Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Care package being packed for the kids.

Today we took advantage of the boxing week sales , and the fact that we have someone we know traveling to Kyrgyzstan soon.  We have decided to pack a hockey bag and ship it to our friends location for her to bring with her when she goes.   we found a courier that will pick up at our door and deliver to hers 5 hours away the next day for only $30.     

The first item in this bag will be a set of learning blocks for Kamalla and Emma  to use at the homework club at the Bacute orphanage,  For those of you who know Cindy Lajoy, she has been a great help to us figuring out how to best connect with some of these kids with their learning difficulties... Cindy put us on to these blocks.. we are very excited to give them a try. 


Next on the list was a special order for Jengish ... He found this simple but effective milker for the farm.. It is completely manual and will be great for the goats when he starts cheese production next month 


Next up are all these cool supplies for the farm.  Some really good books about understanding the chemistry behind growing, as well as some soil test kits to get off on the right start.


Next up is a special order for making cages.. we are up to over 40 rabbits now .. 10% of the way to our target for the rabbit portion of the operation.  As we expand, we need to keep reconfiguring the space we have, and that includes making rabbit cages . Oh and maybe even a can or two of Coffee will make it into the bag. 


Meanwhile back in Kyrgyzstan they have all been busy.  Today was a bit of a down day with no parties scheduled.  Tomorrow , which is actually today for them , is newyears.  This is the biggest celebration of all in Kyrgyzstan.  For this event, Jengish and Emma will help Bekah and the girls to throw a special new years party.. It will include some very special guests.. kids that the girls have worked a lot with over the years .. I have heard about all the planing that has gone into this , and I know it will be a great day .    

Emma  has been working on some art work that will go in the hospital clinic. this is the first of a two painting set that she is doing .. its a good example of her work.  Just a reminder that she is doing some custom work now to help pay the bills .. if you are interested in a custom piece, or a portrait, let us know . 


Today we received two new additions to the farm,  One of them is a pregnant mother goat.  Her name is promise, sponsored by a family in the US.  the other is Promises daughter.  she is still looking for a sponsor and a name if you are interested .  They are both good quality milking goats, and Promise will be giving milk in just a few weeks. 


The main purpose for the milk will be for goat cheese, but it will be great to have access to good milk for some of the families that we help .. 
 Emma went out to meet up with a young mother we know.  This is actually Baktyguls older sister .  She is having some difficulty feeding her baby, and so Emma met up with her and bought her some high quality formula and some diapers.  She then got her a bag of food from the garage...  YES the garage is still producing food bags for those in need .. It is like some sort of blessed building.. we keep bringing bags and bags of food , even by the car load at times, and there is still food there.  If anyone would like to be a part of restocking the garage you can just put food hampers on the memo of your donation and Bekah will use it to restock the items that are running low.. I know that they have to be running out of some stuff by now 


Well that was today !  I can't wait for tomorrow .. Tomorrow is another good day .. in fact I think they are mostly good days when you can respond to the needs of so many , and do it bringing HOPE and DIGNITY .  All of you who have supported over this last year,  You are awesome

Monday, December 29, 2014

Red River Celebrations

Todays Christmas party was out in Red River .. Sergey and Anya had the lead at this one.  They brought Anya's dance troup out with them as well as fruit and cotton candy.  Mrs Bubbles even cam for the day and helped with games .. What a great day to spend the day.  The kids had an absolute blast. 








Talking to Sergey and Anya today, they write

"it was great time in every place thanks for all who spend money and time

for make happy and joy and smile for all kids".



Sunday, December 28, 2014

what they do on a down day

Great day yesterday celebrating Christmas with Julies side of the family.



For our brother in law, we got a little stuffed rabbit and in its arms was a photo of the real rabit in Jengishes arms .. We purchased this Rabbit for him.. its name is T-Bor .. after Daves Dad. 


It was nice to have Julies Dad and My Mom with us.  it was a nice morning ..


