AS YOUR GARDEN GROWS

Some of you might remember pictures from earlier this past spring when the children were planting the garden at Dayspring.
They have been weeding and watering and the harvest is on the way.  Just a few pictures to show the progress.
Thanks to each of you whose heart has been captured by our Dayspring children.

UPDATE on ISKRA

A thousand words: well anyway, a few pictures to show the current renovations underway at the home for disabled men in Iskra.  Many of you are aware of the ongoing work the men have been doing, painting, plastering and repairing.  New windows were installed in the dining area and the ceiling were recently completed in that area and now work is continuing repairing and plastering the walls. As funds become available they will be able to complete the flooring.
The 260 men recently received new socks and track suits.   With your generosity we are able to continue to provide additional food and clothing as well as materials for renovations.  What a blessing it is to know that 'someone' cares. The men want to say thank you, thank you, thank you!!

DAYSPRING, JEREMIAH HOUSE, MORNING STAR

Greetings!  Wow we are just so overwhelmed with our team and the upcoming events that are planned. We returned from Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine to Canada in May - John and Julie returned from Kyrgyzstan in June and already are geared up for what is to come.  Glen just returned from Nicaragua last weekend.  Lots to share!

First, this little 3 1/2 minute video is a little recap and really gives a glimpse of some wonderful moments with our dear friends in Kyrgyzstan.

Secondly,  we want to give you an update of a few things:


1.  Glen and the team has returned from Nicaragua - great success - will blog more on this at a later time.
2.  Ukraine is booming with training and supporting the nationals in developing stronger and stronger skills and knowledge in working with crisis families and children in need.  ILDC - our co-founded organization there is led by a strong and competent team of nationals.  We are so excited to see them take carrying on the work started by LAMb back in 2004!
3.  Kyrgyzstan - we will be returning on July 19th, 2012.  We are very excited about this return as it is a transition time for us there.  Costa and Olga - who worked for us in Ukraine for four years will be joining us there (actually moving to Kyrgyzstan from Ukraine) and taking on some major management responsibilities:

Costa - will be our new KYRGYZSTAN COUNTRY DIRECTOR.
Olga - will be our new RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM AND TRAINING MANAGER

4.  We are preparing to move forward with two major projects - Jeremiah House and Morning Star.  Both projects are pilots to compliment the Dayspring project.  The plight of the orphan continues to move our hearts to do something!  When you see an orphanage with 200 children - and begin to understand the statistics that only 1/3 of the orphans are successful after leaving the orphanage - your hearts cry out to do something!  2/3 of the Orphans leave the orphanage and end up in prostitution, trafficked into the sex trade, in prisons, living on the streets addicted to alcohol or drugs -  or even suicide.


ORPHANAGES DO NOT RAISE CHILDREN - FAMILIES DO!


Jeremiah House - will be a pilot project for the youth leaving the orphanage - living in a structured home with caring mentors who will help them connect to people, learn skills and ensure they are given a "boost" in their growth and development toward adulthood.  We will provide a drop-in learning center with teachers and mentors for youth who just need help and have no one to help them.  Job skills, homemaking skills, relationship skills are just a sample of what Jeremiah House will offer.  They will be encouraged each step of the way to know and understand that God has made them for a purpose and we want to help them discover this purpose as they move into their adult futures.

With Jeremiah House, we need to purchase a home for this center. We have one in mind and will be starting to raise the funds for this...we need $35,000.  WANT TO HELP?  Hit the donate button and help grow this fund!  We have $2,500 toward the project so far.


Morning Star - will be a model of Dayspring with a family to love the little ones, it will be a home for little boys who will be diverted from the orphanages.  This home will model how children can live in families, and we can work with families to receive children back home, or help them find permanence into an adoptive family.  We will begin to look at the opening of Morning Star in 2013.


Dayspring - Up and going strong with a mother and father to love our little girls.  We now have six little girls from age six to eleven.  They are lovely  little girls who are beginning to understand how God has blessed them to be part of Dayspring.  We have contact with several of their family members and will continue to work with them to help in ways to keep connections and potentially see them again back home with family.  We also have little girls who will not have to opportunity to go home.  It is our prayer that working with the local church, that volunteers will begin to see the potential for adoption and we will begin to find "forever" families for some of the little girls - though adoption.  And we will NEVER turn our back on a little girl we have received into Dayspring.  We are committed.

OUR TEAM IS COMMITTED!  

A WORLD WITHOUT ORPHANS 

ONE CHILD 

ONE FAMILY 

AT A TIME.  

DO YOU BELIEVE?  

JOIN US!

JAMES 1:27

TEAM LEAVES KYRGYZSTAN TODAY

STRAWBERRIES BY THE THOUSANDS TO THOSE NEVER HAVING HAD THEM BEFORE!

