The light of a single ember...

All Good Things Must Come to an End

2009-05-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

Well my dear friends...I think my blog is about to enter into hibernation. I've enjoyed blogging very much and have had a really great response from you all, more than I expected! Thank you for all those who have read and encouraged me through this blog!

I am so happy to let you know that I have two jobs at this time! As of last Monday I will be spending nights and weekends at a local calling center for upscale clothing. As of Friday I began a job with community services, working in schools with special needs children. I am going to be tired, but I am so thankful to have this work!! Although little extras, like keeping a blog, will have to go...

Also, I have moved from my original spot here in Lynchburg. I was so sad to leave Debbie (I miss you!!!) but it's for a good reason and is the right time. I am staying with another family (thank you Robert, Lisa, Issac, and Ben!!) here in Lynchburg for a few weeks. It's a perfect location, near my evening work making for a quick trip home when my night shift ends!

A few more weeks will see me moved again. I have an offer from a wonderful couple out in Bedford who I am excited to spend time with. My school assignment is about an hour away from their home though so it will be a challenging time this summer, to say the least! But I am young (right?) and have lots of energy to meet my goals.

Of course, Kazakhstan is still on the radar...I'm just waiting. All things have their time and place and now is the time for me to work work work!! And I seek to do so with joy and thankfulness and as much engery as I have!

If you'd like to know when I start blogging again, just subscribe to my blog (in the right hand column) and a notification will be sent to you! Blessings on each of you! Love, Ember

Frolicking....there's simply no other word

2009-03-04T14:10:00.000-08:00

Well, after 10 inches of snow came by...I couldn't help but want to play! Sadly, I had no playmates around and had to come up with some imaginary ones. MiniMe and KJ-Gee were fun for dress-up but poor competition for a snowball fight! And of course I had to make a snow angel!

Please put me in the slow lane!!!

2009-03-03T13:54:00.000-08:00

As I drove home from North Carolina, in swooped a snow storm...a very BIG, wet, and cold snow storm! It was a bit tragic considering the long morning walks I had been enjoying and the sweet daffodils that had begun peeking out at me from their yellow caps everywhere I went!

The heavy snow and winds meant a 2 and 1/2 hour drive took me almost 4 hours. I spent most of it creeping down the highway at 40 miles per hour, the end of a looooonnnggg line of cars. The couple of times I was arrogant (and impatient) enough to try and pass with speed, the slipping on the roads had me back behind them all, a bit humbler and down to 30 miles per hour!!

I counted no less than 11 accidents on the way to Lynchburg, so I'm thankful to be tucked nice and warm back at home!! Slow lane please!

We're really grownups now!

2009-03-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

I spent this past weekend in Chapel Hill, North Carolina visiting my friend Jamie and her husband Charles. We talked for probably 95% of all our waking time, catching up having not seen each other for a year. The last time I saw her was when she got into the car to drive off on her honeymoon, just one day before I left for Kazakhstan. Now there are happy new developments in her family and as we discussed such big life issues as raising children, life insurance, and the increased cost in living...oy vey we felt like such GROWNUPS!!! ...Well, almost!

Thanks for your wonderful hospitality Jamie & Charles!

Where's the mammoth???

2009-02-25T16:21:00.000-08:00

Hunting. I feel as if I've returned to the basic stage of striking rocks, beating myself and grunting, all while wearing spotted, matted, ragged furs. Your typical cave woman! All because... I'm job hunting.

Yes, along with so many others, I'm trying to find a job. I've got so many applications out and seem to find that the positions are filled literally moments before my resume gets in. I was hoping to be working by the first of March, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen at this point.

So what do I do? I try to be thankful for the down time I have, and put it to good use in reflection and relationship building. I keep my chin up and keep filling out the applications. And I trust. I trust that even if the worst comes and my savings are all gone, that I am not alone and the world will not end!

So although I'm a bit "hunt weary" today, this is a chin up email! The hunt is on!!! I'll keep you posted on the prey....

