Welcoming 2 new young men to the family .

This morning Vlad had a chance to visit with Ruslan.  It is a very difficult story, even for Vlad to share.  I guess that is why Ruslan is 21 years old but looks 35.  I want you to save this picture for you to remember  if only in your mind. Just wait until you see what a few months of good food and a loving environment will do.  We have seen it so many times,  so now it is a little easier for me to believe what is possible. 

New shampoo, tooth past and tooth brush, soap and sponges ... and a nice hot shower 

Here is another young man that you will be seeing more of  on the blog.  His name is Bektursun.  He is in University and is an incredible young man.  I met him the first time several years ago, and we actually were able to get him a Lap top so he could study computer sciences.   He is out going, and speaks at least four languages.  He is at a place where he just needs a little extra help, and we are so blessed that we can be there for him.  I will not share too much of his story right now as it is HIS to share maybe one day soon we will have him write a  post for the blog but if you feel led to make a difference in a young mans life , this might be a good start  .. 

The coal has arrived and more deliveries have been made, thank you everyone that is helping with this.  This family we are delivering here today are a mother and father and 5 little kids.  They are all very sick right now with bad colds. 

Vlad has been on the front lines and working hard.  I suggested that he should start eating some of the fresh veggies from the green house himself.  He said that there are orders for it all.  I suggested that  they go ahead and start eating some himself and some of the orders can wait an extra day.   Here is green house to table Bukchoy and peas.

 

I love seeing strawberries in February !

Does it make a difference?

Does it change your heart when you know the whole or at least more of the story? I know it does for me.  But I have to stop and question myself why.  A couple days ago I shared about a burden about some new kids coming to the farm.  I Knew that the very fact that they would be coming to us means that they have a difficult story and we need to help.  As the story begins to unfold I become more and more heart broken for them. 


For kids when they leave the orphanage system , many of them have no family that is able to watch out for them, and they don't have the necessary skills to watch for themselves.  That was the case for Ruslan when he left an orphanage for mildly disabled kids about 5 years ago.   It only took a short time before someone who was praying on vulnerable kids snatched him and likely sold him into slavery in Kazakhstan.  

Some how he was able to get away and made his way to Sergey and was then introduced to the farm.   Now 21 years old he is ready to start putting his life together.  He is  severely traumatized. probably not in the best physical condition and has bad headaches.  

  Julie and I just received a training for dealing with kids with Trauma and how best to help them ... nothing in the books gave examples of the trauma to the extent that this young man has faced.  We will just start by doing what we can do, showing love and care, and praying that God would heal and restore this young man.   I am not sure that Vlad knew all that he would be dealing with when he came to work with us at the farm,  but I know that he has the heart desire and ability to make a difference for Ruslan.  We are so thankful he and Sergey are there to help.  

This is just one of the boys that we are looking for a sponsor for so we can help.   Now that you know a little more of the story, DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 




 

Looking for monthly sponsors.

We are expecting about 4 more young adults ( that we know of )  to become part of our family in the next few weeks. 

If you have been thinking about setting up a monthly sponsorship supporting the farm , now would be a great time.  Every person on the farm gets a salary of about $50 plus all their living expenses and medical expenses .    

Please consider how you could help us to meet this added expense. 

family meal at the farm 

Great work Aipery

Aipery has been a busy girl. As well as being a full time mom and  helping Aigoola cooking and caring for the kids on the farm, She has been helping with many of the humanitarian endeavors.  She is the main contact for a young baby who lost his mom and was not doing well. The baby is doing great !  As well Aipery helps with putting together food hampers from the farm when there are families in need.   

The last couple weeks she has also been working on programming for the sewing machine so that we can start embroidering shirts and bags for sale in the gift shop.   Check out this cool little video that shows the work in Progress. 

"The substance of things HOPED for!"

Many of you have either donated specifically for food for families in need or into our general fund.  We are so thankful for this.  This year has been especially long and cold, and this has put pressure on the economy.  Many families are finding themselves in trouble.  Just stop and imagine being out of food and someone shows up with flower oil fresh produce, sugar, tea and an assortment of grains and pasta's .. In a society with little to no hope , THIS IS WHAT HOPE LOOKS LIKE .. 

Thank you . 

 A short time ago I was talking to Vlad and he told me that we were starting to run low on coal and supplies, maybe enough for a couple weeks.   Right away I said well lets stop deliveries so that we can make it through the winter on the farm.   

I then got up and walked over to the kitchen to get a nice cup of coffee and a muffin , walking back to my computer past a nice warm fire and looking outside at a freezing -22 day.    I was convicted. We have been so blessed and for me to sit in my nice warm house enjoying a fresh muffin, and putting a stop to aid for others in need .. it was just wrong.  Right away I messaged back to Vlad "DON'T STOP .. We will figure something out".