We know how difficult it is to leave Kyrgyzstan and return to Canada.  It has been difficult for us each time we have left Ukraine or Kyrgyzstan.  Today, our team members John and Julie leave for home in Canada.  We will welcome them back and next week have a major staff meeting with them to debrief and prepare for our (LYNN AND RUBY)  return in July.  

This video shows our on the ground team delivering strawberries out to those in the valley - and as John shared, some of them have never had strawberries before. These strawberries were grown by our dear friends in a village.  Might you say we bought the entire crop?  and all for $150 says John!

 Larissa and Tanya covered the valley delivering the strawberries and will continue to cover the valley with all of us gone, while our team at Dayspring will carry on with everything else until we return and Kosta and Olga arrive.  

Some great days ahead.  Changes at Dayspring, implementing a full sponsorship program for children, seniors and the disabled with 100% of the sponsorship going to support the sponsored.  All administration funds for this sponsorship will be raised through general fund donations.  Now, how is that for a sponsorship program?  We believe!  Let's see a change in the conditions of orphans, widows and the disabled.  One child, one person at a time.

ASK US HOW YOU CAN HELP TO 

SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD!

NICARAGUA - STRENGTHENING THOSE WHO SERVE

NICARAGUA - A TIME TO SAY "YES!"

YES..YES..YES..  GO AND BLESS

We are so pleased to have our team heading to Nicaragua today.  Glen is leading the team of three.  Ed, Wayne and Glen have a big job - working with 32 pastors from villages and small towns from around Nicaragua.  This is the second of three different camps they are holding in Nicaragua.  The first was in March.  This one June 10-16 and the third will follow in the fall. Highlighted below are some details of the work in Nicaragua - words of Glen to us:

Because of your help I am now preparing for our second of three “Pastor’s Time Outs” in Nicaragua this year.  I will be hosting around 30 pastors. 

Virtually every one of these pastors live and minister in small towns and villages.  They subsist from day to day.  Their homes are small and simple.  Some resemble tin sheds.  Because these brothers have known no other way, for the most part they do not regard themselves as poor.  Seldom (if ever) do they complain about their plight in life.  The sense of entitlement we in the west frequently fall victim to is non-existent.

I wish you could have been with me as we wrapped up our conference in February.  In four short days we had cultivated a bond of friendship with these men that is difficult to describe.  With hugs all round we said our good-byes!

Their feedback was uplifting!  Pastor Alejandro Soto writes:  “We are so grateful for your investment in our growth as pastors.  We don’t have the resources to be able to attend a Bible school but the knowledge that we were able to get from this camp is of great help…”  Pastor Manuel Aragon writes:  “Thank you dear brothers for investing in our country.  If we would have teachers like you we would be able to do a better job…”   Pastor Juan Garcia writes:  “Please don’t stop supporting us!”   Pastor Silva adds:  “What you all have invested will give much fruit in our churches.  Please thank every sponsor!” 

As you can see from the email from Glen - gratitude and welcome hearts await our team landing in Nicaragua today - Sunday, June 10, 2012.  Please keep them in your prayers and be ready to hear some good reports from them in future blogs!

KYRGYZSTAN - DAYSPRING HAS A PLAYGROUND

The Sandbox and Playground 

Dayspring has been blessed with this beautiful playground.  

Thank you Mark and Sharon! 

We have six little girls now living at Dayspring along with our resource family and their three little girls - NINE LITTLE GIRLS IN ALL-

UPDATE ON DASHSA - She is home from the hospital, now recovering from her surgery.   We are so thankful for the success of this and for her return home.  Each day will be one closer to her being able to play and live a normal life.   Thank you Ed Dickson for sponsoring this surgery and thank you Brian and Jenny for picking up the final costs imposed by the hospital. 

DAYSPRING FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER is a pilot project to demonstrate to the city of Tokmok that there are alternatives to orphanages of 200 children.  To demonstrate we can find families for children in crisis, placed where they will be loved by a mother and a father - homes that are homes - not institutions.  FAMILIES RAISE CHILDREN - NOT ORPHANAGES.

WE BELIEVE 

KYRGYZSTAN WITHOUT ORPHANS

 AND 

A WORLD WITHOUT ORPHANS

thank you for believing with us.......

HELPING AND TEACHING AT THE SAME TIME

DAYSPRING CHILDREN SERVING OTHERS

It was Children's Day in Kyrgyzstan and our team on the ground - really did it RIGHT with the WRIGHTS IN THE LEAD.  They went around the valley and delivered great big pails of strawberries to other children, seniors and needy.  The children took the donations and they were the 'GIVERS'!  What could be better teaching for our little Dayspring children, than to teach then to give.  

This video just shows some of the events from Children's Day - our little girls both giving and receiving  - but most all LEARNING HOW TO SHARE THE LOVE OF JESUS WITH ALL THEY MEET.

Thank you supporters for allowing this great opportunity for our children.

The LAMb Team!