THERE IS JOY LIKE A FOUNTAIN - THERE IS JOY LIKE A FOUNTAIN....

SINGS MY SOUL...THERE IS JOY LIKE A FOUNTAIN 

(go ahead and sing it!)

Mom, this blog is for you!  

Today eight little girls knew the love of a great grandmother!  My mother blessed the little girls with beautiful dolls and dresses that she made especially for their dolls.  Just look at the pictures and listen to their comments:

"my daughter..."

"so beautiful..."

"she looks just like me!" 

"I love you...(to her doll)."

(each girl thought her doll looked just like her - and each doll was EXACTLY the same except for different hair colors!)

Mom, you were so right - every little girl needs a doll.  Thank you for giving so sacrificially to purchase these dolls and spend hours and hours making doll clothes.  I only wish you could have been here to see the joy on each face as they one by one opened their doll bags!  Our tears flowed to see such joy and meaning pour forth from their little hearts.    And mom - please let YOUR heart sing the song..."There is joy like a river, there is joy like a river, there is joy like a river in my soul...."

Love you mommy!

Ruby

THE PRAYER TO WALK AND THE PRAYER TO KNEEL

His name is Eldar.  

He walks on his knees.  He always has a smile.  He never sees his situation as bad, he sees it as a great way to serve.  He calls Ruby his mother.  He would like to be a preacher.  He is a preacher as he is an inspiration to the men at Iskra Home for Disabled Men.  And he understands his mission in life.

Eldar is a wonderful young man.  He is always ready to share a positive word, to encourage us and to encourage the men who live with him at Iskra.  And he always has wise words to speak, but perhaps the most profound words were his most recent on this past Monday.

He tells us how so often people have walked up to him and asked if they could pray for him, since he is disabled and cannot walk upright.  He always says yes. Then he went on to say they always want to pray he will walk.  They will put their hands on his head and pray he will stand up.  They say, "I will pray that you will walk."  After praying,  - they tell him to do this - to believe and stand.

He quickly says okay and then adds, "I THANK YOU FOR PRAYING FOR ME TO STAND UP ON MY FEET.  I TOO WANT TO PRAY - I WILL PRAY FOR YOU AND PRAY THAT YOU WILL FALL TO YOUR KNEES AND PRAISE HIM."

HMMMMM - food for thought, eh?  HOW WE DO LOVE ELDAR!

The LAMb Team

CONNECTING....THE DOTS

THANK YOU ALL FOR CARING ABOUT ALL OF US!

THE LAMb Team!!!!

THE DUMP AND A VILLAGE - WHERE THERE IS LIFE AND LOVE

KYRGYZSTAN - THE DUMP

We visited the dump today to meet with our dear friends there.  They

were so excited to see us there.  We were not so excited to see all the rotten potatoes

and previously frozen onions.  We did see they (drivers of the trucks) put many

aside for those who "collect" at the dump to check and save what is useful.

Josiah and Blair find some really good onions.

Lynn and John tour around the dump to let people know we have some gifts for them.

Our dear friend on the right in the picture is a beautiful woman who was so 

eager to tell us her story and the miracle of God that saved her son from prison.

She gives testimony of how her faith and prayer with Larissa (on the left)

has clearly set her son free.  She is a beautiful believer - sharing her faith with

all who will listen.  Please pray for her - she needs the prayer of protection

considering where she lives.

NEXT STOP - THE VILLAGE

We wanted to stop at our little village and visit with our dear friends there, but first

needed to ensure we would not embarrass them by showing up and them

not having a "proper" chai time for their guests.  So one day in advance

we sent food to the village (thanks to our team - Kim and Randy) and when we

arrived we had a feast.  In addition, we had a wonderful time

loving on the children and parents.  What a GLORIOUS DAY!

Playing with children and having a wonderful time.  Each child so beautiful in His eyes.

THEN THE FEAST

Salads, fruit, and plof.  What a beautiful feast for the village.  Earlier when we were at the 

bazarre, the Village Mayor saw our team and said, "I heard you were coming to the village today

to celebrate.  I am so sorry I cannot be there."