Of Seagulls, fish, and photography

2009-02-17T14:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a good friend, I was able to have a couple of days in Virginia beach. Thanks to God they were warm and sunny days where I could walk on the beach. It was a lot of fun to relax, greet the sunrise, visit with friends, wander around the quaint shops. However, to be honest, Kazakhstan is never far from my mind. Some days it's so easy to TRUST and know that there is a bigger plan being worked out...and others days it's just difficult to still be in a place "in-between." But all said and done the beach was nice no matter what the state of my mind!! So my friend, thanks for letting me come along for the ride!!

Fellow Kazakaphiles and Kazakh visitor...kind of

2009-02-16T17:55:00.000-08:00

Sara Coggins, the Interlink Kids Connection Manager, is in the US right now. She came through Lynchburg and we got to meet up a few times. The last time I saw her was when I dropped her off in Richmond, VA with some Kazakh loving friends of mine (note the car)! Thank you Pam and Gilpin for a really encouraging time with great food and a nice, long walk, despite the chilly weather. I really enjoyed my visit with you and hope I get to see you again soon!!

So I went to Virginia Beach this past weekend....

2009-02-16T14:44:00.000-08:00

Reunions & Daring Escapes

2009-02-15T14:31:00.000-08:00

So there really is no daring escape, but there have been some good times reuniting with my friends here Virginia. Here are a few highlights of catching up with a family dear to me, MY CAR an adoptive couple I met in Kazakhstan and their little boy, and a good friend over some iced mugs of pop. And this is the short list. Dozens of people have rolled out the red/blue/green whatever color carpet to welcome me home over countless meals and coffees. I'm thankful for this time...though I look forward to working again sometime soon, God willing!!

I can cook!

2009-02-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

Hey, so the past few days have been a reaffirmation that I can cook!!! I really began to doubt myself while in Kazakhstan because I cooked some, but nothing came out quite right. Everything was just so difficult. But I did some shopping this week (And nearly had a heart attack at checkout! I mean MY WORD! Food is so expensive I just about fell over! In fact, my wallet did. It actually leapt out of my handbag and ran towards frozen foods. I chased it down and caught it just in time before it burrowed itself among the meats....and speaking of meats....AGH! Again! So I was torn between the $12 organic, hormone free chicken and the $3 (larger pack) of hormone full chicken. What to do??? Do I want crazy hormones and preservatives, NO! Can I afford the other stuff? Sadly, no...but hopefully if I go back to Kazakhstan I will have many years of chemical free food! So I bought...don't say it, yes, hormone full CHEAP chicken. *sigh* Defeat.)

....ANYWAY...so I cooked. I made a beautiful sweet potatoe-jalepeno soup yesterday that Trish taught me years ago. My host Debbie loved it, but her sons turned up their noses. More for me...ahahahaha. Then tonight I cooked couscous with capers, creamed spinach with garlic and feta, and spicy rosemary-pepper chicken in a thick tomatoe base. Tasty!!!! I can cook!!! (And no recipes so it's the best ever!!! Recipes are just like someone telling you what to do which is great if you don't have a clue, but so affirming when you throw things in a pot...and they turn out okay!) And...bonus, Debbie's son actually liked it! I know a lot of people would just be polite but when you've got a picky guy cleaning his plate...SUCCESS!!

I don't know about the weather...or much else!

2009-02-02T19:51:00.000-08:00

We've had cold, heat, and some beautiful ice this past week. I've been meeting with loads of people who are counseling me through the return to the states and advising me regarding my hopes to return to Kazakhstan. We've all agreed that taking time is important, as opposed to rushing back. We're looking at the long term and wanting to make sure I am as prepared as possible. Although I don't necessarily like the idea of waiting (who does?!) I can see the wisdom and am thankful for the input. I have a lot to think about!

Running with the dogs

2009-01-29T19:43:00.001-08:00

So here are some folks I've been hanging out with lately! They can't get enough of me. I'm currently house sitting for a good friend and I'm glad her HUGE dog is way more calm than he was in his puppy years.

Learning to Rest

2009-01-12T15:09:00.000-08:00

So I learned something really great Sunday. After loading up on reunions with friends...I headed out for some solitude and a long walk in my favorite park when I realized something. I can rest!

I've been studying and working since I was 14 and the past few years all my vacation time has been used for Kazakhstan summer delegations. So, essentially for the past 14 years there has always been some checklist to do, some plan to make, something to clean, something to buy, somewhere to go, some job or job hunting. But now...

