BARNABAS GROUP GEARS UP FOR FINAL PASTOR'S CONFERENCE

NICARAGUA IS THE DESTINATION FOR TEAM MEMBER AND LAMb BOARD MEMBER

PASTOR GLEN PITTS

Pastor Glen and his team will be heading to Nicaragua this month for the final Pastor's Conference.  Lots of great things to happen.  Glen shared some information and we want to pass it on.  We are very pleased to have Barnabas as part of  LAMb International.

Glen says.....

At our first Pastor’s Time Out in February, I shared this quote by A. W. Tozer.  We read it over and over and spoke to it frequently in our days together. 

            “Anything that God has ever done, He can do now.

            Anything that God has done anywhere else, He can do here.

            Anything that God has done for anyone else, He can do for you.”

Powerful!  And it applies in your situations too!  I will again be speaking to the truth of this faith-building statement in our upcoming conference as we begin to introduce some specific, outreach strategies moving forward, that could trigger a wonderful move of God in this needy nation.

AND HERE IS WHAT IS TO COME AT THIS FINAL CONFERENCE....

Besides conducting our third “Pastor’s Time Out” this year, we will be introducing other wonderful things to enhance the work or God in this nation.  For example:  

1.  A “Principles of Life Study Bible” will be given to each pastor attending as an ongoing resource tool for their ministry.  

2.  Gift paks will be given to each pastor’s wife to somehow honor them as “workers together with God.” 

3.  On Friday, November 23 the entire group will be spending the day at the Nueva Vida School & Church in the slums of Managua to freshly paint the exterior of the church and school.  

4.  An “A to Z Scripture Memorization” Program for kids ages 4 to 8 will be introduced.  It is called “Words of Life.”  We are producing and printing it ourselves through contacts in El Salvador.  Our goal is 1,000 kids learning 26 key verses of scripture …and I’m pumped!  

5.  We have purchased a requested chain saw which will be used to build seven churches in remote areas of Nicaragua.  

6.  In partnership with Dr. Charles Stanley and local pastors, we are launching “The Mountain Messenger Project” – an evangelistic plan to strategically reach 1,200 families in remote Nicaragua with the Gospel.  We will be using a solar-powered devise containing 35 messages by Dr. Stanley and the entire New Testament in Spanish.  

7.  A camera has been purchased to help our brothers on the ground chronicle these efforts and keep us updated.   

8.  A Daily Vitamin program for the 150+ kids at the Nueva Vida School is being explored.  

9.  O yes!  ….and we have funded the building of a toilet in a small town police station (in Jesus Name) where the police chief recently received Jesus.  I will be visiting him during our upcoming visit.   …and YOU are a vital part of it all!

Why do we do all this?  

Because Scripture instructs us to “keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and do helpful things …and so much the more as we see the day of Christ’s return approaching.”  (Hebrews 10:24-25)

THANK YOU ALL FROM THE LAMb TEAM

The Buchmans, Schoolers, Pitts, Wrights and Johnstons!

LAMb BOARD MEMBER TAKES TO THE AIR

Andy with a dear friend.

LAMb Canada Board News
We are pleased to see that our newest board member - Andy Stokes is taking to the air and heading over to Kyrgyzstan to see and learn.  However, this is not Andy's first trip over to Kyrgyzstan.  He joined our team in the spring and was touched by the work of ministry and the wonderful people of Kyrgyzstan.  He will then be going to Nicaragua to see the work LAMb is doing there through Pastor Glen Pitts.  We also hope to have our new board member travel to Ukraine to learn and understand the work of ministry and training being done there.

When LAMb decided to grow the board, Andy was one of the persons who surfaced as a candidate for a position.  He has gratefully accepted and will begin his journey to learn how to best serve in this position.  One of his portfolio assignments will be communication.  So - expect some changes with our blogs, and web-site.  We look forward to what he can offer in this area of his expertise.