   This morning, outside is freezing, inside is warm. the coffee is on and I pull a tray of fresh muffins out of the oven, and I have no conviction .... I pray that you can say the same. 

open for business

As we work towards self sustainability on the farm, we are excited to have the Guest house and Yurts.  Not only is it a great way for us to raise our operating budget, but it teaches our kids hospitality.. something that is so important in a Kyrgyz home, and something that they would have missed out on in the orphanages.  The kids learn to care for the guests needs, and be aware of what they might need.  They also will learn many life skills such as cooking and cleaning.  
  Having guests on the farm help to give our kids a much broader outlook on life as well.  Guests from all over the world have spent time on the farm and had the opportunity to share their culture and experiences .. what a great  experience for both the farm and the guests.    here is what one of our guests had to say 

"I work as a tour operator/ translator / driver out of Bishkek and recently had the opportunity to stay at the farm guesthouse with my guests for a little over two weeks. It was such a great experience for us. The staff were friendly and made us feel at home. The meals were great and the accommodations were clean and inviting. It became a home away from home. We even had a chance to stay up at the yurt one night. This is an experience I would recommend to anyone .. A traditional yurt with all the comforts.. the the view was incredible ..With so many things to see close to the farm like the hot springs and the Burana tower, the location was perfect for us. Thank you everyone for making this such a great experience. I am looking forward to the next opportunity I get to bring guests . "

We are now getting ready for the the 2018 season.   Yesterday we turned back on the airbnb booking site with a few more additions as we added the yurts and the second guest house .  You can check out the link below . 

We have a busy spring .  Starting the 6th of April we are pretty much booked right through to the beginning of June .  We do have a few openings in our over flow, but will save them for the walk in traffic as available.  

Also available we have a room in Bishkek that our guests can stay at while in the city . 

In the green house things are still doing great .  The strawberries have been divided and have started to bloom and produce fruit again.   

the Bukchoy is looking green and healthy but is not  growing very fast. I think as soon as spring comes we will transplant them out in the fields and they should grow fast .   these have been planted for two months, but in contrast , bellow is a picture of the red lettuce that was planted just three weeks ago 

Here is lettuce at about 5 weeks 

The spinach is like a jungle now.   And as fast as we pick it it is growing back.  This is great . We have been able to develop a market for it , and being winter, the prices are very profitable.  Spinach is also a very hardy plant and can take cold temperatures so that if we did have troubles in the sub zero conditions, the plants would still survive. 

The peas are filling out nicely.  I don't think we could ever grow enough to really make any money on them but they are nice to have for the kids on the farm . 

A great week of travel

We had some guests at the farm during the summer that are now doing some exhibitions about their travels .  Here they are setting up, this picture is of Sibera and the eagle hunter up at the yurts.  

Last weeks training with David and Jayne was so incredible. We were so blessed to be a part of it, and have learned so much that will help us and the kids we work with.

 We spent a lot of time on the road in various snow conditions over the last week .  This was the view for many hours.

Our travels brought up to Espanola where we attended the celebration of life from a dear friend of ours.  Carol and her husband Jack (who passed away about a year ago ) were very close followers and prayer partners of yours .  Our blog had a link button in the middle of their home page , where every day would begin with a visit to actofkindness before morning tea.  Likewise this painting of Carols was the screen saver on my computer.   I am honored and blessed to now have the original hanging in my living room.  We are going to make a print of it to hang in the living room at the farm guest house as well.      

Back in KG the cold has meant more hard ship.  In schools, teachers have not been paid for a wile because the heating bills where too high .   this has put some added strain onto many good people .. Fortunately we have been able to bless them with flower, oil, tea, and sugar .  Thank you to those who support our efforts to help when needed ... Stop for a moment and realize the feeling  of relief that is in this picture.. well done!

Stay in Stay warm

With current temperatures reaching record lows in parts of Kyrgyzstan right now , people are recommended  to stay in and stay warm.   I am glad that our friends are not heeding that warning, the fact is that if they stay in, people could die !    

Morning frost settling over the farm 

Current news from Kyrgyzstan
"BISHKEK, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- The cold winter weather has caused the deaths of 15 homeless people in the Kyrgyz capital this week, local authorities reported Friday. They were found to have died of hypothermia."

"AKIPRESS.COM - Parliamentarians suggest to give 1-week break for school children due to extremely cold temperatures that came to Kyrgyzstan these days. "We all feel how cold it is outside. Not speaking of the regions, we have -30C in some parts of the city. It's very struggling for the children to attend ".

In the last couple days  they have had to make several food and coal drops.  We have even had to have Dr Tatyana come pout and make some house calls.  One senior had fallen and cracked her hip. Auxana had a minor stroke, and another lady has a herniated back.   These situations are all compounded when it is so cold out.  Once again we are blessed that we have the coal and food to be able to respond quickly to help.  We are also blessed that we have such a fantastic modern Dr that works with our team to help people through the system. 

   

The little baby that Aiperi has been helping is doing great.  when it was six weeks old it was still under six lbs, now since the formula has been supplies, it is now over 11 lbs.  What a blessing. 

You know it is cold outside when the door handles start to freeze over.  But in side the zucchini have started to bloom.  