Now I am not yet able to make plans till I have quite a few more conversations. I'm not yet able to work since I haven't heard yet about my direction or time frame. I don't have a house to clean. I don't need to buy a thing. It's a beautiful time to be in. I know work and lists will come soon to me so I've realized I should be thankful in this time (and not anxious!). It's a time for reflection and taking stock, but also for REST. This is good. Very good.

Where is Ember now?

2009-01-11T13:31:00.000-08:00

Okay....I am in LYNCHBURG. Yes, I am. Very exciting. I am taking it slow as it's quite a big shock for me to be here. I've got about a 10-15 minute time limit at Wal-Mart! It's a lot more challenging to come back than it is to leave, that's for sure.

But...taking it slowly doesn't mean you're not allowed to have some FUN! Hence, I shocked my former coworkers yesterday by showing up unexpectedly at their lunch. Those who know me shouldn't be surprised, but I'm loving the surprising people thing!!

Where was Ember?

2009-01-10T13:20:00.000-08:00

Well, I left Delaware after the holidays...and made my first stop in Richmond, Virginia. I spent a couple of days with Vicki Charbonneau who will soon be headed to Kazakhstan herself. Check out her blog to see how she's doing! I had a great time chatting with her exchanging stories of the first year there and her stories from the past year of preparing to go. Thanks Vicki! Love you!

Sweetness!

2009-01-10T13:17:00.001-08:00

My favorite photos from Christmas

Barefoot after Christmas

2009-01-09T19:30:00.000-08:00

December 28th saw me at the beach...barefoot!

Home Sweet Home

2008-12-26T20:49:00.000-08:00

Oh the sweet pleasures of home. I can drink from the faucet. I can flush my toilet paper. I can buy shampoo with labels in English. I can surf the 150,000 channels where nothing is on...but it's all in English! Oh the simple pleasures! :)

Here are some of my favorite Christmas pictures. Note that the nieces are included!!

So far it's been a peaceful return. Now that Christmas is over though, I have been a bit sad as my heart is realizing I'm not just back in the US on vacation! But being with family is so sweet right now.

Packing 101: When things just don't fit.

2008-12-20T02:29:00.000-08:00

Saying goodbye at Saramoldeava

2008-12-18T02:11:00.000-08:00

I wish you could see the kids in person- the way they smile and laugh, their little fears and hurts, and the immense love you can pour in only to find it is you that has been filled up.

If you can't meet them, I'd love to show you my videos...especially the crazy ones with the balloons.

But if you can meet them and you can't see my videos, how about some pictures from my last day at Saramoldeava?

Negotiating the Bride...and Midnight Disco

2008-12-17T02:39:00.000-08:00

So on the eve of Eid, my family (including me) caravaned out to a nearby village (2 hours!). We went to celebrate what they said was a wedding, but was actually the negotiations for the bride!

First came the "unveiling." The bride, supported by her friends bowed continual as music was interspersed with the calling of relatives names. The appropriate relatives (his and hers) came forward to give money. The more money, the higher the veil until all the names had been said and her face was exposed.

Then we all headed inside to dine (more Bisbarmak, the 3rd time that day!) and LOADS of people and food. Every room was packed. :)

We finished, cleaned, and I was thankful to see it was before 10pm. Maybe I would be in bed by midnight after all! I had work the next day! Yea...no such luck. We sat around waiting and waiting. I finally asked and was told we were waiting for some of our relatives. Oh. They came, they ate, we sat some more. I asked again and was told we were waiting for her relatives.

Then came the realization that I was going to be there a very VERY long time. An hour later my Mom came over to say that this was a real "Kazakh drama" I was getting to see. Her family had been locked in with the bride-to-be for a long time and was NOT happy. And hour later they came out...and guess what... yes, we ATE AGAIN! Remember this is following the 4 meals I had at various houses for Aid and the meal I had already eaten there!

An hour into the meal and toasts, more serious negotiations began. I was stuck with the eldest siblings and so sat respectfully and tried not to yawn. FINALLY my Mom had mercy and...sent me out to the disco! I couldn't believe it! Oy vy! Again, realizing that I was not leaving any time soon, I figured I should make the best of it...and I danced my socks off to the utter shock and delight of all my Kazakh relatives and the townspeople! My older cousins helped me ward of the jigits (young men) who drank to much and we had a GREAT time!

