UPDATE ON NATIONAL ADOPTION IN KYRGYZSTAN

FAMILIES CHANGED - TRAINING IS THE CATALYST

As we have reported before, we trained four different persons to do a standardized, best-practice training program for prospective adoptive parents. This is something that has never been done in Kyrgyzstan before.

The program we use was developed by the Institute for Human Services - our partner in Ohio. This training program prepares the adoptive parents for adoption and promotes a better understanding of the issues children have who are coming from orphanages, child abuse and disruption in their birth families.

The four trainers we developed in Kyrgyzstan are professionals who have a great desire to change the present process for national adoption. The director of a baby home, her Social Worker, the local state Social Worker and our team member are all trainers for this program.

This is a great update from our "on the ground" person in Kyrgyzstan.

I want to update you. The adoption training ended very well. The parents were very appreciative and grateful to all the trainers. A couple of them said that the training changed their thinking about a secret of adoption. They said they would tell their babies the truth as soon as they begin to understand. They said a lot of warm and good words about the training. Also they said that from the training they got answers to their questions that they had and didn’t know whom to ask to and that now they are completely ready to adopt a baby and don’t have any doubts. We gave them certificates and Janell said that with them the parents wouldn’t have any problems at court, a judge will give them permission with no questions. I took some pictures but when I got home I found out that the pictures didn’t come out, I think the batteries were weak. But Dr. Tatyana promised to take a few pictures for you when the parents get their babies.

THIS ONCE AGAIN - HELPS US BELIEVE - KYRGYZSTAN WITHOUT ORPHANS - PLEASE BELIEVE WITH US!

UKRAINE - GETTING READY FOR A CHANGE

Anya and Oleg presenting to potential partners of ILDC.

ADOPT UKRAINE IS ALIVE AND WELL!
We are excited about the work of Adopt Ukraine. This project/activity of LAMb has been very inspirational and successful. Vika Melinchenko is our person on the ground in Ukraine that keeps this moving. Right now she is working with 10 families -helping them understand the special needs of the orphans and helping them make an informed decision about adoption. We will be gathering her pictures and stories this week as we work together to make our next plans for promoting adoption through presentations in the churches.

Lots happening in Ukraine this week and the weeks to come for the rest of the year!

1. Leadership Training - for the NGO Every Child.
2. Strategic Planning with the NGO - Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans
3. Working with ILDC staff in preparing for training, consultation, etc.
4. Preparing for the upcoming training with the NGO - AGAPE in Kherson, Ukraine
5. Presentation of numerous trainings around the country - now BEING DONE BY TRAINERS WHOM WE HAVE TRAINED - NATIONALS DOING THE WORK!

Finally, we return the end of the week from Ukraine and then are heading to Brazil to be with family over Christmas. We pray blessings for each of you during this wonderful season celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Stay tuned for another update from KG and the following of the matched funding! Watch our growth on the left side of the blog! We are moving toward a successful completion of the match - there is still a need for more to join in - might you want to take the challenge? Here is how:

FIRST - meet the pie challenge of our team members John and Julie Wright - go the their blog and donate or join the challenge: www.actofkindness.blogspot.com

SECOND - hit the Canada Helps button on the left side of this blog and donate here.

ALL GO TOWARDS THE MATCHED FUNDS - REMEMBER THIS FUNDER IS ANONYMOUS AND HAS OFFERED $25,000 in matched funds. So, we raise $25,000 and the funder puts in another $25,000.

Thanks for your support!!!!

FAMILIES NOT ORPHANAGES

This video has been on my heart for some time. Tonight - it needed said. We are returning to Ukraine on Saturday to do training and to work with our team there.

We pray you will join our challenge and reach out to the laborers in the field. This team in Ukraine needs your help, the Kyrgyzstan team needs your help. We have been greatly blessed with the support of many - generous support that is moving us quickly to our match. This is an awesome miracle and we thank you so much for caring and sharing.

