As we have made friends here , we more and more have the opertunity to ecperience raw culture... Acel and Talant have us over regularly as does Aigoola. It is nice for us to be imersed intot the culture, but it really is not the real thing because they are very mindfull of what foods we are able to eat.. the same with your Russian cuisine at Sergey and Anya's or the Dungan food at Isars house.. that is when we know that we are being watched ...when everything is just the way we like it ..
We try very hard to be gratious, and eat what is put in front of us... but some times it is simply not humanly possible...
Today we were invited to Aerofots relitives... or as they say here ..his ansestors.. well it actually was his ansestors.. the oldest Babushka there tonight was 100 years old... she looked every minute of it, but was as spry as a fox.
he meal began with a huge table set for us... they do not eat.. they all serve...
There were about 4 platters of fruit and cookies..chocolates and squares, and a pot of tea that refilled your cup with every sip... I know ...I tried...
Then they brought out 4 different salads for each of us... wiggly and giggly and many strange flavours... then a huge bowl of Lugman each.. ( like a thick hand made spaghetti ) when we were just about done they brought us each a fresh hot bread loaf.. about the size of a shot put.. it weighed about 2 lbs and was steamed rather then baked.. it was very good, but could have been a meal of it's own... Whe we were just about finished... proud of ourselves besause we managed to make it look like we were eating, We recieved the main course... a huge platter of ploff.. one platter per two people... But thats not the only double portion we experienced this week....
But what was evedent through the meal was that by helping Aerofat, dignity had been restored to the entire family.... And young Aerofat was happy to see us again....
Part of the storey I had not told is that we were stoped in the streets in a small village when we first arrived.. the people had herd that we were in town and the aunt of another child came out looking for us. There baby had a cleft pallat and hair lip as well, and they went to the Dr, but were told that the baby was too sick and to come back when it was better.. this was more then they could comprehend, and the parrents shut down. It took all they had to try the first time ..
So while we were proceeding with Aerrofot, we had Laurisa bring the other baby along with her for all the blood work etc..
yesterday I got this photo from our friends in the city with the update that Baby is doing great and has been sent home.. Kind of strange.. I have never met this little one or the direct family... I don't know what our futures will have in store, I wish I could tell more... this little one had no sponsor, but the timing was right that the Drs and the team in Bishkek decided to give us a freebee.. and the transportation and pre op were piggy backed on Aerofats .. so to Aerofots sponsor and our Bishkek team.. thank you so much for the double blessing...
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