After lunch we went to a party with all of Julies extended family.   At that party, we were really blessed buy one of Julies cousins wife Kim.  She is experienced in Market Gardening, and put together a hamper for the farm.  In it were a bunch of books that she knows are good, as well as some seeds, and soil test kits, as well as a bunch of cloth bags to deliver produce "from the farm" .  She has gathered this up in Honor of her sister who also is a gardener..   What a great way to get the farm off to the right start .  Maybe one day Kim and her sister will get their  hands dirty at the farm.

It was really noticeable that the girls weer not with us and we were missing them ..  Julie said that it was nice that today was a down day for them with nothing on the schedule.  Then we started getting photos through of what their down day looks like. 

They started early and shopped for and packed bags for their friends at the homeless shelter.    


Then they made a great big meal , that included 1/6th of a pig from the farm, ( and chicken for those who don't eat pork ) and went and had a celebration with them 

 








I can see by the expression I know well here .. Bekah is Bringing greetings and blessings to everyone .  


I recognise most of these people from around town, but I must say, they never looked so good.  Its actually amazing how great they are looking... who would think that winter would be a time for a homeless person to actually start getting better.  With the  care they are receiving from the City , the medical care , the proper hygiene, and the nutrition... not to mention the love and dignity that they are being shown, we are seeing the miracle of LOVE ..   

Friday, December 26, 2014

Honored to be a part ...

Honors from the Mayors Office 
Today while Bekah and Acel along with Sergey and his boys were busy throwing Christmas parties for several hundred kids , Jengish and Emma were representing Julie and I at the Tokmok City mayors New years eve galla. 

   Its said that when you enter a banquet, you should not over state your place , do not go to the head table , but go to the back of the room...  You will be moved to where you should be ... this is exactly what Jengish and Emma did tonight , with hundreds of guests in the room, the though that they would slip quietly into the back of the room.  Very quickly they were spotted and moved to a place of Honor... They were brought to the head table, beside the mayor and a few other very prominent members of the Tokmok society.   Our claim to fame ? ... visiting the widows and the orphans , and reaching out to the downtrodden.   












It is so encouraging to me, not so much that we were honored in this way, but because it is not so much We that were honored, but the work that we do and the people that we reach out to .  During the party, The Mayor presented Jengish and Emma with a certificate , and introduced them to the crowd.   Jengish brought greetings from us and all of you who support the work that we do.


The Christmas parties began with a trip to the children's treatment orphanage where Bekah and Sergey visited a couple weeks ago.. Bubbles spent the day with them again and was a great hit. 





The next stop was to the Baby orphanage ,, this was a great time.   the kids just loved the party.  As well as bubbles, they brought gifts and fresh fruit for them all 



 

We had a donation during the summer to fix up the playground.  We were able to fix all the broken boards in the playgrounds and play shelters, and give everything a fresh coat of pint, and today we added more to that .. a large play gym that has swings and a slide.. It can be used both inside and outside , so it will get a lot of use.  As well we have ordered a childrens pay kitchen set for them.. this was a special request from the workers there .. 



They did not have time to put it together today, the kids were already in overload with all the excitement of the day , this will be great fun for them, and Bekah will go back in a few days when the kitchen arrives, and help put everything together and get photos.  I am even told that Santa will be making an appearance for that 

Then it was on to Chui Orphanage ... I think this day with a couple hundred kids can be summed up with just one picture  



Along with their special day, Bekah and Acel were ready with banana's and Oranges after the concert.. But just to make it more special, when they came out of the hall on the way back to their rooms, Vladic was waiting with a van load of cotton candy for them all.  WHAT A TREAT .. 



Now the kids have a couple days to regroup, buy gifts and supplies, get the cotton Candy and be ready for the party at Red river orphanage on the 29th.  stay tuned

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas all.

Last night while we slept , or tried to in anticipation of Christmas morning ,  Thanks to all the pie challengers , Christmas celebrations were in full swing in Tokmok.

This first party was hosted by the Mayors office , with lots of kids we know from Tokmok and the  Bacute orphanage kids .  The main attraction was bubbles the clown .. As always when Mr and Mrs Bubbles are there, its hard to choose just a couple pictures .. I love looking at all the expressions on the kids faces ..

Please enjoy these, knowing that as we celebrate Christmas here, we have had a part in bringing Christmas joy to so many .. Merry Christmas