Funny how you know !

I know that this will be a real time of growing for our young friend . It is still difficult for me to think of him off in a strange land on his own. We have kept in contact with Turat, but the language is a real barrier, so we have even set up skype calls from our friend and translator to make sure he is OK . He says that he is great, but deep down, we just did not have a piece about it . We knew something was up.

This week, Ed, and Lynn & Ruby were down to Krovy Rog and had a chance to spend some time with him .. here is their report:

Imagine this young man here in Ukraine - attending College -all alone. Yet he is excited and confident he will someday go back to his homeland and become a pastor. Wow. He had a thin coat, no mitts for his hands and no heavy pants to help him with the sudden change in the Ukraine weather. It was well below zero and Torat would tell NO ONE that he needed a thing. He had $100 stolen from him - all the money he had. He did not have a coin! Ed replaced this for him. However, we had to really "squeeze" him to tell us what he needed. His computer screen had been broken and would cost $100 to be fixed, he was cold too. We are so greatful we could be there to be the extension of you John and do what you would do as his "daddy". He now has some funds for spending, his computer is on the way to the shop, he has a new heavy coat, gloves, a heavy new sweater and great lined jeans. He is a careful shopper and was most cautious to pick out just the best for the need. We were impressed.

We told him we would contact his mother to tell her why he has not emailed (broken computer) and this has been done. Praise God for this time with him. We were the ones that were really blessed. Here is picture of him....he is a charmer!

Love,
Your team members

I can't begin to express how greatful I am that they were there to stop in on him and help him out.

You know often people ask us what our next project is and what new and exciting adventures we think will be in store for us, but it is times like this that it is abundantly clear that the greatest NEW adventure is simply a return to an OLD one... for it is in the return that people know that they are loved and that they are "worth it."

In a couple weeks we will begin our tour through the North East US. We want to have an opertunity to meet with many of the families that have suported the work that we do. We also want to raise awareness for the many friends like Turat that we are blessed to know. When this trip starts, we will also begin a campaign to raise $10 000 M.A.D. money for March return to Kyrgyzstan. That is Making A Difference money .

Making a difference... thats what Lynn and Ruby did in the life of our friend Turat today when they spent a few hundred dollars on him , and as they said , as a result, " We were the ones that were really blessed."