KATYA'S TICKET HOME IS SPONSORED!

THANK YOU THANK YOU! Katya's ticket has a sponsor and the arrangements are being made right now. Keep posted on how you can encourage her - let's consider creating a Welcome Home card blitz to her - I will have an address for you later...or maybe we could just do it via facebook or email? Anyone have any ideas?
AGAIN, WE NEED PEOPLE IN ATLANTA WHO WANT A NEW FRIEND - LET'S GET KATYA CONNECTED.

THE AMERICAN GIRL - KATYA - BREAKING NEWS!

WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE PLANS ARE PROGRESSING RAPIDLY
We just received an email from the U.S. Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine. We have rapid progress from them and need your help to get Katya repatriated to Georgia. Here is a clip from the email:
"As we agreed during our phone conversation last week, this is to let you know that you can start making the arrangements for Katrina's flight to America.
According to the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS), the repatriation case has been assigned to the Fulton County Department of Family and Children Services.................
AND WE HAVE THE REST OF THE DETAILS OF HER REPATRIATION . She has a place to stay and help there that will help her find a job, finish her Senior year in High School, etc. She just needs a sponsor for her airline ticket and a friend!

We need some help---who out there in Atlanta will be willing to help Katya settle, just be her friend in need for a time such as this. She is 18 in age, but really just a little 12 yeasr old trying to find her way now as an adult.
Thanks so much....the LAMb Team

KATYA IS COMING HOME

AN AMERICAN GIRL - SENT TO UKRAINE - WILL RETURN HOME
(we have put no picture of Katya to protect her privacy)
We have had many requests for an update on the story we reported about Katya. She was adopted from a Ukraine orphanage when she was 12 years old. She lived with her adoptive family until she turned 18. Two months after her 18th birthday, she was sent back to Ukraine. We want to update you now on the facts, the progress and the plan.

Imagine first that you are a 12 year old - leaving a country, culture, and a life in an orphanage. You are adopted by a wonderful Christian family and are taken to a country where you will need to learn the language, culture and how to live in a family versus an orphanage. As time passes you learn and yearn. The yearning is often demonstrated with angry words everytime you get into an argument with your parents - words are spoken such as, "send me back to Ukraine!" Your adoptive parents are not equipped to deal with your emotions, needs and your confusion.

After 6 years, things escalate to the point your parents just decide to give you your wishes. They make arrangements with the previous orphanage in which you lived, take you shopping and buy you some new clothes, purchase a ticket that leaves two days later and then put you on an airplane. You are now heading "home". But this is not home, it is a foreign land and you are only a child. You are smart, beautiful and very confused.

Arriving in Kiev, someone is there to meet you and take you back to the orphanage. You travel on the train, anxious to meet your new life. At the orphanage the director greets you and tells you this is a new chance for you. She tells you that you must give up your US citizenship and she will help you get into school, etc. She tells you that this is a wonderful time for your life, back in Ukraine where everything will be better for you. She tells you that it is never good to be adopted to an American family. She tells you that your new life starts with getting back your Ukrainian citizenship. BUT WAIT.....

You have the Russian language at a 12 year old level; people cannot understand you, laugh at you privately for your level of language and what you do not know and understand about the culture. You find out you MUST have the Ukrainian language to study, go to university or even get a decent job. You enter an English contest (set up by the orphanage director) and do well. Yes, English is your language. You are successful here. A teacher recognizes something is amiss and asks where you learned your language? The story begins to surface. You tell her all, and about giving up citizenship for another. The teacher says - WHOA! She contacts others and the story begins to be known by professionals who want to help you. You attempt to study, learn, but once again you are yearning and now even more lost!

Who am I? Where do I belong? Do I have anyone who loves me?
Others begin to help and the US Embassy hears of the situation and gets involved, much is then discovered. The orphange was wrong in agreeing to do this, you should not give up citizenship and you would be repatriated. The US Embassy called the orphanage and was totally in agreement of the wrong doing of this situation and worked with the US Department of State, Health and Human Services to work out are repatriation plan. Finally the plan is in place. Since you are a resident of a certain state - Georgia - you will need to return to that state. They set it up. Others have done so much...since you had NO MONEY - NO RESOURCES AND NO HELP TO SURVIVE.
*An American in Ukraine gave you shelter away from the orphanage
*a Ukrainian government leader brought others together to help you
*a Ukrainian NGO director gave you funds to go out of Ukraine for long enough to get a re-entry and keep you legal in the country (foreigners can only stay three months before needing to re-enter)
*another Ukrainian NGO team worked together to coordinate the US Embassy and help with your return home
*and LAMb has kept the story alive to get help and to give assurance something would be done and will be ensuring your flight home.