At about 1:30 am or so I finally was DONE! I couldn't dance or hop or even hum another song. I went in to find out how close negotiations were (no where near done) and was directed to the "sleeping room." SLEEPING ROOM! How come no one told me about that 3 hours earlier!!! In any case, I literally fell onto a pile of pillows on the floor at which point my host Mom decided she should get me home... if only I had known that a performance of exhaustion was the ticket home, I would have done it a lot earlier! Anyway, I tucked into bed somewhere near 4:00 am, and surprisingly was no worse the wear the next day...with a great story to share!

Eid (the crazy fun blog)

2008-12-16T00:39:00.000-08:00

So my day of Eid began at 11am.
And let me start off explained that my host mom is one of TEN children. With marriages and kids, that's a lot of people!!

So my host brother and I head off to one aunt's house and just before leaving are redirected. We show up to a two room apartment full of 20 people! More keep arriving. We do the official Eid having tea, sweets, nuts, and of course bread.

Then I'm encouraged to relax so I play about an hours worth of Uno with the boys. I've become a favorite among the cousins from 3 to 23 because I show up to family times with fun games!

Soon, Bishbarmak is ready (big flat noodles with fresh sheep!). It's a traditional dish called bis (5) barmak (fingers) because it is eaten with the hands. So we dine...again!

Another hour or so...and we're off another persons house. Friends instead of family and we have yet another tasty meal. I'm pretty much full at this point, but being the American, food is heaped on my plate and I oblige with slow nibbles.

Another hour here and we go back to "home base." Then we're off to another sisters house. I was left alone to "christen" the house with my tea drinking and apple eating. By this time I've switched to fruits and teas hoping I can make it through the day.

We head to another place, but stay outside with increasing numbers of family gathering. Then as the sun sets and evening approaches...we head for a wedding!!!! But that's three more meals and another story!

Eid (the education blog)

2008-12-16T00:27:00.000-08:00

This past week was the Muslim holiday of Eid (pronounced Aite here in Kazakhstan). According to Wikipedia online:

Eid el-Adha

Eid ul-Adha (عيد الأضحى), or the Festival of Sacrifice, falls approximately 70 days after Eid el-Fitr (end of Ramadan) and is celebrated in honor of the prophet Abraham willingness to sacrifice his son as a proof of his loyalty to God (Allah). Celebrations usually include presenting an animal (usually a cow or a sheep) sacrifice, and the meat is shared with family, friends and those in need.

This holiday is a "drop in day." This means every woman cooks the days or nights before Aite (which lasts 3 days) and prepares for unexpected guests. All the traditional food is eaten and families come together.

2008-12-15T23:02:00.000-08:00

So it's been a busy few weeks. With just 6 days left in the country and only two of them in the office, I'm trying to catch up on my posts...

First, here's a glimpse of our time at Savva orphanage. For me it was saying goodbye, but I made it through. A couple of the older girls have become especially close to me. They were sad when I said I probably wouldn't make it back in time for graduation, but they have said they'll keep writing!

We also had a long discussion with several of the older girls. Two or three times a year we bring supplies for them to write their sponsors. Unfortunately the girls said they've written and written, but had no response! When I'm in the states, I hope to encourage sponsors to write to their children. It's a big deal to get a letter...or not to get one.

Bear or Pig? Vote now!

2008-12-09T21:54:00.000-08:00

Our Kids Connection group have had a long running debate we now submit to the public eye. At the Saramoldeava orphanage there is carved animal. So far about 8 people (including Ken & Kiikzhan) believe it to be a bear. On the other hand 6 people (including Sara & I) believe it to be a pig? So what is it????

BEAR OR PIG??? You decide. Leave a comment.

Goodbyes in the village

2008-12-07T21:51:00.000-08:00

I had my final weekend in the village with Moldir and her family. It was so wonderful to be with the children and their families. We played our favorite card games (Uno, Skip Bo, and Old Maid). I brought stickers for the little girls which was a big hit, especially the fuzzy hearts and the kittens!