Lets BELIEVE - FAMILIES NOT ORPHANAGES

ADOPT UKRAINE

We started Adopt Ukraine several years ago as a direct request from Pastor Gregory from the Church of Praise in Krivoy Rog, Ukraine. We had been sharing in his church about the orphan situation in Ukraine. There were over 1000 people in church that day that heard the message of the orphan. After we left, Pastor Gregory was inundated with people wanting to know more about Adoption. He felt lost as to what to tell them. It was then he made a decision - talk to us about what we had started and ask us to do something about it!

So at a dinner one evening he brought forth the question, "Lynn and Ruby, you have caused me some problems. You have talked to my church about adoption and we do not know what to tell them. You need to fix this problem and give me someone to talk to them."

That leD us to Vika Melinchenko. We hired her full time and she became our project manager for what was to become Adopt Ukraine. She has been an incredible asset ever since. She works with people in Ukraine who are considering adoption and don't know how to negotiate through the maze. She haS had tremendous success in keeping children with their birth families where safety could be assured, many adoptions have gone forth with her efforts and she has been in court on countless cases to protect the rights of children to have families. She has fought hard for many different parents who have been challenged by the system and were close to losing their children.

Adopt Ukraine is a success. Vika is the manager of this. Pastor Gregory was the catalyst to this. And we? We are just the incredibly honored people whom God has called to encourage this and to keep you informed of the good work being done in Ukraine for children.

And if you want to help this project? Every donation received from November 1 through December 31 will be matched. Giving $100, becomes $200. Our match is for $25,000. That means if we raise $25,000. There is another $25,000 that will be added to the general fund of LAMb International.

What is the goal? UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS! BELIEVE WITH US. 2015 IS GOING TO LOOK MUCH DIFFERENT IN UKRAINE THAN WHAT WE SEE TODAY.

FAMILIES - NOT ORPHANAGES!


check out the blog for Adopt Ukraine: www.adoptukraine.blogspot.com

ADOPTION TRAINING IN KYRGYZSTAN

Preparing to teach the Cycle of Trust to the prospective adoptive parents in Kyrgyzstan!

TRAINING IN KYRGYZSTAN FOR PROSPECTIVE ADOPTIVE PARENTS – WHAT A SUCCESS…. (Here is the report from Natasha – our on the ground person in Kyrgyzstan)

As you know yesterday and today we were doing adoptive parents training, we are doing it at Dr.Tatyana’s Baby Orphanage. All these two days there were 3 mothers and one father (four families) and one more family is going to join them next week. One mother had her oldest daughter with her to be trained too, because she is old enough to understand that there will be a new baby in their home and the girl wants to be at the training she found it very interesting for herself.

In the beginning the group of parents thought that it would be a waste of their time and that they knew everything they needed to know. But then they saw how excited we were and listened to interesting content of the training and they changed. Now they keep repeating that it’s very useful and interesting information and they say they knew nothing about adoption and needs of children from orphanages.

We do 2 modules a day (6 hours). Janell did Module I, and I did Module II, Lena did Module III, and Dr. Tatyana did Module IV. Everyone was doing well. Now we know the content much better. We all were speaking loud enough and were well articulated.

They gave many examples from their work and experience that matched the content of each Module. Also we showed the parents the “Daddy” video and it touched their hearts. In addition I printed out handouts for them. The parents like to do different activities; they are very active and very excited about their new babies.

I think those were very useful and successful 2 days. Next time we are meeting on Friday and Saturday.