YOU OUR SUPPORTERS HAVE DONE MORE -
*you came to the surface and we had 10 families willing to receive Katya and give her a home to help her get settled.

WHERE WE ARE NOW -
Katya is approved to travel and will do so within the next several weeks. She will return to her home state of Georgia and study there - complete her grade 12. We will be calling persons we know in the area she returns to and will be getting her connected to caring adults who will help her settle and get started. If you are from Georgia (Atlanta) and want to help - contact us.

She has been tossed into adulthood before her time. She has no connections, no friends, no family. She is a bright and beautiful young woman, a victim of life's circumstances. Her first 12 years of life were without family, and her last 6 years of life were learning about family. Maybe she did not know how to be in a family and the family did not know how to help her. All we know is there was conflict, yet there is conflict in every family and yet we use tough love and at the same time do not deny our children forever. Many parents have felt at a loss of how to manage a teen and many parents have thought about "sending" their child somewhere - yet commitment means commitment. Katya did not have the benefit of that commitment.

Lost in a country where she would most likely become one of the statistics - 2/3 of the orphans in Ukraine end up in being trafficked, suicide, in prison, pushing drugs, or living on the street. Only 1/3 are successful and we can be sure those successful - know the language, culture and have been successful with integrating into the community. Katya had little chance for this success.

Yet we praise God - He is faithful and she is coming home. We will update you here on Katya's return.
FINALLY - WE NEED A SPONSOR FOR HER FLIGHT. The US Embassy will make the arrangements, but we will need to pay for the ticket. Is there anyone out there that would like to help this way - and is there anyone in Atlanta, Georgia that would want to contact us and help us by meeting her when she arrives into Atlanta later this month. Let us know.

Please contact us at: lambinternational@gmail.com

KATYA IS COMING HOME!

WHEN SHOWING UP TURNS TO AN OVERWHELMNG UNDERSTANDING

Pastors Galina and Gregory - an evening with them - blessed us beyond imagination. We are so honored to know them and have them in our lives.

WOW, WE HAVE BEEN AMAZED AT THIS WEEK!

Our time here in Ukraine has been so full and exciting. We could never have guessed or anticipated all that would happen or be placed in front of us. We have been very busy and every minute has been filled. We would like to recap some of the excitement:

1. Visited the church we purchased in 2006 (our team) - scheduled a leadership training for them for next June - talked about ways we could continue to help them reach the community through their present program and through the new program working with AIDS individuals in the community.

2. Met with a leader from the Theological Seminary in Odessa and began to explore possibilities for our team to deliver some quality child and family training there.

3. Got the update from our staff on his trip to the US and hear all the excitement from the potential partners he has talked to.

4. Reviewed the plan for next year with our staff about the upcoming year and the training we hope to offer to help those working with families at risk and for children in crisis.

5. Worked on the plan for our team to move forward and deliver quality tools and materials to encourage families through training and consultation.

6. Met with one of our partners and made plans on how we might reach many of the leaders who influence child welfare in Ukraine.

7. Started the planning for two new projects - a) creating an orphan awareness in the churches; b) developing a training program for the churches to build skills to help those in the church who are working with families and children at risk.

8. Reconnected with our dear Pastors - Gregory and Galina - looked to the future for more ministry.

9. Were able to bless the Abandoned Baby Hospital with enough food to last for five weeks.

10. Were blessed to give the Home for Disabled Women and Men a gift to ensure some of their needs are met right away.

11. Blessed a church with resources to help them in their work and future outreach.

12. Connected with our wonderful little guy from Kyrgyzstan and was able to help him get some needs met - warm clothing and reparining his computer so he can complete his studies at the Bible College and contact his mother on the internet.