I had a special gift for them, family portraits. I brought my camera to visit their homes and we had a lot of fun with the photos. Here are my favorite.

And they had some special gifts for me too!

These are friends who have such different lives than me, across the world from where I grew up, but who are so precious to my heart! I am incredibly thankful for all they've offered me whether it be a home for the weekend, a fun game, or their love and acceptance.

House building with his own two hands

2008-12-05T21:40:00.000-08:00

So I recently heard that one of my boys, who was studying at Shu, stopped attending in order to...build a house! Yea, he's building a house! His sister lives in Taraz and is a part of the Youth Impact program. She's said that not only has he been building a house, but he's close to being done. He wants a place for his sister to live when she finishes school, so they can live and work as a family. Can you imagine?

Shu bound

2008-12-03T21:30:00.000-08:00

November 21st was a wonderful day for me. We headed to the village of Shu were boys who have graduated from Savva orphanage attend technical school. If you remember some of the kids who are most special to me live at this school.

We had a really good day! 4 boys of "my 10" were missing, but the others spent almost the whole day with us. The Youth Impact team did an AIDS seminar and then we did a giant obstacle course with them. The boys had great attitudes for the day and expressed a lot of thanks. And it was great to see that for the most part their eyes were unclouded and didn't show the effects of substance abuse that we saw on our spring visit.

At the end of the day, Youth Impact gave them shampoo and soap and other such items. And I was able to hand out letters, warm gloves, socks, and winter caps to those boys I know well. I also let them know I was leaving Kazakhstan, but hoped to return. They all agreed I should just get a five year contract! I laughed and let them know I would keep writing even when I was away. Since they have no emotional support where they are, I know the letters mean a great deal to them. For me it's a comfort to see them whole and well, starting to work and slowly making their way.

You've never been shopping like this!

2008-12-01T21:11:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a special US sponsor, Ulan children are getting to go shopping for the holidays! Interlink was given the opportunity to provide each child at Ulan with a gift for the New Year (they don't celebrate Christmas here) worth 2,000 tenge ($18). So we thought... instead of buying the gifts for them, we'll take them shopping...all 150 kids! Yup, we're a bit crazy, but with a little bit of organization, it went as smooth as butter. We worked with one of the larger shops here (a little Wal-Martesk) and arranged to bring the children in groups of 10-15 with a staff or volunteer member to escort them around the store. It was great!

My morning began with a set of boys, 10 and 11. One boy got a shirt and the other got some wheels to strap on to his shoes (like roller skates). Then I had 3 little girls determined to get baby dolls. I made sure they saw all their options first, but baby dolls it was, all pink with bibs and bottles and all! My morning finished off with two slightly older girls, one who has become very special to me over this past year. Both girls managed to find jeans on sale (shocking!) and under the cost (another shock!).

My afternoon was a bit more difficult. I had 2 older boys who more interested in the electronics the store did NOT offer, than what was available. They finally spent their money on some nice colonges and other such products. The older boys seemed the only ones not so happy with the shopping deal. But THEN they wer followed by 3 older girls. I need a cart for them! The girls sought out all the deals to get the most shampoo, lotion, soaps (etcetera) that they could! Oy vy! My next two groups of boys and girls were quickly satisfied with clearing out the barbie aisle and picking out some cool warish boy toys.

The two best moments of the day were when Inabat, my special girl, walked around clinging to me and smiling. It's children like her that are going to make it so hard to leave Kazakhstan. The second sweet memory was a comment Kiikzhan told me another girl had made. It went along the lines of "So that's what shopping is like." She had never in all her 14 years gone shopping!!! The whole day was worth it! We'll probably do this twice more in order to get all the kids.

Thanksgiving Installment 2

2008-11-29T02:11:00.000-08:00

So here's the other half of the story! It's a little late but I've been having trouble posting photos!

