All hands on deck during canning season .

Today on the farm they were hard at work making pickles 

 We had some good news as well.  Ruslan has had his  driving lessons  sponsored .  So right now we have just two areas of immediate concern. We are looking for sponsors for coal ($150 per family ) and we still need some help with the scholarship fund as some of the kids are on their way back to school now .  

Coal deliveries begin

Our first coal delivery of the season .  While we have started to get bulk deliveries for the boys to bag up for families, we decided to deliver to a women's rehabilitation centre .  This center will use 20 tons of coal through the winter, so today we blessed them with 11 tons to get them started . 

Thank you to those who have sponsored so that we can continue this life changing / saving blessing to so many going into the winter.  I will post lots more pictures as the finds come in to purchase more . 

I can't wait to try it

With the harvest under way, The boys have had to step it up a bit with Aigola away for her surgery and recovery.  Today Misha let the charge with making Plum compote.  This will be nice through the winter.  Julie and I have booked our tickets to return to Kyrgyzstan on Oct 9. 

Ruslan was on duty for making supper .. he made macaroni salad and sausages.  But as an added treat he also made a nice cheese cake for dessert. 

Ruslan is still looking for a sponsor for him to be able to take driving classes .. He is looking for help with $250 USD ( $330 CDN) This will cover the classes , his transportation  and the test at the end of the three month course .

 

Ruslan would like to drive

After the informal cooking lessons the boys had this spring, Ruslan decided to take that one step further.  He found out about a Chinese cooking class in Tokomak.    He did great and had a good time as well, and just completed the course.

Next up for him, He would like to attend a three month driving course and then get his drivers licence.  for the cost of the classes, the tests the licence and the transportation in and out of the city for the next three months will be $250 USD . ($330 CDN).  This morning he sked if I could please share this and see if we can find a sponsor for him. 
 

Making some headway

We are looking forward to Aug 24th , we will be sharing an update with our friends from Northview church in Peterborough .  They are always a great blessing .  This time we will have some honey with us from the farm that we will have for sale to help offset some of the needs on the farm . We will also have some tea from Kyrgyzstan as a small gift from us available at the table .  So if you are in the area , come on out and have a cup of tea on us . 

There have been so many needs met over the last few days .  the back log of needs is starting to get under control.  Lets start with Kamala's aunt .. she has received the money that was needed for her treatment .. Kamala was so blessed buy this and how fast the funds cam in .. she felt the love 😊

Aigola felt the love as well 😍 She has been staying with Kamala in the city and has been able to get her blood sugar under control and has had two eye surgeries .. both went well and she has 100% vision back. 

Last week the fire wood arrived and the boys are now busy cutting and splitting it  so that we can add a couple bags of wood with each truck load of coal. this will make it much easier for the people who receive the coal to get their fires going 

Speaking of coal , next week we will be starting with the coal deliveries .  this was a huge need of about $10 000, but we have a good start on it so we will be able to begin. The boys will get a couple weeks worth of deliveries bagged up and then they will have a week holiday at Lake IsyKol . They are very excited about that .  We hope to be able to send a little money with Vlad to treat them to a nice meal out while they are there.  

Kamala and Aigola are not the only ones that are feeling the love . 💑 Vera and Oleg were excited to here that we have figured out a work around to be able to get some money into their hands right away to be able to pack the food hampers to deliver to the families that they care about 

We are still working on the scholarship funds as we come down to the dead line if anyone fells impressed to help with this .  also the coal will be a big need for a while I am sure . 

More good news , we were able free up some space on our visa's to be able to purchase our flights back to Kyrgyzstan in the beginning of October . On the way we have a 10 hour layover in Istanbul so we will be able to get out of the airport and visit with one of our kids on the way. 

 

food to families in need

 I got a message from Vera and Oleg today .They are the directors of a boarding school for children with disabilities .  Many of the kids are from very poor families and they worry about them over the summer while they are back with their families.  Vera has asked if we can send money for them be able to pack groceries and deliver them and be able to check in on each family to make sure things are ok .  to pack for 50 families at $20 a family would be $1000.  If you would like to help with this please use the top right side of the blogs donation button. Thank you .