We will be adding additional members and will have a full announcement of this later  in November once we have confirmations from the newest members.

LAMb USA board will also be growing - KEEP POSTED FOR THIS NEW INFORMATION SOON TO BE ANNOUNCED.

PERMANENCY IS OUR GOAL AT DAYSPRING - WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

 DASHA AND HER BIRTH FATHER

Dasha is from a family who has suffered crisis - many different issues with the family.  Her mother comes to visit - somewhat irregularly, but she comes.  Her father has never visited until this week.  We are so happy that we could welcome him to our Dayspring home to visit his daughter.  

PERMANENCY IS OUR GOAL

Families will never reunite if they cannot receive the support and help needed to heal their crisis situations.  Our team is new at this and each day they learn more about helping and joining with families in a way to create a positive helping relationship.  Our goal is to work with birth families, help them with their challenges and see their children home.  IF that cannot happen, our goal of permanency is to see if we can find other family members in which our children can live - permanently.  IF that cannot happen, our goal is to find permanency with an adoptive family.  IF than cannot happen, then our goal is be faithful to our children and raise them to become healthy adults.

PERMANENCY IS OUR GOAL

HERE IS OUR DAYSPRING FAMILY AND TEAM MEMBERS

Celebrating a birthday - and having a family party - what a beautiful picture.  Costa and Olga (mom and dad to our Dayspring children) are also our Country Director and Residential Director.  Costa and Olga are already making positive relationships with government officials, promoting the new and innovative projects to help the disabled, elderly and graduating orphans from the region.  

Olga will be in charge of the Jeremiah Project, Dayspring, Morning Star and our yet to be named project for the disabled of Tokmok.  

(See the previous blog for the next steps in that project.)

Costa as the Country Director is responsible for all our team and all our work in the country.  He is capable and talented.

AND

they are MOM AND DAD to our Dayspring children.

LOTS OF REASON TO CELEBRATE

AND 

BELIEVING 

IN A 

KYRGYZSTAN WITHOUT ORPHANS!

A WORLD APART - AND PLANS TO CHANGE - WORKING FOR A BETTER WORLD

DEBBIE - ALASKA

LARISA AND TANYA - ALASKA

RUSLAN - KYRGYZSTAN

WORLDS APART - YET SO CONNECTED

With Larisa and Tanya at Hope Alaska.  

Debbie lives in a home, she has her own room, her own decorations, she goes out into the community to shop, take art lessons, meet people.  She gets to make decisions where she is able.  Debbie was born both mentally and physically challenged.   Larisa and Tanya are volunteers as part of their learning time here where Debbie lives.  DEBBIE LIVES IN ALASKA.

THEN there is Ruslan, he lives in AND INSTITUTION IN Kyrgyzstan. Tanya and Larisa are volunteers at Iskra where Ruslan lives.  He lives in a dorm, behind a caged wall.  He goes no where, makes no decisions, has very few personal items, not even a dresser.  Yet, Larisa said Ruslan changed her way of thinking about the disabled, the challenged.

Last night we did our strategic discussion session with Larisa and Tanya.  They have now been in Alaska for almost two months.  They have learned, cried and committed to changes in the world they so long to return to - KYRGYZSTAN.

We have seen the complete program here at HOPE, have spend time with many of their leaders and workers and gained the understanding of how and what they have developed to bring HOPE AND DIGNITY to many disabled persons.

Larisa cries as she tells us she knows why God brought her here - to learn and to return to KG to fight the fight - to run the race and to make changes for those who have been forgotten and lost to the system of what KG calls INVALID.  Oh how that word has been acted upon in the past.  But for Larisa - she and Tanya are to be taken seriously.  

Together last night, plans were schetched. God will lead the way and we will back the plan all we possible can;

1.  Begin training for staff in Iskra, helping them understand how to work with disabled.  Larisa and Tanya will work with our team on the ground to create training modules for delivery to medical teams, workers.

