My Day Today

There's not a lot new to write about today.  This past week I have continued my visits to the baby orphanage and today John invited me to go with them and a visiting team from Millbrook, Ontario to Orlovka Orphanage.  Then we ended the day at a friend's house for a traditional Kyrgyz meal of plov.  I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

On the way we stopped for photos.  I usually don't like eating apples but these are the best ever...MUCH better than our Annapolis Valley apples I'm sorry to say.

The kids put on a concert for the visitors

The visiting team bought vegetables for the orphanage

This is actually the appetizers

Plov...mmmmmmm!!

It’s Getting Cold!!!

It’s hard to believe that this week I will have been in Kyrgyzstan a month.  The time is flying by.  This past week I started my regular visits to spend time with the kids at Tokmok Baby Orphanage.  The kids in the group they assigned me to look to be between 3 and 5 years old and we have been having a lot of fun.  In no time they were calling me papa or dada (which means uncle in Russian).  Unfortunately I am not able to show you any photos because the orphanage has a policy of no kids’ photos on the internet.  You can look at my baby hospital photos from Ukraine in previous blogs to get an idea.

In the last week or so it has been getting colder here.  These past few mornings when I look out at the mountains I see that the snow is now creeping lower and lower into the valley.  These concrete apartment buildings can get very cold especially at night and the majority of my winter clothes are in Ukraine.  But I’m doing okay.  I have a small electric heater which takes some of the chill off - even though we’ve had lots of power outages lately in my neighbourhood.  I also have some heavy blankets for sleeping but otherwise the gas stove is getting a lot of use – and not for cooking.  Well, everyone knows that I hate to cook any ways lol. 

I’ll be so glad when the city decides to start up the central heating plant so that I can have some better heat.  Of course, everyone knows how much I love lots of heat, especially my room mates last summer when I would not turn on the air conditioner at 40 degrees.  (And for some reason air conditioners set off all my allergies too.)  …But I’m digressing.  Any ways, many people here simply will not have the option of being able to pay for heat.  If all of the utilities are off then there is just no way to keep warm in these buildings.  With the high levels of poverty in Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine it’s no wonder that there are so many deaths every winter.  It gives me a new insight on how cold it would have been when Luba, who I mentioned in my previous blog entry, got frostbite last winter in her apartment. 

When I was here last spring even then the director at the Kemin Senior’s Home was thinking ahead to this winter and had asked me if I could buy blankets for the residents.  I would love to help with this but I just don’t have the budget.  The home has a capacity of 45 people and I’m told that it would cost approximately $1000 to buy a blanket and a set of sheets for each one.  Are there 45 people out there somewhere that can each spare $22.50?

On the brighter side I have received a donation this week that I’m going to use to buy fruit for the kids at Orlovka Orphanage.  With budgets so tight at the orphanages the kids don’t get fruit very often and it’s a rare treat when they do.  Imagine - fruit - being a TREAT!!  And to think we in Canada can get cranky when we can’t get a chocolate bar or a coffee or whatever.  Stay tuned to the blog as I will have an update when I get it arranged. 

I also still have the other items on my wish list as I mentioned in my previous blog entry.  I’d like to be able to also buy fruit for Red River Orphanage and the Iskra disabled men’s home.  I would also love to take the kids at Orlovka on an outing of some kind, maybe to a movie and a meal or something.  I would like to chip in to help buy coal for needy families as well.

If anyone would like to help me out with any of these things you can click the donations link for LinK 127 at the right side of this blog to donate on line or click the Ways to Donate tab at the top of the page for other options.  Please remember to include a note with my name on it and specify what you would like your gift to be directed towards.  Donations from Canada are tax deductible and every dollar helps.

Thanks for your continued prayers and support and thank you for seeing my heart.  Till next time…Я люблю тебя!

This photo was taken on September 30th

This was taken yesterday (October 20th).  Not only is there snow on the foothills now but if you look close on the left you'll see that it is coming down into the valley.