Time for the harvest

Its that time of year again when we start canning the harvest.  This season, Aigoola is staying in the city where we are focusing on her health .  With her blood sugar in check, she has just had her second eye surgery and all is going well.  We had a friend of Alina's come out to help with the canning in her absence . 

The student becomes the teacher .  with out Aigoola there, the boys have had to step it up a bit, and do the cooking and clean up.  Ruslan was making Samsa's today and enlisted the help of a guest visiting the farm . 

The trucks of fire wood have started to arrive.  This wood will be cut up and bagged, then be given with the coal for people to use to get the fires started .  As soon as this is bagged, we will start with the coal. 

It always feels worse at the end of the month when all the bills and Salaries need to be paid,  This month is particularly tight. If anyone would like to make a donation to our general fund at this time , it would sure be a big help.   I try not to get stressed about finances but this month I am not doing as well as others.   

 

Some Needs Met .. and Some Needs Found

The men from the men's home had such a great day at the Kashar this week . They felt truly blessed to have the time away . Thank to Tanya for organizing this and an extra thank you to everyone that had a part in making this day possible 

The boys were hard at work on the farm.  This week we were able to get our second cut off, and from the looks of it we will be able to get a third cut this year.  Last year we were only able to get one cut and even that was small .  

The gardens are continuing to do well .. Not just from on the farm but also the hundreds who have received seeds this year . They continue to send pictures and notes of thanks to everyone who donated for the seeds .

Life continues to be difficult for many , 

especially those with families living in the more remote villages.  With husbands working as shepherds , there are long hard hours, and little pay .  We are happy that we can continue to provide food hampers to them at difficult times . 

Julie was talking with Kamala yesterday and she learned that her aunt that we had helped with cancer treatments a few years ago is sick again .  The do not have the money for the analysis and treatments   this time around , but Kamala did not want to ask because she knows that we have so many needs right now , and they had gotten help already for this a couple years ago.  Cancer does not always play by our rules , so we would like to help her again . I would like to raise about $400 to start with for care and treatment .  If you would like to help with this , or with the scholarship fund, please go now to the top right side of the blog to donate. 

 

Scholarship Fund ---Breaking the cycle

For many years now we have provided educational scholarships, including dorm and living expenses.  

This is one of the best ways to break a cycle of poverty .   A young boy or girl living at the dump for example can be into a clean safe living environment and given the tools they need to mature, and learn and graduate with a skill and the ability to get a good job. 

We have stepped out and have made commitments for this school year, To register, we need to be applying now and putting deposits down. currently we need $9250 to meat our target. 

Another way to break the cycle is to empower people to get ahead.. like we did with the seeds in the spring .  I just love getting follow-up photos of people working their fields , and messages like "Thankyou for helping us and teaching us so we can grow our own food "  This was an investment they you made in 250 families last spring , and today we are not having to pack food hampers for them and their neighbours .   a special thankyou from THEM to YOU !

There are some that are always going to need help, like this family below  whose father lost his legs . 

Life is not always fair, but with your support we have been able to provide the warmth to make it through the winter.  So as soon as we can get the Tuitions under control we need to start ordering coal for the winter .. Ordering in the next month can make a huge difference in the price .. 

As you can see some of our needs have started to pile up.  Now would be a great time to help if you are able . 

On a happy note, we have 30 men from the home for the disabled  sponsored for the picnic in the mountains on the 20th.  That will keep Tanya's hands full I am sure .. Thank you to all who donated to make this possible. 

 

some of the harvest

We had some guests out to the farm this week that helped with some of the harvesting .   Potatoes and cabbages , and cucumbers from the green house .  The apricots are also ready and are now being dried. 

Vlad and Ruslan have been attending Chinese cooking classes .  I wish I was there for that .  It looks like fun . 

 

We have 15 men from the men's home for disabled   sponsored so far for a picnic in the mountains .  We would love to be able to cover about 10 more .. its just $10 a person for food and transportation. 

Men's home to the mountains

 Each summer we try to give some of the men a time out of the home up at the kashar and yurts . Tanya cooks a great picnic for them and has games and a time to relax . 

Tanya just contacted me and asked if we could help again this year. She will need money for a bus for transportation and food.  She would like to have about 25 men and thinks it will be around $250, but the final numbers will depend on you.  Any donations toward this day would be greatly appreciated.