Friday, Day 3, Meals 2 & 3 So on Friday we had another Thanksgiving with our office staff. We prepped and invited them over for a long lunch...and it was a success. They pretty much LOVED everything which is a good sign! They especially seemed to like my grandmothers recipe for sauteed mushrooms which is a staple holiday food at my house! We also participated in the tradition here of writing something special on the Thanksgiving tablecloth. Many of them wrote how thankful they were for their jobs and the staff. When we went around verbally one even expressed how we together were like a family. I was so sentimental I could hardly get out that I was thankful for this year. Somehow I couldn't say more, the joy was so great! Friday night was followed up with leftovers and a game night for Sara's birthday. More food! :)

Saturday, Day 4, Meal 4 & Baking Saturday we gathered again for a Thanksgiving meal, yummy leftover sandwiches! We saved some food for those that had missed the staff dinner, divied up the leftovers to share at our Kazakh homes and called it a wrap!

Thanksgiving Installment 1

2008-11-27T21:42:00.000-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! This post was really Jason's idea, but since you might not read his blog, I thought you'd be interested in our Thanksgiving...which lasted 4 days! This blog covers Day 1 & 2.

Wednesday, Day 1, Shopping
20 lbs potatoes
3 LIVE turkeys
2 huge pumpkins
8 cans mushrooms
8 cans corn
2 gallons milk
4 lbs butter
6 cans evaporated milk
6 dozen eggs
10 loaves of bread
2 bags frozen green beans
2 pounds of onions
4 heads of garlic (about 35 cloves)
10 batches of pie crust
1 bag marshmallows (imported!)
Flour, sugar, and the rest more than can be tracked!

Thursday, Day 2, Cooking & Meal 1
Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Mushrooms
Creamed Corn
Plain Corn
Green Beans
Homemade Rolls
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan (Walnut) Pie
Apple Pie
Ice Cream

We literally cooked ALL DAY (9am-10pm) on Thursday breaking only for dinner around 5pm and a game of Canasta around 8pm while the oven was full! We joked that we had lakes of corn pudding, mountains of stuffing, and a whole city of pumpkin in various stages of roasting, cooling, and mashing!

Family is sweet

2008-11-19T03:04:00.000-08:00

My host home is just me and my Mom and my host brother. They have work and school respectively in the evening hours so it makes for a quiet apartment. When my friend Farzana invited me to her home to meet her family, I was thrilled! I met Farzana through Interlingua, a local English school here that Interlink helped found years ago. Farzana is one of many English teachers but for some reason we just connected. It may be our love of music, our love of laughter, or that something you just can't put your finger on. In any case I spent an evening learning how to make manty (large dumplings) and one of many special Kazakh salads. I also got to spend time with her husband, son, and adorable daughter! Here she and I (not at home) but at the Interlingua 5 year anniversary party!

Meltdown!

2008-11-17T01:56:00.000-08:00

Some things you have to learn the hard way.

So on a regular orphanage visit to Ulan we took melty-beads. If you don't know what these are, check them out, because they're fun. Anyway it basically entails small plastic squares, thousands of tiny beads, and an iron to melt them together. Hence being called melty-beads.

In any case, Ken, Kiikzhan, and I headed out to share this cool craft with Ulan kids in their free time. What we hadn't planned on was that it was a school holiday and instead of having the normal 10-20 kids, we were inundated and had up to 70 at one time! There wasn't room to walk and our supplies were definitely drained. I think a few beads were lost in the carpet but the other 4,999 were used!

Then...we realized a bigger problem. I had one iron and it took 3 minutes for each plastic craft. 1 iron, 3 minutes, 70 kids, and less than half an hour before we were to leave! Yea, we didn't do the math so well. We ended up extending our stay another 40 minutes and Kiikzhan and I fought to keep the children from sticking their fingers under the iron where they tried to take their still melting craft! In our last and absolutely final batch we had 7 crafts but 15 kids all claiming it was theirs! AGH! Definite meltdown!

But we kept our cool, figured out what belonged to who and headed home! That afternoon we were brave (foolish) enough to try again, this time armed with two irons! We ended up with only a small group of girls... Thank goodness!

The importance of big brothers

2008-11-15T00:58:00.000-08:00

This month I've met two big brothers who are carrying a little bit of the world on their shoulders.

One boy, Pasha (14 years old), just recently came to the orphanage with his little brother (7 years old) and sister (5 years old). They stopped attending regular school and were found at home in poor conditions. For their well being they were placed at an orphanage.