13. Met with Katya and a large team, reviewed the progress of the work with the US Embassy to get her returned to to the US. We developed a plan - recommended by the US State Department of Health and Human Services to get her back into her home state of Georgia and to get her life back again. (We will blog about this soon!)



And this is just the top events - it has been an incredible time here - we are ready to reach out and provide more and more and more training for many here in Ukraine.



LAMb International in Action - no matter what age we are! Wahoo.

BRAZIL DONATION BLESSES UKRAINE CHURCH

Pastor Vatalie and his wife with us.



Pastor Vitalie and the construction boss - Vacillie!



The picture of the team that is posted on the church wall that tells about the team that donated the funds for the church - this is the day it was bought.





GIVING TO ONE TO GIVE TO ANOTHER!

Recently we were in Brazil to visit family. While there we were asked to speak at two different churches. One was an English speaking church which was held on Friday night and the other was the larger parent church which was the Brazilian church. We presented LAMb International and the work being done in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan - as well Lynn delivered a message on obedience and commitment.

After the service we were blessed with a $300 donation from the church and many questions about the future and our return to minister with this body of believers.

Once home, we jumped on a plane to head to Ukraine and one of the targets for our trip was to visit the church in Pyatikhatki, Ukraine. Our 2006 team helped to purchase this church (see previous blog). It was a large property with an unfinished building, (now the church) a house (now the Sunday school for 25 children) and a great lawn (now a wonderful rose garden, vegetable garden and a place for summer picnics.)

Once we arrived, we were treated like royalty - they showed us everything and how much they had done in four years - and of course they need more space. They have also started two satelite churches in neighboring villages and have started an NGO to help families who have a member with AIDS. This is a very big problem in their city.

We knew in advance we wanted to bless this church with a gift of finances and we did that - giving them a gift that included the $300 from the Fruitful Harvest Church from Uberlandia, Brazil. They (the Brazilian church) are just starting their mission ministry and this is a perfect fit for their gift to us. We are thrilled!

Brazil - you are wonderful - Pyatikhatki you are wonderful. May God strengthen the ties between you both!

Pyatikhatki, Ukraine Church

This is a quick update to let you know we are visiting the Pyatikhatki church and Pastor Vitaliy this week. Many of you from the team in the fall of 2006 will remember purchasing this church.
YEA! for Jesus.
Again we plan to bless this church. If you wish to be part of this blessing, please use the Canada Helps donation button.
We will give you further updates after the visit.

UPDATE ON ASIMBA

Asimba was to enter the hospital this morning for her surgery. We received this word over the weekend. As information comes in from Krygyzstan - we will update the blog. Thank you everyone for praying for this little one. AND THANK YOU our sponsor for helping this wonderful child.

The LAMb Team on the ground in Kyrgyzstan
Pastor David, Jayne
John, Julie, Emma, Bekah
Don, Johanna
Lynn, Ruby
Natasha

FOUR ORPHAN BABIES NOW HAVE A MOMMY AND DADDY

BABIES ARE GETTING FAMILIES - FOUR MORE ADOPTED FROM THE BABY HOME! National Adoption is GROWING!

Thank you sponsors - thank you over and over again. This report is just in from Kyrgyzstan:

Below is the report from Janell. (She is the government worker we trained to conduct this training along with the director of the baby home - Dr. Tatiana and her social worker - Leana. They have now conducted four pre-adoption trainining programs. This series of training - ended with four babies being adopted! Wahoooo! Praise God for this wonderful news.)


The days of the training: 24, 25, 28, 29 December 2010, 4, 6 January 2011.
At the training there were 6 parents (four families) two of them have already adopted their babies. The parents participated in the training with a big interest, they were very attentive and appreciative. Especially the parents were interested in adaptation period after adoption and genetic impact on babies and wanted to get as much information as possible. In the course of the training the parents asked a lot of questions about challenges and problems after adoption. In addition to the content of the training the trainers gave the parents more additional information such as Child Welfare System in Kyrgyz Republic, escort of adoptive parents in KR, adoptive parents’ and their adoptive children’s rights and Kyrgyz Legislation on Adoption.

HEADING TO UKRAINE TODAY - LOTS TO DO THERE!

UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS - THAT IS THE CAUSE/CRY/MOVEMENT AND WE ARE EXCITED - IT WILL HAPPEN.