This is Luba last spring when she was still recovering (physically) from her frostbite.

Some of the residents of Kemin Senior's Home on October 1st.  Notice that they were wearing heavy clothes then.

Some of the kids of Orlovka Orphanage

Thankfulness

This past week I was able to get around and get some updates on some of the goings on here.  Monday was Senior’s Day and I went with the Lamb International folks and the girls from the Dayspring Home to Kemin Senior’s home for a celebration.  The girls presented the senior’s with gift bags and gave a concert which was much appreciated by the residents.  I also got to check up on Luba to see how she is doing.

I don’t think I ever told you about Luba.  Last winter in Europe and here in Kyrgyzstan there was record breaking cold temperatures where many people died.  Luba was living in an apartment but had no money and her utilities were cut off.  During the cold snap she got frostbite in both of her feet which resulted in her losing most of her right foot and all of her left.  She cannot be fitted for prosthetics because what is left of her feet and legs are of 2 different lengths.  She has been given a wheelchair courtesy of a donation to Lepta Plus and Luba is doing well.

It was great to see Dasha again as well.  If you remember she is the girl who was born with 2 holes in her heart which also affected her other organs and her general health.  We sponsored her surgery through Operation Can be Done which took place in May and she is doing amazingly well.  She looks so much healthier and happier and she now has the energy of any 9 year old.  She still has to take it easy for a couple more months and she is very anxious to do things like the other kids.  Before, she was not allowed to go to school on doctor’s orders.  Over the summer the Lamb International folks sponsored some tutoring to help her catch up and now Dasha is going to a regular school and is doing well.  Her life has been dramatically transformed.  After seeing her before her operation and seeing her now I am truly amazed at the difference in her.

I was also able to get in and see Almaz this week.  He is the baby that was found in April abandoned at a bus stop likely because of his 2 club feet.  We sponsored his surgery also, which took place in mid August.  His right leg is now straight and his left leg is 80%.  He’ll be going in to get his casts changed and for a check up in another week.  Doctors will determine then if they can do a second surgery on the left leg.  Almaz has adjusted well to living at the orphanage and now shows the energy of any toddler.  (I can’t show you a photo of him as the orphanage has a policy of the kids’ photos on the internet.) 

Otherwise I’m still trying to figure out what activities I can sponsor while I’m here.  I would like to take the kids from Orlovka Orphanage on an outing or perhaps sponsor some fruit, which is a big luxury or a treat of some kind for them and perhaps some for Red River Orphanage and the Iskra disabled men’s home.  (The Iskra men’s home is the Kyrgyzstan version of Boorie Ooglie in Ukraine that I have mentioned in previous blogs.)  It would also be great to help buy blankets and coal as winter is very close and it’s already cold here at night.

If anyone would like to help me out with this wish list you can click the donation button for LinK 127 on the right side of this blog or click the Ways to Donate tab at the top of the page for other options.  Please remember to include a note with my name and specify what you would like your gift to be directed towards.  Donations from Canada are tax deductible and every dollar helps.

Thanks for your continued prayers and support and thank you for seeing my heart.  Till next time…Я люблю тебя!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Luba and I

Dasha in her school uniform

There's snow on the foothills now.  Winter is getting closer.  This is the view from my apartment on a clear day.

Back Home Again

On Tuesday I arrived back home in Kyrgyzstan after 3 days of travelling by planes, train and automobiles…and a couple of buses.  Sunday I left Krivoy Rog on the overnight train to Kyiv.  One of my travelling mates was a lady about my age who, like all of the Ukrainian mothers, fussed over me to make sure I wasn’t too cold or whatever.  I said I was fine but she threw a blanket over me any ways.  (You just aren’t able to say no to a Ukrainian mother.  They don’t hear that word.)  Then I had a dry throat overnight and started coughing.  Without hesitation and without me saying anything she ran & got me some water and fussed over me some more.  I give all honour to those who have a mother’s heart, especially those who help a stranger without even thinking about it.

