Collage and University in the near future .

I just received some update photos of some of our boy on the farm,  I can't get over how great they are looking .  Coming to the farm they are learning responsibility, they work hard, sleep well and eat well . But I think that the greatest thing in their lives is feeling that sense of belonging . good living habits that you can see are paying off just looking at them . 

They have all been receiving special care of different sorts as well .. Dr's, Dentists, optometrists,  and emotional support.  We have had to of our kids graduate and PASS their drivers test, and others successfully attend post secondary school. 

We have three of our kids that would like to go on to Collage and university .. like Nick ( photo above ) and Aizada (below) 

They have applied for support  and have been granted partial scholarships .  So we are looking to top those off .. The tuition for each is $500 and we can figure out living and travel expenses as we go, but right now we need to find three sponsors for $500 each . 

I say three, but really there are so many more that we would like to help as well, We get requests regularly from kids who are trying to get an education.  Here is one that I got a couple weeks ago .. I did not post it right away, I did check with Bekah and Nick to confirm he is telling us the truth. I thought you might be interested. 


"hello dear John! my name is Jeenbek and I am a friend of Nick. I heard a lot of good things about you from Nick. and the reason of my handling to you is that I really need help. As I know you are trying to find a donor for Nick and I would like to ask you if you could help me with finding a donor. for me the donor is needed only for one year and after a year I will work 3 months and I will be able to earn for my contract which is 500 dollars and money for my accommodation and nutrition.More details about me.I am 21 years old. I am a very talented student. for instance this year in entrance exams of AUCA I took 100 points out of 100 from mathematics. only 2 students could get 100 points from math among 2000 students and one of them is me. and from academic achievements I also get very good gpa, mine is 3.7. but I didn't try very hard to get 4.0 and next education year in case I find money for my education and accommodation I will study very hard and I think I will be able to get 4.0 gpa. To study very hard I need for this year about 1000 dollars for contract and accommodation and other money I will try to work in this season. In case I can't find money for my contract and accommodation I am afraid I won't be able to continue my study. so please help me this time and I will try to give you back all your money in 3 years."

While we are discussing tuition, Bekah is going into her final year of University, and her tuition is considerably more then these kids.  As a foreign student she does not qualify for the tuition assistance, and not studying in Canada she does not qualify for the grants and tuition assistance she could receive if she was studying in Canada .. This is always a stress as we go into the fall but God has always come through.  This year there was an added expense as she had to return to Canada for a medical procedure that we were advised by Dr's there NOT to do in Kyrgyzstan. So I guess we need to put Bekah on the list of students needing some support this fall.  Please let us know if you are able to help with any of these needs. 

Trying not to be too discouraged.

I have not posted for over a week .. it was a bit of a hard week , but things seem to be getting back on track now.  

Last week we had a power pole come down at our house during a small rain storm.  The power surge

also wiped out my laptop and blew out our microwave.  The power company was quick to come out and secure the location, and even quicker to tell me that it was on my property so I have to pay to replace it.   All the private contractors were busy, so 10 am Friday they began placing the new pole. The new pole was in for $1200 .. but the real kicker is that to replace it there has to be disconnect / reconnect / inspection & permit fees.. totaling another $1000.  So I pay an independent contractor who does all the work and does a great job for what he has earned (and will have to pay tax on is earnings ), but  Ontario Hydro makes a thousand dollars off of my hardship.  Its not that we don't have corruption in Canada .. we just call it something else .. like fees and permits !  15 years ago we replaced another pole .. the guys doing the work charged $1000 and Ontario Hydro charged $150 .. so in 15 years the cost of the pole and the labor has gone up by 20% but the government fees have gone up by 666 % .. Coincidence ?  any of my conspiracy theory friend could have a heyday with that ..   

It never rains but it pours .. the day after my personal finances are wiped out, Jengish and Emma got word that the

car trouble they are having is a serious one, and the engine needs to be replaced on their SUV .. it will be about $2000 to fix.   This car is so vital for their work, not just on the farm and the food deliveries and humanitarian aid work they do.  Jengish subsidies his salary buy working as a driver / fixer for film crews coming to Kyrgyzstan, and he absolutely needs this 4 x 4 to get into the remote locations they film in. 
   As a father I want so much to be able to help them with this, but as I just shared , our emergency buffer for things like this was just wiped out.    If there is any one that would like to help them get the car back on the road, we sure would appreciate the help. 

"What so ever things are good .. think on these things"   It is at times like this that I have to just put those situations aside in my mind and focus on the good things that are going on .. or as my Mom says ... "Think of three good things." so here goes.

#1.  Aigula and those that stayed behind the last trip to Issyk-kul yurt camp are there now having a little R&R.  Nick  is looking after the farm and Mike is doing the cooking while they are away 

 

 

#2 .   We are experiencing another bumper crop this year on the farm 

#3 The construction projects are making headway .. the green houses, the addition on the barn and the hospital clinic... 

There .. that has me in a little better frame of mind now. 

We have a busy few weeks ahead .. next Wednesday we will be the Guest speakers at Ottawa valley youth camp , then the following Sunday in Saint-Andrè in Quebec, then the following weekend at the Light house in Espanola (Northern Ontario) where we will touch base with a team coming in September with Possibilities International.  Then on the 10th we will be hosting a Kyrgyz style picnic at our home in Norwood .. an open invitation to any one in the area.  then a few days later I will be on my way back to Kyrgyzstan. 

Work & Play

I have been away from the computer for the last week , but the work on the farm has not stoped .   I look at the pictures of a food hamper today , and I am so blessed .  Can you imagine for a moment not having food to feed your family or being a cook in an institution with limited food and hundreds of mouths to feed , or maybe a camp cook with hundreds of kids but not enough food for them all.. then having the workers from the farm show up and bless you with this .. 

then taken out to the truck full of cabbages and being told to help yourself , take all that you need.  

We are blessed again this year with an incredible abundance, the crops are doing great, and the kids are working hard to keep everything producing at its best.  Like the bed of leaf lettuce Emma is showing us bellow 

Its still very early on the season, but we can see already that it will be a bumper crop.  In the next picture you can see the corn, carrots, beets and Swiss chard. 

Already we have cobs forming on the corn stocks . 

the gardens are staggered in their planting this year so that we will have a longer harvest .  Here Is Aigula (Farm Mom) getting a few cucumbers for lunch 

It is still very early in the season for peppers so I was surprised to see that there are already peppers starting to come on to the plants .. 

 This is our first time growing watermelons , but it is looking like they are going to do very well too.  

The cucumber field is starting to produce now .  soon we will have tons of cucumbers of this field 

Last week we were able to get a little time off for the kids and a special treat.  We sent them by train to Lake  Issy-kool for a couple days to a yurt camp right on the beach.  They had a great time and were so thankful for the opportunity. 

Here is  a short video from there stay .. What a difference in the lives of these wonderful kids.  They are doing so well.. Clean living, hard work, good food and being a part of a big family ..  All things made possible because of the on going support of so many of you ..