The lovely ladies always serve with grace and joy.  This Muslim village

is so welcoming to us.  After giving gifts to the children, having a feast,

we performed for them - the whole team.  Lynn and Ruby played their

Ukes and the team sang.  It was another ----

GLORIOUS TIME TOGETHER

DAYSPRING - TEACHING TODAY ABOUT GARDENS

LYNN (GRANDPA) WORKED WITH THE GIRLS

SHOWING THEM HOW TO PLANT SEEDS

THEY WERE EAGER TO MAKE THE GARDEN

THEY DID A GREAT JOB

LYNN AND RANDY PASS OUT MORE SEEDS

FINALLY A HUGE STRAWBERRY PATCH WAS PLANTED

STRAWBERRY PATCH ALMOST DONE

BLAIR ENSURING THE FENCE IS IN PLACE TO KEEP 

THE DOG OUT OF THE NEWLY PLANTED GARDEN

TODAY - TEACHING GARDENING

This was an awesome day.  We were busy from morning to late tonight.  Other blogs will report a number of events, this blog will just report the garden planting at Dayspring.  Toward the end of the day we all collected at Dayspring to help the little girls learn about planting a garden.  We planted lots of peas, carrots, radishes, lettuce, beets, cucumbers and pumpkins.  In addition, we put in a large strawberry patch.  

What made this such a wonderful day was the "side by side" work in the garden with the little girls of Dayspring.  It was joyous and everyone had a GREAT time.  We were delighted to see the little girls having such a good time and learning about putting different seeds into the soil.  

Now - we await the harvest.  AND the harvest is not just the garden of seeds to produce vegetables - it is mostly the seeds planted with the little girls and our real harvest is to grow healthy and Godly women.  

Today we planted another seed.

The LAMb Team

AN ORPHANAGE WITH LITTLE TO NO SUPPORT

JULIE - We stopped along the road as we headed to Karakol.

Many different nationals sell this way.  This particular person had

hats, vests, rugs they had made.  We were able to get a "professional"

model for this hat!

The orphanage director and President of the Orphanage - Andre.

Both were so grateful that we would travel 6 hours to see them to 

learn about their needs.

The older girls dressed in their beautiful dresses to perform for us.  Getting an

audience never gets old for young people.  How they love to be admired and

appreciated.

These little ones sat quietly and waited until their turn - to play, sing and 

enjoy the time with US FOREIGNERS!  We had some great laughs

and fun as our team led the children in songs and games.

CHILD CARE ORPHANAGE  - KARAKOL,  KYRGYZSTAN

They need and want help.  They have had promises in the past.  Yet Andre says many people say they will return and never do. They promise to help and they wait and wait for a response to how they are going to help - they never hear a thing.  Maybe the reason is their location.  They are about 7 hours away from Bishkek and 6 hours away from us.  So transportation to get there is long and difficult, going across very broken roads.  And of course lodging there is also somewhat limited.

We made no promises, but we will help.  Their staff desperately want to know more about how to work with children - how to understand their needs and behaviors.  They see their children suffering and really do not know how to address their pain.  So - what we will work to do.  We will work to bring the staff together in September when we are offering training on Trauma.   Pastor David and Jayne will be returning and carrying out a major work helping those who request this training and have expressed this need.

We will also put together a 12 day training for their staff on the foundation knowledge, skills and abilities we see as critical for staff development.  This we will take to Karakol beginning in the fall.  

Over 30 children in this Christian Orphanage - crying for help.  15 workers in this orphanage who are almost just volunteers considering what they are paid - less than $100 per month.  These workers care and want more for their children.  Children like Max and Dema (twins) who have dreams to be "good men."  Children like Sasha who dreams to be an artist and hopes to go to Bishkek this year to study in a good university.  Children like Alona who has a dream of being a teacher.

Dreams - hopes - cries - do YOU hear the CRIES OF THE CHILDREN?

Blessings,

The LAMb Team