This week has been one of both fabulous opportunities and great challenges. We have worked to join together with several other NGO's to form a team to carry out delivering some critical training - Jayne was doing training in Ukraine in the area Trauma. Lynn was in Ukraine with Costa training in the area of leadership with both NGO leaders and pastors. Ruby and David were working with the International University of Central Asia - startegizing on how to carry on in the future to ensure young students from the Tokmok and surrounding area can get a quality and affordable university degree. And then there were the meetings to plan for delivering training to Red River Orphanage Staff, Life Skill Training for the youth at Red River, working with a church in Bishkek - where David and Ruby did training in the area of adoption.
Oh and the challenge? Well, computer would not charge - internet did not work most times and in spite of these little bumps along the way - an amazing connection was re-established.
NOW THE REST OF THE STORY
Remember Jenia - we worked with him years ago - you will remember we helped him get a much needed operation and after he graduated from the orphanage - found his parents and reunited him with his birth family. Well, through the years we lost contact with him - cell numbers changed and our critical contact person moved to another country.
But in the process of planning our next steps with Red River Orphanage - we were able to get our number to a person who said she was able to reach Jenia. Well as we were on our way to Bishkek - Jenia called and we agreed to meet in Bishkek for lunch.
Here is the update:
Oh and the challenge? Well, computer would not charge - internet did not work most times and in spite of these little bumps along the way - an amazing connection was re-established.
NOW THE REST OF THE STORY
Remember Jenia - we worked with him years ago - you will remember we helped him get a much needed operation and after he graduated from the orphanage - found his parents and reunited him with his birth family. Well, through the years we lost contact with him - cell numbers changed and our critical contact person moved to another country.
But in the process of planning our next steps with Red River Orphanage - we were able to get our number to a person who said she was able to reach Jenia. Well as we were on our way to Bishkek - Jenia called and we agreed to meet in Bishkek for lunch.
Here is the update:
- Jenia has been working full time for the last year at a cake factory
- He is still in contact with his birth family - yet there are still difficulties in bridging from his early abandonment to his now adult hood.
- Jenia is now 20 years old. We met him when he was 14.
- He was so excited to reconnect and so were we. We loaded him up with a cell phone and lots of new numbers!
HAPPY DAYS!
Ruby, Jenia and Pastor DavidReunion with Jenia in Kyrgyzstan!OUR CELL GROUP.... AND SAMARITAN'S PURSE DELIVERED TO DAYSPRINGFor many year we have packed boxes for Samaritan's Purse and that packing has always been such a wonderful experience. But I really think no experience is as good as seeing the boxes delivered. We were able to watch this as the Cell Group from the local church Crambojay, brought boxes to our Dayspring little children. Oh what a blessing!Boxes delivered!And Oh the Wonders of What is Inside!THE TEAM FROM PARKSIDE CHRISTIAN CHURCH ARRIVED TODAY!!The day - Resurrection Sunday in North America - brought to us here in Kyrgyzstan a wonderful team of six individuals - all representatives of the Parkside Christian Church from Cincinnati, Ohio. This church is the solid support for our Jeremiah Project - having been the foundation from which the Jeremiah House became possible.Today we were honored to show the team Dayspring and the Jeremiah House, introduce the children and say THANK YOU PARKSIDE! One wonderful gift from Parkside was a stack of pictures and letters from little girls from a class from the church. Each little Parkside girl wrote a special letter to a Dayspring girl - sent her picture and sent blessings and prayers for our children. What a touching moment for us to watch the team leader for this - Lori give each little girl her letter and picture from her US "sister."
AND THE NEXT WEEK?1. John and Julie will be leading the team all around the valley.2. Pastor David and Jayne will be training in Bishkek.3. Lynn will be sharing at the cell group and working with Jeremiah House and Dayspring children and projects.4. Ruby will be developing the next steps with Red River, for training, Life Skills, as well as coordinating upcoming training with Renewal Church.All the team will be serving the Seniors and Men With Disabilities this week as well. Watch all the team blogs for updates!Stop -for the one in front of us!
Look -around for what is needed and where we might serve!
Listen -for what is our call and what is not! THEN MOVE!
The team is on the MOVE!www.dandjschooler.blogspot.comwww.actofkindness.blogspot.com