With the chores done and families helped, there is still a little time to have a good game of UNO or Dutch Blitz 

Sunday  Julie and I will head for the city,  We have to be at the airport by 3 am for our flight to Cincinnati for the training that we will be attending under David and Jayne Schooler   

We are about $350 away from covering all the expenses for this great experience.   I have been talking to Vlad and he is excited as well. and wants us to take lots of notes so we can brief him when we get back .  We are praying that one day we will be able to have David and Jayne in person to the farm .. 

If you would like to help us attend this conference, please use the donate link on the side. 

Global Orphan Care

I love this picture of Sammy seen here investigating the Buk-choy.  I would be doing the same thing if I was there, checking out the roots.   

We have started planting and re potting plants for the spring now. . Aigula is getting a break from the cold, and getting her hands into the dirt as she repots strawberry shoots 

here is a nice morning harvest of lettuce, spinach and radishes 

We continue to provide food hampers to those in need.  This batch of food is heading to a lady in our village who had a bad fall and is off work right now .  I am blessed that we are able to do things like this now with out always having to come back to sponsors each and every time.  We have a small budget designated that allows us to act quickly in situations like this. 

Something that we have never had in our budget is training courses for Julie and I or the rest of our workers for that matter.   

Many of you will know David and Jayne Schooler.  The last several years they have been working with    Back2Back doing trauma competent caregiver training. 

There are very few couples that are as well equipped to teach such a course, and for us there is the added benefit of  them having a deep understanding , knowledge and even an existing relationship with many of the kids that we work with. This insight will bring a relativity for us that I do not believe we could find anywhere else.   

I have shared, and even joked about the situations that we face on the farm especially, and many of you have joined in our amusement. When we put aside all the joking and are serious for a moment, it is almost overwhelming the responsibility that God has given us for the well being and development of these kids.  We are charged with the responsibility of meeting these kids where they are and then walk with them into a future with out pain and trauma.  We need to learn to Do that .

We are thrilled to have Vlad on the farm and this Youth worker position is one of his key responsibilities now.  Although we have been blessed with an incredible farm with over the top produce and food production, that is NOT who and what we are.  Our number one responsibility has to remain the kids.

If you know me you know that I am the last person that would be interested in going to a training if was for any other purpose, but this is too important to pass on.  Please consider helping us with this

Someone has covered our conference fees, we have a place to stay while in Cincinnati. We have had donations enough  to cover parking in Toronto and part of our ticket costs.  This will leave us about $500 short on the flights. The flights have begun going up daily as we get closer, so a couple days ago I went ahead and booked the flights.    We, buy faith are going .   Any help would be appreciated .

training opportunity

Julie and I have an opportunity to attend a training for caregivers dealing with kids who have experienced trauma .  This would include almost ever kid that we come into contact with.  What makes it even more special is that two of the key presenters are David and Jayne Schooler who we have worked with in Kyrgyzstan.  They have a heart for KG and for the kids that we work with.  We will have a special opportunity to discuss with them ways that this training will directly relate to the work we do as they have seen from first hand experience.  

I post this for two reasons..

 1. some of you may be interested in attending yourselves, and 

2. this was not in any way in our expected budget, and we are looking for some help to make it possible.  

We believe that by attending we will gain valuable information that will help us, and those we work with better serve the kids that we help.  Julie and I are looking for $1000 to help us make this possible. If you would like to help us out, please use the link on the right side of the page. 

Welcome Aiden

Aiden was born this afternoon .. Emma and baby both doing great .. OH and so is Jengish 

born at 12:42  7lbs even 

They were blessed to not only have such a wonderful hospital like the PRHC, but to have their charge nurse be a long time supporter of the work that they do in Kyrgyzstan.. I love the way God had his hand on everything .. right down to Bekah being here for the birth before she heads back to Kyrgyzstan late tomorrow night .   . Thank you to all who have been praying . 

More coal needed soon .

With 220 000 lbs of of coal to start with , what I thought was almost impossible has happened .  We  are running out and will not have enough to make it through the winter.   We have simply given out too much .  But it is hard to not provide coal when it is so cold out and the needs are there.  

We have enough coal to last about 2 more weeks , that is IF we stop giving it to people coming in need !

not really something I want to do.  We would like to get another 2 or three loads ( about $800 to $1000 )to make it through the winter .   Please let us know if you are able to help with this .

here is a video of some of the coal that we delivered so far this winter.

In the green house , floting over the fish we have the next batch of seedlings sprouting ,  

BokChoy 

Red Lettuce

starting new tomatoes 

Spinach is ready for harvest 

Home for the holidays

So happy to have some of the boys home for the holidays . Denis has been working in the city and staying to help his mom .  Marat is doing great in Art school and is home on weekends and holidays 

Nuric is trying a new thing, for a month now he has been working in Kant in a window making plant and living with friends there.  He calls almost every day to keep in touch .. its nice he could come home for a visit over the holidays 

Aiperi is loving that meals on the farm include fresh produce from the green house . 

I got this message from the kids that are at the farm today ... 

"May this year be blessed for you. Seven of us are happy and happy because there is a loving caring parents"