back at it...

Well I got the stuffing knocked out of me yesterday ... woke up sick, and spent the last two days in bed.. but seem to be better today.. I missed so much.. I will get the girls to do a catch up post about the last two days ... Tomorrow is a busy day in the city... many appointments... and the Dordoy bazaar.

Pajama Party

A couple of posts back, I shared about Judy's conection with a couple special children.. Today she got an opertunity that she never deamed possible. The kids have a long weekend, so they did not have to go back to the orphanage this weekend, so Larisa invited us over for supper, and Judy and Emma are staying for an overnight pajama party... Judy is sooooooo excited.

Every one had a great time. te kids really relaxed and were beyond happy to have Judy there with them... And the best part... they all get to sleep on the living room floor.

busy morning

First stop was to bring more crafts to the shop at the bazaar.It is really starting to look like a store...Here our "Mountain Girl" showa us a new apron. I had to laugh... when Vlady introduced her to us he introduced her as "The Mountain Girl" and today when we were discussing business with her she was refuring to Vlady as the "Russian Man "... suddenly it struck me as funny... no wonder they get along ..they are cut from the same clothe... " The Mountain Girl and the Russian Man"...hahahah

We then did some shoping fort the hospital.. The emergency Dr is often left trying to feed the people that come to him, and he has no budget for that so we wanted to bring him some soup packets and biskets... we met this sweet old lady on our rounds .. she is 86 and still works in the bazaar every day.. we paid with a large bill and watched her dig through the layers of cloths to un pin little bags of money... she giggled and called it her "Babushka stash"...

After delivering the food and other medical suplies to the emergency DR . We was very appreciative, and wants Sergey and I to go fishing and hunting with him. Next stop was the baby hospital. Judy was very moved when she met the Dr and heard how hard she works to help all the people we bring her.

We then met the newest arival... a bay born at 20 weeks .. It is just over 1.5 kg

This is a teaching hospital, so we got a chance to talk with the new students.

Judy then got to see the new washing machine hooked up and working now that there are bars on the windows and doors to make sure that it does not dissapear. They also built a drying rack for the blankets and sheets as well.

Next stop was the baby hospital to bring more supplies. We also had Sergey check out her computer to see what is needed to be able to set them up on internet... It looks do-able

Here Judy is showing the Dr some of the pnemonia vests made by some of the friends of ours in Canada.

A dream come true for Judy

Many of you will remember this photo .. Judy remembers it.. as it was the photo that chalanged her, and began her journey to today... She decided two years ago that she was going to love and care for these forgoten kids.. and she has.. For the last two years she has been one of the key suporters of Larisa, and has worked to make these girls lives better from the other side of the world. Her dream was to one day come here and hold them herself....

The kids were so happy to see her, and there was an instant connection.

then it was off to get their brother

When we got to the orphanage , they were excited to show us the new doors that we had installed for them , not only will they be much warmer this winter, but with the doors being able to be locked, it will be much safer for them.

This was the first door we installed , but they are having some trouble with the water coming on to it from the roof, and they are afraid that it will get damaged.. already it has started to show signs of swelling... What we really need to do is to put a small roof over this step. It would be great to cover the hole porch, for the kids that come and go in the rain.

We then gathered up the younger brother and brought them out to a restaurant.

Later in the day We went to Day springs to help Acel get ready for a big day .

Many friends of Acel and Talants were coming over to bless the new home and to celebrate the new baby . This is a very big event for them, and Acel wanted everything to be just right ...

It was a lot of fun to be able to work along side her in this beautiful kitchen.. We learned to make Borsoke.. the small fried bread that covers the table, three different types of salad, and then we got to make the Bishbalmak... We told her that if there was anything that was not perfect, she could just tell them it was because the Canadians were bothering her in the kitchen all day .

It was a wonderful night ... One of their traditions is that they pas the baby from person to person and the look into the babies eyes and speak a blessing .. very neet....

We helped in the kitchen and serving until every one had been feed, then joined them..

They appeared to be very blessed by this... though who knows what they were saying when they left..hahhaa.. but every one did have a great time,, and they all committed to doing anything they could to make this home a home of PEACE, and to except who ever was in this home as FAMILY....

We then did the last supper thing and said..."Get over to this side of the table if you want your picture taken"

lives touched.. people blessed

One more trip around the valley.... and more lives changed.  

   Our first stop was to the seniors home.  There are a few new seniors there.  One of the older ladies was such a cute old lady , she looked like one of those apple dolls.  She shared how her son had died at 61, only a month ago, and her Daughter in law kicked her out .. so here she was at 81 homeless.  This was so hard for her because she says that "Kyrgyz don't abandoned their seniors.. and that this is a place for Russian Babushka'"  she was so upset and said that she has not stopped crying since her son died.  We then gave her a doll that was made by some Babushka's in Canada.  She was so happy, and started rocking it and said .. now I have my son again.   The next lady started crying right away when she was given her doll.. one by one these Babushkas received their hand made individual dolls.. it was so touching.  

