Time has run out

Every month we give Tanya $100 to bless the seniors .  She has about 15 that she helps out and keeps an eye on .  This budget is enough for her to bless 5 or 6 of the ones that are most in need at the time . 

When we have teams there w do a little catch up and bring them grocery shopping and some times out for a meal .  But every month they get what is most important to them ... A visit from Tanya. 

We had a few sponsors for this at the beginning of the year who sponsored a senior for the year at $20 a month ... for those sponsorships time has run out.  So we are now looking for some sponsors that would like to help us continue this important project.  

We had a year end get together with many of our team from one end of the valley to the other .  Unfortunately not all could attend due to illnesses ,  but it was great for those that could attend to spend some time together .   

 

Back in quarantine

The team packed up 30 more food bags and 30 more tons of coal , and went out on deliveries .  they had   couple more break downs but managed to get 14 families delivered to.

We have started to run into a bit more difficulty as some of our team has become quite sick so we will need to  slow the pace a little bit for the next few days . 

Those that did receive coal and food were so blessed. 

We tthen got called to the Luke Services International office where we were gifted with a lovely cake ... a show of appreciation for the solid partnership we have with them to bring aid to families in need. 

I do know all too well about having the stuffing knocked out of you .. Julie and I have both tested positive covid and are feeling the effects.   We had so many visits planed for the next couple weeks as we were planning get together with friends and sponsors .  But for now we are quarantined in our home ..  Praying we shake this a little quicker this time around.  

 

Blessed

 Julie and I are feeling so blessed today.  Our day started at 2:00 am with our first Christmas party with our breakfast club in the city .  It was so nice to see everyone.  At 7:00 am we were at the farm for the name draw party .. it was so cool .. each person would take turned telling good things about who they drew a name for until everyone guessed who they were talking about .. then the person would open their gift then they would give the gift they bought and so on .. it was so great to see such joy not just receiving but giving and the kind words shared .   Next up was Christmas gifts with Kamala and the girls .. now that's excitement . 

Then off to church for a great morning service   then home for Christmas with Emma, Jengish and Aiden . And a drop in call from Amelia.  

Tomorrow we will be having one more Christmas with Benjamin and Rachel and the boys . 

Joyful and Triumphant.

Joyful and Triumphant .. that is a series that Julie is going to do over on face book, but I thought I would steel that theme for today .     Everyone has been very busy getting ready for Christmas .   In total we have 85 chickens purchases and the team is busy packing food hampers to go along with them.  This is such a win, win, win event.  The Chickens are nice big and plump. they are raised by our friends over at Teen Challenge.   They had offered a discount rate for us, but we insisted on paying the full price because this is how the centre is funded.   That's one WIN .. The next win is this is putting a tangible item in the hands of our worker so that as they go around and touch base with families to make sure that they are ok they have a great blessing to give them. WIN and the last WIN .. Just imagine having little to no food in your home and for some no way to even heat your home .. and having one of our team show up with food and for some coal as well.  It is always such an emotional time .. for all ... I remember one day last month we were delivering the coal .. we had delivered 16 tons to 16 families .. Sergey looked over at me and said "I just want to cry" every emotion is experienced when the needs are so raw.  We are so thankful for the support that allows us to support families.   

When we got back from Kyrgyzstan this fall we went to restock our cupboards and fridge ( we try to have everything as empty as possible when we are away for extended periods ) I was so shocked by the increase prices. I walked past the turkeys and saw a small turkey for $55 .. I decided then that we were not going to be having a turkey this year ... Well we were blessed with  a turkey that we were given .... I was so happy and relieved ... but really ..we were  going to eat ... like this meal we put together at Bekahs .. it was a hit .. Bekah screamed and Amelia cried hahaah.   But for many there is no plan B and if they are fortunate they might have a bowl of buckwheat kasha  So just imagine the Joy when our friends arrive. 

I love seeing how even the boys on the farm are getting into this GIVING thing .. Mirlan came back from the store and shared how he heard that the man that looks after the forestry centre up in the mountains is just home from the hospital with a Valve replacement , and does not have coal .. So the boys loaded up the van and went for a drive .  The man was so happy that he offered our boys a Christmas tree .. On the way back to the farm, Mirlan then said 
"We already have so much , can we give this to the orphanage ?"    Today some one from the orphanage will stop buy and pick up a tree and 15 chickens .. how fun is that !. 

We had two more loads of coal arrive from our friends at Luke Service International, and they are also helping us to pack 30 food hampers to go with the Chickens. The 26th the boys will be back on the road for a few days with special deliveries . 

Over on the end of the valley a life long dream has been filled as an oven was delivered .. She was so excited , mixed with a little bit of disbelief ... 