2.  Hope will begin creating training video's for LAMb to use in KG - we will get them voiced over in Russian.

3. Develop a volunteer program.  

4.  Locate a site which can be used for the disabled to come and receive lessons, help, encouragement, fellowship.  This will be modeled after the Hope Discovery Center.  Larisa wants to call this The Paradise Center.  Men (who are able) from Iskra will be transported to the center on a regular basis, to engage in community activities.

5.  Develop a strategy to include government where they can see this full new approach as a "pilot" project in helping bring the disabled to a higher standard of living.  (Government in KG love pilot projects.)

6.  Find and purchase a home in Iskra which Larisa will manage - starting the first "pilot" project to bring able men out of the institution.  We will follow the HOPE ALASKA model.  This project will be the first ever to do this.  (With success, the homes in the future can be purchased in other communities in and around Tokmok.)

7.  Hope staff will travel to KG in March to oversee progress of plan and offer more training as needed and requested.

8.  Fall we will send 2-4 more persons to Alaska to learn from HOPE and volunteer in their learning lab.

YOU CAN BE PART OF THIS PLAN

HOW?

Help us do the following:

A.  Purchase and furnish the home in Iskra (likely to be around $10 - 15,000)

B.  Support transportation from Iskra to the Paradise Center.

C.  Purchase equipment and supplies for Paradise Center.

D.  Help with rent for Paradise Center.

A LITTLE OF THIS AND THAT - FROM KYRGYZSTAN AND ALASKA

DAYSPRING FAMILY AT A DOG SHOW 

Right, the Dayspring family has a dog, thanks to Costa and Olga.  They brought their dog with them from Ukraine and they love to take her to show her off.  Here they are with Gerda and she is loving being with her family.

Watching Gerda show her stuff!

GETTING COLDER IN KYRGYZSTAN AND COAL IS DELIVERED

Dayspring had the first shipment of coal and Mark is sure he can move it to the coal bin!  Well, it makes a good picture and he is so cute trying to help.

SOCIAL WORKER APPRECIATION DAY

Olga decided LAMb should honor our local director of social work - and she took them office supplies,  paper, pens, etc.  And of course these are items that they ALWAYS are short of.  Here you see a very happy director.

CHILDREN'S CLINIC WITH TWO NEW PLACES TO SIT

As you remember, they asked us to help them - their waiting area - where expectant mother sit was in dismal shape and they asked for some furniture they could sit on.  Costa had them pick out what they needed and you see the results!  Two new beautiful sofas - for the expectant mothers to wait for the check ups on.

Beautiful new addition to the Children's Clinic!

DELIVERY TO DAYSPRING - A FREEZER AND A STOVE

Through a recent repair with our stove at Dayspring, we discovered it was a serious danger for blowing up and causing an explosive fire.  It was a propane stove and the tank was attached sitting in the kitchen The repairman gave lots of stories of homes burning down with this type of stove.  RESULT?  DO NOT USE THE STOVE!!!!!  We are so thankful for the donor who sent a donation just when this was needed!

DAYSPRING GETS A SHOWER!

We have 10 people attempting to clean up with showers and they were all working out of a one shower room where there was a small water heater.  Little girls and a small water heater?  Hmmmmm.  Who would be first and who would be last.  So thanks to the donor who had no idea of this need - we were able to install this completely for under $400.

ALASKA - AND OUR DEAR TEAM MEMBERS - LARISA AND TANYA

OUR VISIT TODAY....We surprised Larisa and Tanya today to arrive at the home where they are volunteering and using their new skills.  Here are the Hope team for the O home.
Killian - the coordinator for the trainees.
Tanya
Debbie one of the beautiful family members at O
Lynn - like a proud "papa"
Sabrina the family coordinator at O (wants to come to Kg and share her skills
Larisa

NOW - YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH A LITTLE OF THIS AND THAT
SO WHAT IS THE MESSAGE.