I first met his brother and sister in the smaller children's group. Upon asking questions I found they didn't know their birthdays and had trouble with their family name. We later met their brother who was able to give us this information. Just imagine at 14 being the head of a small family! I felt how huge the burden was on this young man's shoulders. I'm thankful that he's getting help now from caring people at the orphanage.

Then, I got to celebrate his birthday with him. From his reactions I think that this may have been his first birthday celebration with cake, candy, music, games, and gifts. You could see he was working hard not to spend the time grinning, but he was definitely radiant. It was so touching to watch his eyes light up. And he even went out and brought me this little flower which I promptly put behind my ear. I plan to write him letters to encourage him in the future.

The second brother I encountered was Igor (thanks for the photo Sara). Igor has one younger brother and, honestly, he's a handful! I don't think he stopped for more than 2 seconds the whole time we were with the kids. And unfortunately it seems that the majority of dealing with his brother falls on Igor's shoulders. He is far to young for this responsibility that I'm sure would exasperate two healthy parents! I only spent a little time with him, but I plan to write him a letter of encouragement too. Being a big brother is important, but hard work!

Never fear, the clowns are here!

2008-11-13T02:16:00.000-08:00

We've decided to make better use of our supplies and we're starting with the clown costumes!

What happened is we helped out at a Halloween Youth Impact carnival and then kept the costumes on for Ulan's birthday. They kids responded with so much joy that we wore them the following weekend at the Savva birthday party. Now we're considering wearing them on a regular basis. It reminds me of the Patch Adams philosophy which could be said to follow a proverb that says "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine."

The Sky is Falling!

2008-11-11T00:25:00.000-08:00

Winter is here in Kazakhstan announcing itself with the cessation of the rains and the introduction of SNOW! It's two days early, per Jason's prediction. He said the Internet called for snow on Monday, but snow came Friday...then again on Monday...then again last night...and is supposed to keep it up for quite some time. I've exchanged my jacket for my snow coat and we're walking around like plump snowmen here!

"Special Friends"

2008-11-04T02:22:00.000-08:00

So every now and then, someone (or something) comes along to really touch your heart. Here are some of the newest office members who have been greeted with great emotion whether it be kisses...or running and shrieking! You will be relieved to know they have all found proper homes now, indoors or out, as appropriate!

Saramoldeava goes driving, Part TWO

2008-11-02T00:07:00.000-07:00

We just finished up with our final delegation, the Kids Connection delegation. This was a group of sponsors from Lynchburg who come to meet the children they sponsor as well as to see the work that Interlink does here. There have been some really great moments you can read about on the Interlink blog. But here are some pictures of the kids...driving! Again!

Halloweeeeeeeeeeeeennnnn.....OooooooOOOoo

2008-10-31T23:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I have to admit that normally I chose not to celebrate "Halloween" per say. I have for years preferred autumn festivals. BUT when you're an American with a unique holiday, you celebrate.

So here I am with my host family. We carved a pumpkin together. We began with a scary face and then flipped it over to add a smiling face (complete with a tongue sticking out per my brother's request) on the other side! Then we feasted on pumpkin sauteed a'la Ember and roasted pumpkin seeds. It was a really great time to be together!

Today (Halloween) I will be helping at the Youth Impact carnival. Then us staff with get together for a scary (suspense) movie (with more pumpkin seeds) to round out the day!

Rockin' rollik with Rakhym

2008-10-30T05:31:00.000-07:00

Rockin' you know.
Rollik is from a previous blog.
But what is Rakhym you wonder?

Well Rakhym is the name of an orphanage. It's different than most in that it only has 4 children. They live in a home with a Kazakh family. In past years we've helped remodel their kitchen, clean out their yard of wild bushes and debris, as well as help purchase clothing, book, etcetera. This year we are sponsoring them to take English lessons. The oldest girl likes to practice with us!

With the delegation we took them out for a special evening including dinner at a very trendy restaurant (the girls were excited to tell their friends)! Then we headed out to the square for roller blading (rollick), air hockey, and some good old fashioned tag. Jason (the American) proved to be the fastest, but Kiikzhan kept him running by zig zagging all over the square.