This year for Christmas with our kids we are doing a secret Angle where they will draw names of who to shop for.  We have given them each a small budget to work with .. This way they get to be involved in the giving , not just the getting .  While at the bazar one of my seller friends saw the boys and asked to have them send me a picture and say hi.   

There is so much more to share but lets just leave it for today at

 JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT 

So Blessed

I can not begin to express how blessed we are feeling right now .  What an encouragement .   Yesterday we had a disaster , in the crunch of the winter to have our main house boiler rupture and lines in the floor break.. It was a disaster and an expensive one at that .  The same day a sponsor heard about the need and came forward with enough funds to cover the repairs and the restoration costs .. The guys got right to work and the new boiler is being installed right now .    

Vlad purchasing new boiler and parts

 While two of the boys worked with  One Sergey replacing the boiler and pipes , the other two boys worked with the other Sergey putting the new steering racks on the truck. 

Right now they have been experiencing white outs mixed with freezing rain so its just as well that they are off the roads for a few days .  

The Next 4 loads of coal will be arriving at the farm this week and bagged up in time for delivery's again starting on the 25th .  We are planning on having 30 food hampers to go with them as well . 

Today was Merlans birthday so it was nice that Olivtina was on the farm today to help having a small celebration for him  

I still have special Christmas wishes come in every day .  Here are a few .

Her name is Gulzada and she is mom of two girls who really wishes to have oven. She is a mom who is staying home with her small children and would like to bake little samsas, or pies to sell and help her husband to make money. Thanks.  $75

 Hello, my name is Cholpon and my husband and I live in a village in Naren, where we have very cold and long winters. As village people our wish is to have 5-6 chickens. To have meat and eggs in the future, thanks. $35

This young girl’s Christmas wish is to have art supplies. She lives with her two younger brothers and her mom.  we would like to purchase some art supplies for her as well as some gifts to bless her brothers as well 

$100

Here are a couple of her paintings she has done 

This next request is from Aiperi in Pakistan where we support her to work with the Afghanistan refugees   She writes 

 This mom will ask for help for her grandchildren who were left without parents, they recently died, now she will take care of them. 16-10-7-5 years old they need help in the form of (clothes and shoes since it’s cold here now) $160

Who remembers the Blind society ? We are the only benefactor of this Christmas celebration every year .  200 to 300 kids from families where the kids or the parents are blind. each year we are able to sponsor them about $1000 .  this year we have no donations in for them yet .  so lets set our sights a little lower .. maybe $250 or $500 would be a more do-able number, then at least we could help with a party for them . 

Is there ever a good time !

  The last few days we have been trying to figure out if we have any option of covering some of the Christmas parties from the general fund.  This morning we got a firm NO on that one.  The water boiler in the main house blew out along with some of the main feeder pipes that are under the cement floor. IS THERE EVER A GOOD TIME for something like this to happen? 

We are now fully in the grip of winter and need to replace this right away before we have more damage.  They have ordered the new boiler and have started digging up the floors .  The repair costs will be close to $1500 USD by the time the repairs are complete.   

The parts arrived to repair the the farm truck, and the boys are working hard to get it back on the road in the next couple days .  We have still been able to do some deliveries with the Van and  trailer , but this is just the emergency deliveries .  
We have also had 4 loads of coal donated and will arrive in 4 days .  So on the 25th - 27 we will be bringing coal to another 30 families , and including a food hamper for them. the food hampers will be about $30 each.   The frozen chickens have been ordered for this .. they will be ready on the 22nd.  The chickens will be $100.  While I was ordering them , they told me that one of the orphanages that we have been helping to buy chickens had just contacted them to ask if they could have more . So I guess that's a heads up that I will be getting a request from them in the next couple days. 

So this year we will be taking full advantage of the Orthodox Christmas of Jan 7 to give us a bit more time to scramble and find more money and maybe sell a few cows. 

         

Down to the wire .

 So we are getting down to the wire for getting funds to Kyrgyzstan for.   

 Christmas .. I am a little concerned that this year we have not had the response for the orphanage and institution parties .  We have had requests for the blind society kids , the home orphanages connected to our friend Artrum ,  Vera and the orphanage she works with .. and then there is Tanya .. she writes "In the men's home 300 men

In Tokmok mens and women's home 250 people.

And for children disabilities 170 .".   Not really sure what we will be able to do .. I guess we will wait and see .

On the eighth day of Christmas.

 The eighth day is a day that can really change a life .. it is a loan so a farmer can plant his field, or paying off a  loan so that a student can continue education.   Maybe it is for equipment to expand a business to make it profitable .. What ever the loan it will be life changing and when paid back will move on to the next loan recipient.

For the rest of this post I would  like to look back at the coal .. the truck is being fixed right now, but winter has hit so we are using the bus for deliveries while we wait for parts.