YOU
MADE ALL THIS POSSIBLE
THANK YOU SO MUCH!

PROGRESS AND TEAM WORK - KYRGYZSTAN

FROM BIO-FUEL TO BONDING

Out team in Kyrgyzstan is making great progress on the bio-fuel project.  With the Canadian work group bringing the expertise and know-how, our on the ground team is coordinating the work and soon we will see the first bio-fuel "factory" in Kyrgyzstan - hoping for more and hoping for a sustainable project that will make a great difference for many.

HOWEVER - BONDING TIME WAS NEEDED

And our team knows the spots for this.  John and Julie carted off the team along with our precious Dayspring girls - off to the Hot Springs for a time in the hot springs amidst the now winter wonderland all around.  Joy, laughter and all can be seen on the faces.  

BUT LOOK DEEPER...

It is cold in Kyrgyzstan - we can keep warm - yet many suffer there when winter comes.  We need coal and lots of it.  $80 per tonne.  That is a tonne of warmth you can give for just $80.  We will gladly purchase and deliver the coal for you.  We want to cover the Seniors at Kemin Gift of God Friendship Center - you can help too.  Thank you so much,

THE LAMb Team

Lynn, Ruby 

John, Julie

David, Jayne

Don, Johanna

Glenn, Jeanette

ADOPTIVE PARENTS - COMMITTED TO ORPHAN CHALLENGE

SIBERIAN ADOPTIVE PARENTS

 46 CHILDREN (BIRTH AND ADOPTED)

Now this is an example of a church taking on the orphan challenge.  However, they had never met together until tonight.  TONIGHT was the first Adoptive Parent Association meeting for this church.  We were asked to speak to the adoptive parents tonight - and what an evening we had.  These parents are committed to helping the orphan, spreading the word and doing what every they can to ensure there is a

 RUSSIA WITHOUT ORPHANS.

And as we discussed issues of children - the trauma they have experiences, training and needs it became evident that the parents want and need to join together and meet.  So we introduced the idea of an Adoptive Parent Association - and guess what - they are going to meet monthly.  Next meeting November 16th!

A late lunch with Pastor Ilya, Janet, and their children Joseph and Joanna.  We also had two more guests - the two golden labs.  This guy was told to leave the room as we were going to eat - he had other ideas and quickly planted himself under that table between the legs.  PLANTED AND WAS DETERMINED HE WOULD BE HIDDEN THERE!  WE HAD A GREAT LAUGH OVER THIS ONE!

Lynn spent the morning at Teen Challenge ministering to the men and Ruby spent the morning at Teen Challenge for women.  One woman at teen challenge just about broke my heart - she is about 25 and has been on drugs.  She has a very difficult story and through conversation - I felt very led to ask her to pray for our Dasha in Kyrgyztan.  She broke down and tears flowed.  What is the meaning of this?  I do not know, but this dear young woman has committed to being a prayer warrior for Dasha.  She will have Dasha's picture and she will pray.  Might this commitment make a difference in her life?  I don't know, but I do know I was suppose to ask her to pray for Dasha.

OUR HOTEL IN NOVOKUZNESK, SIBERIA

Tomorrow we leave for home - but we always wonder - where is home really?  Maybe it is here and maybe it is there.  And then again, maybe it is nowhere here on earth.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR HEARTS WITH US

PARTNERSHIP IN SIBERIA - A WORLD WITHOUT ORPHANS

PICTURE WALL OF CHILDREN WHO NEED A HOME

City Administration invited us to come to their office today to discuss what we were doing in Novokuznesk.  They gave us a tour of their facility and explained that they are in charge of meeting the needs of over 100,000 children.  Last year alone, they have over 12,000 children go through their service for one reason or another.  Each month they have around 15 children who are abandoned by their parents  - giving the center the responsibility to find homes for the children.