The video is an example of one way to work toward the goal of UWO. We work closely with Alliance who is the catalyst to this movement in Ukraine. Heading to Ukraine today is both exciting and challenging - as we will be there for such a short time. Here are our plans for the time there:

1. Work with our ILDC staff (see their blog - www.ildcua.blogspot.com)
2. Visit the home for the disabled men and women in Barye Oglie. Take aide to them, things they have requested to help them - adult diapers, potties, toilet seats.
3. Contact and visit the pastor of the church LAMb purchased several years ago.
4. Connect with the pastor of the church in Krivoy Rog
5. Visit Turat - the young man who is in Ukraine attending seminary - he is from Kyrgyzstan.
6. Take aide to the baby hospital.
7. Bless a young man in Luganst - as a request from one of our followers.
8. Work with our Adopt Ukraine staff person to make plans for 2011 - wanting to make an even bigger impact for 2011.
9. Check on several other small projects and take aide to each.

Follow the blog...

UPDATE ON ASIMBA IN KYRGYZSTAN
As you all know - little Asimba won the hearts of our team - and we have a sponsor for her. Her heart surgery has been postponed several times and once again we are facing a postponment. She is now scheduled to go into the hospital next week. Please pray for a quick and successful operation for her. We will keep you updated.

FULL ON THE GROUND TEAM RETURNING TO KYRGYZSTAN SOON
We leave the first of March - in country for 2 1/2 months
Jayne and David about two weeks after - in country for 3 months
Julie and John soon after that - in country for 3 months

In Kyrygstan watch LAMb work to do the following:
1. DAYSPRING OPENING FOR CHILDREN
2. POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW SEMINARY
3. CELL GROUPS
4. WORK WITH TWO UNIVERSITIES
5. TRAINING - FOR CRISIS FAMILIES, BIRTH FAMILIES, ADOPTIVE FAMILIES
6. PROMOTING A KYRGYZSTAN WITHOUT ORPHANS MOVEMENT -
7. PREPARING FOR THE CONFERENCE TO ADDRESS DIVERTING CHILDREN FROM ORPHANGE PLACEMENT

AND MORE.......AND MORE......AND MORE

We praise God for your support and help in all we do. Dayspring, Adopt Ukraine, ILDC-Kyrgyzstan, ILDC-Ukraine and more would not exist without YOU~!

HEADING TO UKRAINE ON SATURDAY - LOOK AT THE RESULTS COMING IN FROM OUR TEAM

THE MEKALENKO FAMILY STORY - ADOPT UKRAINE IN ACTION! (Here is a story just arriving from our staff in Ukraine - what a great story and result. We are thrilled with the results we are seeing from Adopt Ukraine - what a super contribution to UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS!)

This is a story about the Mekalenkos family. It has been already two years since we first met with this amazing couple in Chernigov region. We came to the church in Chernigov oblast with presentation about national adoption where Dima was a pastor. After the presentation Dima was moved and wanted to find out more about adoption process. He had approached our Adopt Ukraine manager Victoria and told her that he was very impacted by this presentation and felt like the message was addressed to him. Dima and Iryna didn’t have any children of their own for a long time and after this presentation they decided to adopt a child. We were able to help this family to adopt two orphan children from the orphanage. One of them is Iryna, who is 3 years old and her sister Katya, who is 4 years of age.


After some time something amazing happened with the Mekalenko’s family. When they gave up their last hope to have children of their own the wife got pregnant and had a daughter - Veronica.
Now they have their biological daughter that they were dreaming about for many years and two adoptive daughters that they love as their own. Now, this family is planning to adopt more children!


The Mekalenko family has been very active in helping us promoting the idea of national adoption in Ukraine. They are also involved in Orphan Child’s Rights Protection Movement and have done a lot in this area. Right now we are considering them as our potential

ASIMBA'S HEART SURGERY

UPDATE ON ASIMBA - We just got word this morning that Asimba will be admitted to the hospital this week for her heart surgery. Please keep her and the doctors in your prayers. We will keep you updated on her progress. We are so thankful this is coming about.

