met up they grabed a but to down town Paris.  Can you believe, the train left 3 minutes before they gor there, so after a quick tour of Paris , they headed back to the airport to catch the train that they were originaly planing to catch . 


This train they will take for 6 hours to the south of france.  There they will spend the night, then catch an early morning train on to St Jean Pied De Port .. where they will begin the 800km walk over the Pyrenees Mountains 

One of the ways we can make a diference in the lives of Volnerable young girls is to suport with education needs .. To bring it home, Today alone, we have had a few diferent young girls we have known from the orphanages come to us looking for help.  To give you an example ,, one girl wants to go to a linguistics school .  The cost of the school is 54 000 som , around $900 .. she has found a place that she can stay in the city and live for free for the first year, and she has found a sponsor that is willing to cover half.  She even has money for books and clothes.. so she now just needs $400 , and with that she has even nagociated with the school for half now and half in December .. She has done everything that she knows to do, she has worked so hard to try to make a plan for her future .  But she still needs help...  $200 is a lot of money, especialy since like I say , she is the third one to come to us today ! but this is her whole life ahead of her , and when we consider her other options, how do we not figure out some THE WAY to suport her and others like here he need your help if they are going to turn life around .. 
Please take a moment now and make a donation, maybe today YOU will be "THE WAY" 



Today back in Kyrgyzstan we went up to the mountains to visit the family caring for the bees and the cows.  We brought a few guests with us so we had a nice group.  They loved the fantastic meal that was made for us, and also enjoyed the horse back riding and mountain climbing 











and so it begins !

the ladies were off to a bit of a shakey start.  There was a small mix up with Acels visa, although she had her visa right away, they put the start date for Aug 30, and her flight was scedualed to land in Paris at 10:05 pm .  this ment that they would have to take their time, waiting for the plane to come to the gate, be the last off the plane,  and maybe a washroom break on the transit side of the terminal before going through customs so that it would be after midnight . 

This was Ok when they left Bishkek, and were given the bourding pass, but when they went to get on the plane in Istambul for the second flight, they stoped them and would not alow Acel on the plane,  They tried to explain how it would work, and then they got a supervisor.  I was ready to book a new flight for Acel for the next day , it was going to be about $1500 one way from Istambul to Paris , then I would have had to fight to get the original ticket reinstated for the return flight.. if you don't use one part of a continual ticket, they cancle the rest .  The manager with Turkish was very nice, and accomidating , although they would not let her on the flight, they were able to change that portion of the ticket to 7:35 the next morning , so they will meet up back at the airport this morning.  The train to Bayonne leaves from the airport, so they had to return anyways.  

As an added bonus, since Acel was alowed on in Bishkek that makes her their responsibility, and the time to the next flight mad it too long in the airport, so they payed for a hotel for acel for the night as well .. 

The silly thing was that the original flight was 1 hour and 45 minutes late departing, so if they had of left her and she was at the back of the line rather then the front, she would have been fine. as it was , with out hanging back and going slow, Julie did not reach customes until 11:30 .  

We had booked and confirmed a hotal with an airport shuttle , cost a bit more but would have saved taxi fees .. turns out the shuttle would not take her because the flight was delayed. so there was a $25 taxi ride .. there is something for me to do .. go after the booking agent for that .. 

They say that THE WAY is the journey to Santiago, begining when the notionto go first is concieved, So I guess this is all jst part of the journey .. My good friend says " If you will chuckle about it later, you might as well chuckle about it now."   

so this is where Acel is right now, 



and this is where Julie is 


this is a bit of a discouraging start for them, it would be a good time to show suport to incourage them in the travel , Please Donate now to help make adifference . 

Today back in KG we will be heading to the mountains to see the cows and the bees, then after supper we will head over to the farm and pick some pumpkins and squash for the Baby orphanage tomorrow. 

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Actofkindness ON THE WAY

Yesterday afternoon a young girl came out to see us at the farm,  She bride naped twice and rescued twice .. all by the time she was 15 years old.  We have helped her with school,  she wants to suceed, but has a hard time moving forward.. She is damaged goods.  Julie and Emma spent some time talking with her and discussing her plans for the fall .  She is now 17 yers old, she has been to school for hair dressing, but does not feel that she is ready to face people in such a closs way .. She would like to go back to school for accounting and ecoomics .  There was alot more to the discussion, but when Julie gave her a hug and told her that some how we would find a way to help her, and that we loved her, she just broke down and started to cry.. Its strange how we can condition ourselves to be tough and deal with life, but when some one is nice to us, that puts us over the edge .. 

Last night as Julie was doing a final pack for the 800 km walk through spain, she looked at me with the same tears in her eyes , and said " thats why we are doing this"  This young girl may be kept nameless, and have no voice in thre world , But Julie does and has .. and she is using it to say that this is not right and we can and will do something about it.  and they have taken the first step Today the borded a plain bound for Turkey and on to France.  


Many of us have heard about bride knaping, sex trade, human traficing, but it is easy to step aside and do nothing , simply because it does not hit home .. But that is simply not the truth.. We can all make a difference.  We need to shine light onto these dark corners of society .. not just in Kyrgyzstan but around the world , and in our own back yard.    You can start right here, riht now , Make a donation to this project here on the blog so we can be hands on with the resorces to come along side partenering organizations and people to provide a safe place for those being abused, documents so they can move forward, medical care, schooling and life skills training, and the opertunity for kids who have been rescued to grow up.. After you make a donation, we ask that you would find and share an artical on social media .. this will help us all to recognise the injustice that is taking place in those dark places.. then third, challange two friends to do the same.    

