Ready for day camp

The last few days we have had a team from the farm working up at the Kashar getting ready for children's day camp for village kids.  There is such a high suicide rate right now that something needs to be done to bring hope to these kids .      

Before they come there are some repairs that are needed .  The couches are old leather and the leather has started to spit.  One day we may have them recovered, but for now Vlads mom and Alina have made fitting covers for them . 

The yurts needed a little work as well.  The winds are so strong on the side of the mountains that some storms they take a real beating .  The small yurt was fixed up, but the outer felt and canvas door will need to be replaced.  

The big yurt was taken down completely and then re instaled .  There were several spots that the felt needed to be repaired, but for the most part it is all back together and back in business .

The yurt has a canvas , or "winter coat " .  The top cover could not be saved so it too will need to be purchased new .  These further repairs will need to wait a bit, right now we have too many other pressing needs .  

Speaking of pressing needs, It is now time to start paying the tuitions, we need about $15000 for this and at this point we only have $3000 in, we can only cover a portion of this from our general fund so very soon we are going to have some very hard decisions to make.  If you were thinking about helping with the scholarship fund this year, now would be a good time to make a donation, or even a pledge so that we can know where we stand. 

We have started working on winterizing the automotive and paint shop.  The price of plywood has gone way up in Kyrgyzstan , like everwher , but we were able to find a mill that had wooden planks that we can use much cheaper .  Buy purchasing the boards and all the off cut lumber we are able to get a great deal .  

The planks are at moved to the village now, and we will work on the rest over the next few days .. We will be able to sort through the off cut to pick out pieces that could be used for building and for furniture, then the rest will be cut up and bagged for fire wood that we will be able to give out with the coal this year. 

Every year we buy about 1000 bags of fire wood , so this will go along way to meat those needs.  They will have to work very closely with the kids to make sure that no one looses any fingers in the process, but it will be a great skill for them to learn.   Looking forward to seeing some nice live edge coffee tables come out of the shop. 

 

Into the mountains

   This week the kids , under Vlads watchful eye went on their first camping trip.  If you remember from the christmas wish book, we had asked for help to start an out door adventure program . 

"Vlad has been working on an outdoor adventure counseling program .. Using the Yurts and Kashar as a base camp, they will take groups up up to a dozen people up into the mountains for a week of teaching, training and getting InTouch with themselves, all while guided in a safe and caring environment."

With all that has been going on in the world, and finding a time when no one was sick 😷 The timing was right to get away.

This trip was just a one night trip with 10 people .  Being the first time for any of the kids  to experience something like this , it was best to start with just one night... It was also the first time for them to try out the new equipment ... Tents, sleeping bags and  mats .  

Everyone had such a great time, and they are ready to tackle the next adventure .. a little longer and a little deeper into the mountains .. 

A special thank you to those of you who sponsored the purchase of all the camping gear .. it was a true blessing for them .. 

 

Luba will be missed

Today we lost a wonderful, kind , generous, and hard working Saint.  Tanya's Grandmother passed away a few hours ago from covid.  She had gone for medical tests a couple weeks ago and contracted covid in the hospital .  

To give you an idea of how hard life was for her, One of the first times I met her almost 15 years ago, she had just arrived home from work.  She had been weeding a neighbours garden.. I asked her what her pay would be for a full 12 hour day .. she replied " OH I don't get paid, I get to keep the weeds "  ..  

Over the years, with Larisa and now Tanya  we have literally  reached out to Thousands of people in her village.  Behind every food delivery, and outreach was Grandmother .. cooking, packing bags .. even just a couple months ago she was busy everyday cooking for families at the dump and men at the men's home . 

This is going to be a very difficult time for Tanya as she is still in hospital herself , and now having this on her mind .. Please remember her in your prayers ... We love you Tanya .. you are not alone .. 

 

Please pray

Today we are lifting up Tanya and her Grandmother in Prayer .. They are both in The covid hospital in VERY serious condition.  At first they were told to go home because they are too sick for the hospital.  

The destruction caused by covid continues to ravage our friends and loved ones .  Tanya and Luba , we love you and are praying for you .
 

Harvesting the rewards

What a great sense of accomplishment these boys are experiencing . They have worked hard and now are harvesting the rewards . 

 

"My power is made perfect in your weakness "

"My power is made perfect in your weakness "

I have been struggling with things , including the reopening and getting back on the road and sharing .. and doing it with out power point or other forms I am used to indoors .. I have a learning disability so my style is one of showing pictures and telling stories about them since I can not focus to track notes.. As I have thought and payed about this , the scripture came to me about how Gods Power is made perfect in my weakness..... In that case, I am sure that this is going to be one powerful message hahaha.. because I have plenty of weakness to go around.  

This lead me to think about just about everything that we do and who we work with at the farm and out in the community , and I see this over and over .. how in our weakness at the time, I see His power move in a might way ..   Here is a short glimpse at just a few examples of that 

Over 5000 families blessed with food packages 

Thousands of loaves of bread given free in stores to those in need 

Oxygen concentrators  delivered set up in  homes of those too sick to travel 

Over a dozen other organizations helped along the way as their burdens over took their resources .... Organizations like homeless shelters, blind society, adopt a babushka, rehab centres, youth out reach centres and more . 

support to medical clinics and their staff.. equipment, medications and food 

hundreds of families blessed with coal for the winter as well as more food supplies 

Seeds program saw about 400 families provided with the seeds to plant gardens this summer . 

several out door youth and Children's events as well as conferences and opportunity to take a break at the kashar 

 Three new boys at the farm this spring