The report is exciting for many reasons. In Ukraine we are working together with many different NGO’s to bring to reality UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS IN 2015 and we believe we can carry this movement into Kyrgyzstan too. How will this be done? Consider this:

1. We work with the churches and help them to create an orphan ministry.
2. We work with local authorities to help them see the way to recruit and train prospective adoptive parents.
3. We advocate strongly for International Adoption.
4. We gather interested persons and train them on the ways to work with families and children.
5. We distribute lots of literature and books we have in the Russian language about strengthening families and working with children – like:
a. The Field Guide to Child Welfare, by Judy Rycus and Ron Hughes
b. Telling the Truth to Your Adopted or Foster Child, by Jayne Schooler and Betsy Keefer
c. Wounded Children, Healing Homes, by Jayne Schooler and Betsy Keefer
d. Step by Step Booklets
e. Life Skills

These are just a few of the ways we can help. Here are the pictures of Natasha and the team on the ground there conducting the THIRD GROUP of prospective adoptive parents in Kyrgyzstan – moving closer to a KYRGYZSTAN WITHOUT ORPHANS!




MATCHED FUNDS ARE FROM NOVEMBER 1 – TO DECEMBER 31. If you or someone you know is thinking of making any donations in honor of loved ones for Christmas, the matched funds will be doubled in their honor!

Our donor is anonymous and has offered $25,000 in matched funds. That means we raise $25,000 and our donor gives another $25,000. That is $50,000 toward the work of our LAMb Team! What a blessing. We hope you would prayfully consider joining in on the match!

UKRAINE CONFERENCE - UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS

Abandoned at birth - adopted at five months! She is NOT an orphan!

WHAT A MAJOR EXCITING MOMENT IN TIME!

Imagine over 500 people at a conference all committed to seeing a Ukraine Without Orphans in 2015! Believe it! There is an environment here of "we can do this!" Families are telling their adoption stories, tears are flowing, hope is building and today - again I see how Ukraine can lead the former USSR in showing others how to divert children from orphanages.

The churches are being challenged to get involved and take on the heart of the orphan. Each speaker is sharing the hope and the passion to see a mobilized partnership of NGO's joining together and creating a NEW REALITY for children waiting for families - for children who would otherwise be quickly placed into an orphanage.

Today - we have made a giant step forward following James 1:27.

James 1:27 (New International Version)
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Join us - find the HOPE to support this MOVEMENT - UKRAINE WITH ORPHANS. There is a FAMILY FOR EVERY CHILD. And what then is next? KYRGYZSTAN WITHOUT ORPHANS!

You can help - join our matched funding challenge and help us help them - November 1 - December 31 is the time frame our anonomyous donor gave us. We now have over $7000 and that means $14,000 with the matched funds. Wow and Praise God.

MATCHED FUNDS FOR LAMb INTERNATIONAL

THE RESPONSE IS BEGINNING....THE CHALLENGE IS BEING ACCEPTED. Let's make a difference for children and families - let's bring hope and dignity to those feeling hopeless and lost. Can we believe the matched funds to it's full matching - $25,000 that becomes $50,000. WOW. How do we help those who are lost, hopeless and just waiting?

WE KNOW THE ANSWER - and you can help us deliver it. With the chance of raising $50,000 in two months we can see such a wonderful opportunity for 2011 and the ministry of LAMb International. Just think!

Seniors honored and loved.
Children given hope and family.
Parents encouraged and shown the true light.
The disabled given dignity.

LAMb International has an awesome team ready to take on the challenge:

Pastor David and Jayne Schooler
John and Julie Wright with daughters
Don and Johanna Buchman
Kim and Randy Gebele
Adam and Jenny Buchman
Katherine Hallick
Lynn and Ruby Johnston

Plus our on the ground team members:
Ukraine - Oleg, Maxim, Anya, Costa, Olga, and Vika
Kyrgyzstan - Natasha, Hymanot, Larissa, Acel, Tanya

Each person has unique gifts and talents. We thank God for each and everyone of them, plus our partners:

Institute for Human Services
Father's House
Mercy Foundation
Alliance
Christian Broadcasting Network
Dayspring
Family Christian
Mapleview Community Church

AND OUR MANY MANY SPONSORS - LIKE YOU! PRAISE GOD FOR EACH OF YOU.