   The next up was the tap shoes for one of the dancing men.. We had the taps brought from Canada, and have arranged for him to get his shoes this week.     From there we went to the village where we stopped in to visit the team working on one of the houses we have there.. They are getting it all renovated, and will be opening a rehab center there in the next couple weeks.   We had a nice visit with Aigoola as well, then out to the invalid home.  At the home, we presented a big bag of good tea and coffee as well as chocolates to the staff at the home.  Last week was the international day for the institution worker, and NO ONE came to recognize hem.. we found this out because we had taken the director and the Dr's out for lunch that day, and they told us then.. We shared with them that one day when the people they are helping receive the recognition by society , so will they, but that I wanted them to know that they are not forgotten, and that there are people all over North America that appreciate the great job that they are doing .. we then gave them a huge bag of socks.. enough for every men in the home to receive a pair. .. On the way home, we found a cute little hedge hog... well maybe cute is pushing it a little....  

Picking up speed

Today was a special day for Judy. For many years she has been a very active suporter of Laurisa and the work that she does. Life has not always been easy for either, but they have been faithful, and some how ... this day.. they finaly got to meet. But no time for long greatings, there was a lot on the schedual... It was off to the village to see Aerofot and his family. Aerofot will be having his second cleft palat surgery tomorrow .. There is actualy a team of Dr's here that specialize in the upper palat repair, and our young friend is on the top of their list....

We had a great visit with the family, and "T" consisted of borsht, apples, grapes, fruit we do not recognise, bread, and a big plate of candies and cookies... basicaly everything this and every other family in town could pull together with no notice...

We then went out on the street and met up with so many kids that we know and gave out mits that were made by a friend of ours back in Canada.. What a hit.. and this time it was not 122 out when we were giving out knitting. Amazing how much more they appreciated them today..hahaha

We had to ruch back because we were hosting a dinner for about 40. We had a group of the English speeking friends of Altynai's from the school, as well as David and Jayne, and a few other couples that work with and know these kids as part of a suport network .

After supper we gave the kids some new journals that the ladies brought with them from another friend of ours.. They were so excited to recieve them... Last year when we gave them out, there was a marked improvment in how the kids did.

It was a great night... we had so much fun with them...

Dom Rashdenia

English class started at 9 this morning over at Paula's apartment. Altynai needed help with a speech she was preparing for school. After class , the girls walked back to our apartment for lunch with Aigula's family. They picked up some lepyoshka, (round bread) on the way over and Judy and Paula got to look inside the tandur (clay oven) to see how it's made. After lunch, we went to Bishkek for a birthday party for Alymbek, Vladik, and Sabira. We went bowling and then out for supper. We had some time to kill, so we went for a walk to a war memorial statue that is a common place to get pictures taken. Everyone had a great time bowling and then we went to the restaurant for super. It is a new restaurant, and the owner is so nice.. Judy even got a tour of the kitchen before ordering.  The tables were set and ready for us, and they even had 4 servers for us... this we might get in Canada, but here in Kyrgyzstan, no mater how big your group, you only get one server.  After supper we sang happy birthday to the kids and gave out presents.. We even celebrated the birthday of a friend of ours who could not be here today... It was a nice day of fun and sight seeing.  

Day one with the Ladies

when the team got in we let them sleep for a couple hours then it was off to work.

first stop was to the T-shirt factory to pick up an order for the store, then we headed to the bazaar to bring the shirts and some felt slippers.  the girls took the opportunity to do a little shopping ... then we went over and picked up 250 pairs of socks for the men at the invalid home... they were ordered by the medical team from Alaska.. we also found that it would be about $150 to get them all underwear.

From there  Bekah and Paula headed for the University and a party with the English department , and Judy joined us for Tea at daysprings and a chance for her to meat Acel. and see the gardens she will be planting next week.

  Judy and Emma then went to the orphanage to bring the  mitts for the kids, while Julie and I went back to the apartment to cook supper for English club.   We had lots of fun with the kids, and Judy got to tell them all about her journey here, while the kids had to listen close to write down all the numbers that she said during the storey..they enjoyed that. then we played pictionary, but they had to say the word in English to win the candy.  By 8:00 we figured they had been up enough so we brought them home.  Emma staid with them last night in case the wanted to go for a walk this morning, she could be with them until they got themselves orientated.

  Today began with Paula helping Altynai with some English. Acels girls were here early, and we will meat up with their parents tonight when we bring 30 something to Bishkek to go bowling and put for supper to celebrate the birthdays of 3 of our sponsored kids.. and one of our friends in America that we know is here with us in her heart. Should be a great day...