WHEN ORPHANS NEED FAMILIES - DAYSPRING WILL BE A RESOURCE

These little girls (childen of our newly hired Parent Director for Dayspring) are waiting for their sisters to arrive at Dayspring Family Life Resource Center. Watch the action begin soon....STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, FINDING ADOPTIVE HOMES!

ADOPTION TRAINING CONTINUES IN KYRGYZSTAN

Today we received word that our newly developed adoption trainers are hard at work in Kyrgyzstan - having just completed the FOURTH group of prospective adoptive parents training. And who are our trainers? Janel, the government worker, Lena, the social worker from the baby home, Dr. Tatiana, director from the baby home and Natasha, our own staff in Kyrgyzstan!

Their comment - "Ruby we could not wait for approval to do another training, as we had prospective parents wanting to adopt. We needed to get them into training right away. Hope this is okay, we will send pictures later." Then the word - that touches your heart - FOUR BABIES ARE BEING ADOPTED! They are going to a mommy and a daddy!

WOW - WHAT A DAY. WE ARE OVERJOYED. These four trainers are hard at work! Keeping the vision - KYRGYZSTAN WITHOUT ORPHANS!

GEARING UP FOR 2011

Asimba will have her heart surgery on January 25th. Please pray for her quick recovery, the doctors wisdom and skill and her peace that "passes all understanding."

WE RETURN TO UKRAINE IN ONE WEEK AND THEN HOME FOR A FEW DAYS BEFORE HEADING TO KYRGYZSTAN.

Our team is gearing up. John and Julie are heading for a weeks holiday vacation - much needed and much deserved (John/Julie - go for it and enjoy!). David and Jayne are finalizing their teaching schedule and ending their training days of "tent making". We are smiling with memories of our family visit in Brazil and are in Ohio for a short time to conduct training.

The travel caravan begins in one week - when we start arriving into Kyrgyzstan in February with us being the first to hit the ground, David and Jayne following and completing with John, Julie, Bekah and Emma.

Our partners (John and Christa) leave this month getting into KG in time for the 20below weather. We will arrive just in time for the thaw and spring to arrive.

What to do there? Oh my. Dayspring will open soon, so we must complete the registration, finish furnishing, rearrange training dates, coordinate with the local church to start the process of bringing children in to Dayspring - getting our volunteer program set. And of course there is the home for the disabled men, the home for the homeless seniors and the different orphanages we work with. And of course our cell groups. Not one wasted minute - our team is eager to SERVE.

We have Jessica's family to check on, Medina's eye surgery to check on, Asimba's surgery to follow, and a million and one other things that will require our attention and call our hearts.

Interested in joining us?

BRAZIL - NOW HISTORY

VISITING FAMILY IS ALWAYS WONDERFUL AND LEAVING NEVER FUN

We had a wonderful three weeks in Brazil, and a sad time leaving our family behind. Yet we have some great memories and pictures to keep us close to them all until we can return. We are posting some pictures for you to see the family. We will post pictures of the country later.

CHRISTMAS IN KYRGYZSTAN - "WRIGHT STYLE"

OSH, KYRGYZSTAN - Bringing Dignity and Hope!

We are excited to see how $10,400 can be used to bless thousands! Your donations are in action already - from the match challenge we raised over $10,000 in the pie in the face contest - this money was specifically for bringing hope and dignity to over 2,000 children in Kyrygzstan. Our team members John and Julie Wright do this challenge each year and are coordinating blessings across Kyrgyzstan for orphans and the disadvantaged. We might not be able to bless everyone in this way, yet serving 2,000 is a big investment into building hope.

What a birthday party for Jesus! They are in celebration right now - as they celebrate Christmas on January 11, 2011. Thanks to you our donors the blessings are pouring out in Kyrgyzstan.

Visit our team member blogs to keep up to date on all that is happening:

http://www.actofkindness.blogspot.com/

http://www.dandjschooler.blogspot.com/

NOTE: The pastor from the Schooler church is on the streets as a homeless person to bring awareness to the homeless and specifically to bring attention to kids aging out of the foster care system that need additional support to be successful and NOT END UP HOMELESS - follow the Schooler blog to see the results of this pastor's passion to make a difference!

WEBSITE BACK UP

After experiencing a number of technical difficulties, the LAMb International website is back on line. Please feel free to visit us at www.lambinternational.org