Merry Christmas

and 

Blessings to You All

WHEN SENIORS ARE DISMISSED....

GETTING OLD

AND BEING DISMISSED

CAN BE DEVASTATING

HOPE RETURNED

DIGNITY RETURNED

When Pastor Beauty Bogwasi told our team the stories of how seniors were being abandoned, stolen from, left without help to meet daily needs and neglected for long periods of time, she set forth to make a change.  

#1:  She initiated a feeding program - taking food to the seniors on a regular route and on a regular basis.  She could not feed all the seniors who had the need for help, but she could do something for some of them...AND SHE DID.

#2:  She gathered volunteers to help - someone to cook the food, persons to deliver it, transportation to carry volunteers and food.  

#3:  All done out of faith and following the command and encouragement noted in James 1:27.

Then ideas began to surface!  

A DREAM TAKING SHAPE....

• What about a place for the seniors to gather
• Where they can get a shower
• Where they can meet with other seniors and talk, laugh and play
• Where a meal can be served to them as they sit together
• A place where they can make things, sing songs
• A time to pray and be prayed for

THE BIRTH OF THE SENIOR CENTER BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE

She obtained land and started to DREAM OF THE CENTER

ENTER LAMb

When LAMb Team members Jenny and Bryan Richardson went to Botswana to review and determine the next steps there for LAMb, they returned home having caught the vision.  

"Let's help her build this center!"

THREE YEARS LATER LOOK AT THE RESULTS

SELFIE?  WHAT IS THAT?  ALL WITH "GIGGLES" GALORE!

TRAFFICKING IS REAL - OUR PROJECT UPDATE ON BRIDE KIDNAPPING

OVER 100 STUDENTS

IMPACTED

BY LAMb's 

TRAFFICKING

TRAINING 

"this month alone"

The work of LAMb/GCBN in Kyrgyzstan and surrounding countries has several focuses - one being the illegal practice of Bride Kidnapping.  This month our team did training for over 100 young persons and adults on the topic of Bride Kidnapping and the issues around trafficking.

LAMb trainer provided education about trafficking to school students...

Ala Kachuu– trafficking/bride kidnapping.  This part of the project is growing dramatically and offers a strong potential for safety for many as a result of the educational process of the team.  We have been presenting information almost weekly in Tokmok and monthly in other parts of Kyrgyzstan.  We are finding a lot of interest increasing in this topic – although illegal in KG – it still happens across the country.  

Education about Ala Kachuu - and the illegal practice of Bride Kidnapping
Education to help youth be safe and protected is a start!

We conducted three more classes this month on Ala-Kachuu.  One was held in the IUCA for medical students who are visiting from another university and attending some IUCA university classes here. They were very excited about the information and asked if we would come to their university and educate the students there.

The other training was at a local village school.  We had over 40 girls in attendance (see photos). One of the girls told us that she did not want to come to the training, BUT her mother said she MUST attend.  Many of the parents do not want their daughters to be kidnapped, but if they are the parents they make them stay once this has happened.  They do this because the girl and her family will be shamed by family and the community if she leaves the forced marriage.

One of our translators tells her story of Bride Kidnapping in this training:

She had been kidnapped in her village, three times.  The first time neighbors helped her to escape.  The second time she was able to convince her kidnappers that she was too young.  The third time she was able to escape from the house when no one was looking.  The young man ended up in jail for one year for the kidnapping.  He and his family moved out of the village because of the 'shame' of not succeeding in the kidnapping.

The third training this month was training for six boys.  This was held at the students apartment.  One of the boys is going to translate our boys power point into Kyrgyz…we are very excited about this.  

We continue to offer education on this and other important areas to serve vulnerable, exploited and orphaned youth - as a critical component of our LAMb/GCBN outreach!

You can invest in this opportunity to help young girls be safe 

- check the investor button on the side of the blog.

Thank you so much,

The LAMb Team