After not having supper the night before, I got to the shiny brand new terminal at the airport only to find out that there are no restaurants, no concessions, no vending machines, nothing, not even a duty free shop.  Although, I had previously read in the press that there were some bureaucratic issues that closed them down which apparently had not been resolved yet, even though it was supposed to have been settled a couple of weeks ago.  At least I had a Milka bar in my bag.  Otherwise I had to wait until lunch time on board my flight to eat.  Turkish Airlines feeds you well on their flights no matter how short the flight is - unlike Air Canada.  Then with an 8 hour layover in Istanbul I had a great choice of restaurants at that airport to choose from for supper.

My flights and everything went smoothly with no lost luggage and now I’m in Tokmok for 2 months.  Since I was here last spring Kyrgyzstan has changed the visa laws.  People from 44 countries including Canada can now come in for a 60 day stay without having to buy a visa.  Longer stays still require a visa.

Now that I’m settled in and ready to go I hope to make some rounds this week to get updates on how some of our kids are doing and to see if I can get some activities arranged.  I have no idea yet what I can do on a very tight budget.  The kids at the orphanages have so little and I really would like to show up with more than a hug.  But God has this way of showing up at the right time.

If you would like to help me sponsor some activities for the kids, some treats, or maybe an outing, just click the LinK 127 donation link at the right side of this blog where you can donate on line.  You can also mail a cheque to the address below.  Just remember to include a note to specify where to apply your donation.  Remember that donations from Canada are tax deductible.

Again, I ask for your continued prayers and support.  I can’t do this without all of you.  I always remember what a missionary friend said when a bunch of us visited her a few years ago.  She said that she is only as effective in her work as the prayers are back home.

Thank you for seeing my heart.  Till next time…Я люблю тебя!

LinK 127

34 Wynn Castle Dr.

Lower Sackville, NS

Canada B4E 2H5

Yura made sure I got the right train

I had the compartment all to myself for the first hour

A view from the airport in Istanbul

A view from my apartment.  Since I got here it's been either smoggy or cloudy.  I promise there's mountains there somewhere.

A few blocks from my apartment.

On My Way…Again

Well the packing is done and in a few hours I’ll be heading to the station to get the overnight train to Kyiv for my flight to Kyrgyzstan tomorrow.  These last 3 months have just flown by.  It has been a busy summer here but I’m looking forward to what is going on in Kyrgyzstan.

This past week Anya and I continued our visits to the baby hospital.  The little boy whose mother “forgot” him for 2 weeks has now been transferred to an orphanage.  Then the girl I mentioned in my last entry turns out to be named Vika who is 1½ years old and her mother drinks.  We were there one day when her mother came to visit.  When the nurse came in to get her Vika started crying at the very mention of her mother.  Then before they could get her ready the mother left without visiting.  Vika has really taken to Anya and has been calling her mama – so cute and so sad at the same time.

Then there is Mikhail who has 2 club feet.  His arms are also shorter than normal and his hands are turned in.  When I was carrying him around he seemed very lethargic and unresponsive.  His eyes were half shut and he seemed to be just dead weight in my arms.  In hospital the kids’ hands are usually in little mittens or are covered with long sleeves.  I guess that’s to keep them from scratching themselves when rolling around in their cribs.  So for some reason I laid Mikhail down, rolled up his sleeves, picked him back up and held his hands.  He grabbed my fingers and perked right up and became VERY alert to the things around him.  I have often heard of the power of touch but I don’t remember ever seeing such a dramatic example of it before.  It’s also a great reminder that the least little action we do can make the world of difference to someone else.  I find this so humbling,

I also managed to get to the kids rehab centre to spend some time with the kids there.  They are an amazing bunch of kids.  Then yesterday on my last full day in Krivoy Rog I went with Lena T. to visit the girls at Sunshine Orphanage.  I can’t think of many better ways to end my visit here this time.

So off to Kyrgyzstan I go (again).  I’m still wondering what activities I’ll be able to do on a shoestring budget but I’ll figure that out when I get there.