For the next fourty days  that Julie and I are walking lets think about why they are doing this, and  lets bring the awareness and resorces needed to make a difference 
Please donate now to help with a simple 
actofkindness ON THE WAY 

Friday, August 28, 2015

Julie and Acel are on their way .. and so much more

I missed a post yesterday, and already it seams that so much has happened .. here is a little catch up to bring you up to speed of where we are now . 

Some of the different canning we have done in the last week..
 We spent Wednesday loading up the vans with produce and vitamins and delivered them around the valley.   What a great day to be able to bless so many people , not just enough to eat that day, but food to can themselves for the winter . 

Jaedon was in charge of the tomatoes, he said that this car load was from just 10 plants .. that still leaves 990 plants to pick 

first stop was to a family we have been friends with here since 2009 .. can't believe how much the youngest has grown 

Luba's baby was visitig with her grandparents .. it was good to see the boys as well.. we have known them since they were in the orphanage in 2006.. 
 Next stop was to the seniors home .  They were very excited   not just for the food, but for the atention of having a team there .. they just love when we visit . One man even started dancing a little jig when he saw us . 



We left a bunch of produce at Larissa's as well.  She will use it for the mens home and for some of the families that she supports 


This is the homeless shelter in Tokmok.  

You can't really see it here , but even the ground behind us is piled with squash and zucchini 

This was dropped at Day Spring, but will be used for Jeramiah house as well 
Thursday morning we headed for Bishkek.   We stopped in to see Kolya and take him out for supper with us.  He was just over the top.  His university is beautiful , and he is just sooo excited .  Something very cool happened.  Some one who Bekah knows who wants to remain anonomis, knew of Kolya going to school and decided to buy him a brand new computer and computer bag.  what a blessing for him . 
Kolya showing us his room 
 We gathered up 13 kids from Swetly Put orphanage and brought them to the water park .  They had an incredible time .  It was great , the park had slided for all ages .. 

after our 3 hour time limit was up, we went up on the balcony and enjoyed pizza and pop .. 
 We met up with Jengish and his friend.  They had just recieved the poster and final cut of a movie that they both worked on. You can watch for it at the film festivals .  

Later that night we dropped Kolya back off at school and we said good bye 


Yesterday we were back out at the farm.  We had a cleaning day .. Yvonne worked inside, washing and bleaching everything , and Jaedon worked with the boys and presure washed the out side . 

Today, Julie and Acel are packed and in an hour will be heading for Paris 


They are a little nervous, but know they can do it .. it is for a good cause . 

Not just in Kyrgyzstan, but all over the world, women are being treated wrong with so many different issues.. Sex trade , slavery, physical and emotional abuse , unfair work practices.  This is so prevelent in Central Asia , so we will start where we can .  While they are walking , we challange you to find articles about womens' isues, post them on social media, and tag and challange two friends to not just to do the same , but to donate $25 . 

Buy raising funds and awareness, we will be able to partener with those who are making such a difference here in Kyrgyzstan .  Our goal is to raise $100 000.  Half will be used for infrastructure, and the other half will keep things rolling until we are able to bring a level of self sustainability to the project. .. I will do a seperate post tonight , one that we can share and start the ball rolling .. starting tonight the challange will run for 40 days , while Julie and 
Acel are walking the 800 km 

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Acel got her visa , She and Julie leave in just 4 more sleeps .

Acel got a Visa for Europe ! it only took 2 months and about 1/2 a dozen meetings at the Embasy, and today she got her 'yes'.  Tonight we bought the tickets .. in the last week they have gone up by $700 each while waiting for the visa .   After checking all available permitations and combinations I found a flight through Turkey the day before they were going to leave, so we managed to save $1125 on flights , and that includes the airport hotel in Paris since they get in the day before late at night.  
While we were waiting to hear from Acels final kick at the visa can results, we kept busy out at the farm . We brought some of the kids from one of the orphanages to teach them how to do canning .. Today we picked hot peppers and made canned pepers , and finished the zucchini relish that was soaking in brine over night. We also husked about 10 dozen cobs of corn 






Aigula making bread 

Bringing in the peppers 

Visiting the ducks



Husking the corn

cooking the relish

the kids come in to check it out 

Goosey hung close all day 

I like this shot .. love all the produce ..garlic in the for ground , onions, corn, peppers, squash -  

jarring the relish 

Jaedon and Aigula putting the lids on the jars 

After lunch we took the kids fishing just up the road.. as a special treat we went to the pond with the big fish 

Every one got to catch a fish 

not sure that smile can get a lot bigger 

Snuffelupagus came down the road .  the hood was completly covered with hay, no idea how he could see 

Next stop was to the hot springs 

the kids loved it 

Jaedon got to see just how hot the water is 

After a swim we went back to the yurt to have supper .. featuring the fish that they caught a couple hours before 

At the end of the day we stoped at the farm on our way home to help Aigula put the animals away for the night

Tomorrow we will be picking a couple car loads of produce, and doing a tour around the valley giveing it all out .