LtoR Larisa (head psychologist), Tatiana (director of center) Ruby, and Natasha (in charge of the Life Skill project)

The center will work with Natasha from the local church where we did the training of trainers for the Life Skill project.  They will meet next week and develop a plan on how to implement a comprehensive approach to offering the training in the local orphanages and shelters.  This is a wonderful cooperation.

THE ISSUE OF FORGIVENESS

Lynn had the day with the church - in the morning conducting the service and once again in the evening.  The theme of the services was forgivenesses - and the walk we need to take in "taking the high road" and walking in forgiveness.  Good service...good message. Gratitude versus grumbling.  

We have one more day in Siberia and then we head back to Canada.  But our team is hard at work.  Pastor David is still in Kyrgyzstan with John and Julie.  Pastor Glen is gearing up getting ready to head back to Nicaragua.  And we will be heading to Alaska to see the Hope Alaska program and visit our staff there in training.  Our hope is to make a plan with HOPE ALASKA on how we can bring more of what they do - to Kyrgyzstan.

TOMORROW IN SIBERIA?

Lynn at Teen challenge for Men

Ruby at Teen challenge for Women

Afternoon - meeting with the church and city adoptive parents.

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AS YOU ARE HELPING US DO OUR PART TOWARD

A WORLD WITHOUT ORPHANS

LIFE SKILL TRAINING OF TRAINERS ENDS TODAY - WORK BEGINS TOMORROW

LIFE SKILL TRAINING OF TRAINERS - COMPLETED! 

42 NEW TRAINERS 

Communication is a critical component to building a relationship with orphanage youth and staff.  Here the participants complete an assessment of their own communication style in order to learn the implications of how they communicate and what strengths and barriers they might have.

Ruby and Daniel here giving instructions for the different presentations the group would be soon making.

Participants presented sections of the material - there were six presentations and each presentation demonstrated skills and abilities the new trainer would be using for the work in the orphanages with the youth.

Olga - who is the coordinator for Russia Without Orphans in the Novokunusk district.  Here she is presenting how her group understands their own strengths needed to help the orphans.

7 CHURCHES WERE REPRESENTED - MEANING 7 DIFFERENT ORPHAN MINISTRIES!

ONE STEP CLOSER TO A 

RUSSIA WITHOUT ORPHANS

RUSSIA WITHOUT ORPHANS - A GROWING MOMENTUM

SIBERIA

The students at the training were from all different areas of the district, representing seven different churches.  Each of the leaders works in some capacity with orphans.  In addition, there were a number of adoptive parents who want to do even more for the orphans who remain in orphanages.

TRAUMA AND THE IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT

Introducing the Life Skill training - which was developed as a join project between LAMb International and Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) from Ukraine - Lynn explains the issues we face in working with children who have experienced Trauma.

KEEPING YOUTH INVOLVED

The group demonstrated many different areas of involvement for youth - Icebreakers, Energizers, etc.  This activity was a creation of one of the groups.  Every one got involved and learned the activity.  

YOU ARE SPECIAL

In the first module of the Life Skills, youth are reminded how special they are - just as a snowflake is unique, so are they.  This activity, demonstrated here by the trainees helps a youth to consider their identify in each area of their life:  physical, social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual.

RUSSIA WITHOUT ORPHANS

 IS 

GROWING IN MOMENTUM

Our training team is made up of many different people who come with different ideas on how to work with graduating orphans.   One leader is the coordinator for the movement of RUSSIA WITHOUT ORPHANS - she attended the conference in Moscow in the spring - and was present in the workshop where Ruby presented ideas and training on working with graduating orphans.  Since that time, she has been speaking in many different churches, coordinated a bike event, offered lots of information to interested individuals, etc.  She is now working to bring a team together to do more and more.  To see the commitment of the group not only excites you, but brings new hope and meaning to the ideas of:

A WORLD WITOUT ORPHANS

THANK YOU SPONSORS 

FOR BELIEVING WITH US!