If anyone wishes to help with my ongoing support or any of our programmes, or to help me sponsor activities and needs just click the donation link for LinK 127 at the right side of this blog.  You can donate on line or find the mailing address under the “Details and Contact info” tab to send a cheque.  When mailing a donation please include a note to specify where you may like your gift to be directed to.  (For on line donations there’s a drop down box with my name in it and a memo box for instructions.)  Donations from Canada are tax deductible.

I ask for your continued prayers and support.  I can’t do this without all of you. Thank you for seeing my heart.  Till next time…Я люблю тебя!

Anya and Vika

Mikhail and I

This is a craft we did at the kid's rehab centre.  I got reprints of one of our McDonald's and movie day photos so that they could have a souvenir.

They had a lot of fun decorating their "frames."  I still get a kick out of those "Russian" smiles.

At Sunshine Orphanage

The girls at Sunshine like to borrow my camera & smart phone to take pictures.  This is my new favourite shot of me.

Next stop - Kyrgyzstan!!

Winding Down Here…Getting Ready to Go There

This coming week is my last in Ukraine for a while as I’m preparing to go back to Kyrgyzstan next week.  Immigration laws keep me moving and my 3 months is just about up here.  So I’m winding down things here in Krivoy Rog. 

This past week Anya and I continued our visits to the baby hospital.  On Monday’s visit the little boy whose mother “forgot” him for 2 weeks took what we think were his first steps by himself.  Watching him let go and take a few hands free steps I was so humbled thinking that actual parents were not a part of this big milestone.  Then on Thursday we visited a new baby who the police brought in the night before.  The nurses didn’t even know her name yet and she wasn’t able to tell anyone as she has very little vocabulary and talks mostly baby talk.  She seemed to answer to Masha.  We figure she is between 1½ to 2 years old and the only other detail given was that her mother was in a mental institution for an assessment.  (Another visitor said that the next day her mother was there and looked like she had been abused.)  We spent the morning with this sweet and very bright girl but when it was time to leave she started crying…the real loud, screaming, heartbreaking kind of crying that was echoing throughout the corridors of the hospital.  Needless to say it seemed like a very long walk down the hall when we left…sigh.  So obviously we’ll have to check on her this week to see if she is still there and see how she’s doing.

Also this past week Yura and I armed with more candies made another visit to see the folks at Boorie Ooglie.  The new kitchen looks finished and they were giving it a good cleaning to get it ready.  Yura also showed me a partially built building on the property that I had not seen before.  It was supposed to be the replacement for the disabled home but construction stopped, as construction stopped everywhere, with the fall of the Soviet Union and I guess Ukraine never found the money to finish it.  That’s why the residents are in a very old and run down facility.  But at least there has been some folks sponsoring some repainting and things that I mentioned in my last blog entry to make the surroundings more pleasant for the residents right now.  At this point one can only dream about a shiny new facility with proper plumbing and accessibility features where the residents are given a better quality of life.

So to wind down, this week I hope to visit the kids at the rehab centre as well as get a couple of baby hospital visits in before I leave for Kyrgyzstan.  I have a wish list of things that I would like to do when I get to Tokmok but right now I only have the budget just to love on the folks there.  On top of this costs are higher in Kyrgyzstan than in Ukraine.  At least the visa laws in Kyrgyzstan have changed recently where I don’t have to buy a visa for a 60 day stay.  But I know God didn’t call me there without plans for pulling things off…all in His time.  Your continued prayers are really appreciated.

If anyone wishes to help with my ongoing support or any of our programmes, or to help me sponsor activities and needs just click the donation link for LinK 127 at the right side of this blog.  You can donate on line or find the mailing address under the “Details and Contact info” tab to send a cheque.  When mailing a donation please include a note to specify where you may like your gift to be directed to.  (For on line donations there’s a drop down box with my name in it and then a memo box.)  Donations from Canada are tax deductible.

Thank you for seeing my heart.  Till next time…Я люблю тебя!

A few minutes after this photo was taken he took some steps by himself.

This is the temporary kitchen for Boorie Ooglie

This was to be the new Boorie Ooglie before the USSR fell

Yura (on the right) with a resident of Boorie Ooglie and another view of the partially built building

Some of the Boorie Ooglie folks and me

Another School Year Has Begun

The kids here started another school year this past Monday and with a new school year it brings forward more and more needs.  On top of the usual requests for help I have received requests for donations for books, school supplies, back to school clothes and more.  The kids in the orphanages have very little and it is disheartening to see the disappointment their eyes when they aren’t able to get something that we take for granted in North America.  I was able to help with a few things but then when I looked at my bank book I could only say “Oy!”  I’m not to the position where I need to diet yet (even though I probably should lose about 20 pounds) but I realize I have to learn when to say “I’m sorry.  It’s not in the budget.”  …sigh…  Oh the things I’d like to do if resources were unlimited.  These amazing kids who have been through so much that a child should not have to go through deserve so much better.  Needless to say I’m a little bummed out.  There, that’s my heart on the table.

However, this past week was not all gloom and doom.  Anya Z. who helped me out so much last winter is now home from a 2 month work trip to Finland and has been helping me out again.  While the kids are in school we have been going for regular visits to the baby hospital to love on the babies who have been abandoned or who are what we would call wards of the state in Canada.  The police bring babies to the hospital where they spend time for a health check before being transferred to the orphanages.  There is one little boy there just little over a year old whose mother is being deprived of her parental rights under Ukrainian law.  It seems that she forgot him somewhere and then came looking for him…2 weeks later.   

This past week we also went to the kids rehab centre to drop off a donation towards school supplies.  The director is sooo pleased about the McDonald’s and movie day last week and the kids are still talking about it.  We happened to be in the hallway when it was time to start recess and when the kids saw me I was attacked with lots of hugs and requests to play football (soccer).  This was one of those days when I love my “job” more than other days.  Again, thank you so much to those who helped to make it happen.

The other day Yura and I went to visit the folks at the disabled home in Boorie Ooglie.  (I’ve spelled this how it’s pronounced.  It translates to brown coal.)  Because Yura is a former resident there he showed me the entire facility and back hallways which I (and I’m sure others) had not yet seen.  Some of these halls were under lock and key but Yura was able to talk us in.  I am VERY pleased to see that this facility has caught more attention from the outside world.  I saw that some new doors, windows and flooring have been installed in different areas, a lot of new paint on walls and many other improvements.  The main kitchen is currently being remodelled to restaurant standards courtesy of some folks from BC.  However, despite these improvements this facility has a long way to go to take it from the 1950’s style of institution and make it more liveable for these wonderful residents.  They still need proper washroom (they still use chamber pots) and bathing facilities among other things…and don’t get me started about that cage...

I have also been asked to forward this request about Boorie Ooglie.  A ministry programme is going to be starting to give music lessons to the residents.  They would like donations of musical instruments, perhaps guitars (if anyone is coming to Krivoy Rog) or financial donations to buy instruments.  If anyone is interested in helping out please let me know.

So that’s what’s going on for now, as well as me preparing to return to Kyrgyzstan in 2 weeks.  But I see this is getting long, so more on that later. 

Again, thank you for your continued support and prayers.  If you wish to help with my ongoing support or any of our programmes, or help me to sponsor more activities and needs just click the donation link for LinK 127 at the right side of this blog.  You can donate on line or find the mailing address under the “Details and Contact info” tab to send a cheque.  When mailing a donation please include a note to specify where you may like your gift to be directed to.  (For on line donations there’s a drop down box with my name in it.)

 Thank you for seeing my heart.  Till next time…Я люблю тебя!

Anya & I at the baby hospital

Boorie Ooglie's new kitchen

This is going to be a fitness room

Some of the Boorie Ooglie residents and I

Passing out candies in the cage...

and in the rooms...

...as well as outside

Yura (on the left) with a resident