Saramoldaeva goes driving, Part ONE

2008-10-28T23:51:00.000-07:00

For birthdays this year we decided against a movie. We wanted more interaction with the children. So this year we will go to a cafe together & then head for the Racing Club! Yup, we're taking the kids clubbing! Here are a few of my favorite snapshots of them tearing up the roads!

Here's also a couple from the square that I think are great.

Happy Birthday to you never get's old...or does it?!

2008-10-28T05:05:00.000-07:00

So we are very excited this year to start birthdays with Ulan orphanage. Last year Kids Connection was only able to attend a couple of months of birthdays, but now we are back on a regular schedule. At Ulan, things are a little different. For example at Savva we bring cake, prizes, gifts and run the show with games and music. For Saramoldeava orphanage we take the kids and either had dinner at Ken's house or (this year) take them to a cafe and fun activity. At Ulan the teachers run the show and cook amazing foods then bring them in to celebrate with the kids. There are children who prepare dances and songs and we give toasts and gifts. (I need to practice my Kazakh toasts more!)

The sweetest little interview you ever did see!

2008-10-19T05:07:00.000-07:00

We encourage US sponsors to write letters to their children, but we also try to encourage the kids to write their sponsors. And once a year we do a general update of the entire sponsorship program. To update information with younger children, we have to verbally ask them questions (about their summer or what they want to be when they grow up). Some can be really touching (see Sara's blog). However, the thing that got my heart all mushy was watching Moldir and Kiikzhan "interview" the children in loving, tender, and quiet ways. Often children here aren't expected to express their own preferences, especially at young ages so it took some skill to help the children relax, understand the question, and to answer them. It was so heartwarming to watch!

From the kitchen...

2008-10-18T02:58:00.000-07:00

So I've been shopping (and cooking) lately. Here are some rules for shopping:

1. If you don't know what it is but everyone is eating it, buy it, it's probably good! So all over I see people purchasing and eating these little round things and I've been wondering. I didn't know how to ask and couldn't get a taste, so I finally bought about 2 cups of these...tiny apples. And they taste just like you'd expect. Perfect mini apples! My host brother devoured about 75 in 15 minutes. They're just that good.

2. You may not recognize it... Here are mushrooms. Fresh picked. Yum! The Turkish ladies who sell these at the bazaar know we Americans are suckers for mushrooms. They also never fail to point out how fat all Americans are! Anyone for smiling insults with your shopping? Can you imagine the fresh produce sales-girl saying that to you in the US.
3. Round=tasty. Bread....... (said with a Homer Simpson type donut moan).

4. The more color, the better. Veggies!!! Seriously...not a lick of meat and about 17 kilos of flavor!

5. Prices are negotiable! Here's my shopping list for one week totally about $15.
Mini apples 60 cents
Bread (two rounds) 41 cents
Tomatoes (a dozen romas) 16 cents
Raspberries (1 pound) $2.90
Mushrooms (1 pound) $1.60
Eggplant (2 pounds) 75 cents
Garlic (2 heads) 33 cents
Small cabbage 20 cents
Carrots (1 pound) 20 cents
Potatoes (2 pounds) 55 cents
Colgate toothpaste $1.60
Deodorant $2.90
Bath loufa 60 cents

6. Make friends. No one would sell me less than a bucket of raspberries which would have cost me around $14. So I sat back and looked for Kazakhs! I found a couple and approached them. They were so delighted that I as an American spoke Kazakh (and no Russian) that they were happy to sell me a half a kilo!

Bumpity bumpity THUD THUD SLAM!

2008-10-17T03:39:00.000-07:00

That's the sound of me falling....read on!

We were at Savva again the first weekend of October. We switched from a Sunday to Monday trip to a Saturday to Sunday trip. Sunday evening the kids were prepping for school and our evening visits to their rooms made sleeping difficult. So now we had a fun late Saturday night with them and the whole day on Sunday to play games and have our birthday party!

So the falling part, yeah, you probably are interested in that. Saturday night the kids and I made up a fun game. They kept wanting to run, but if I ran I was supposed to chase after them...and chasing after 10 kids all yelling your name who are WAY faster than you is only so much fun. So instead, I made them chase me....and, well, can you see where this is going? I fell. But it wasn't an ordinary fall...it was an extraordinarily, GLORIOUS, and complete WIPE-OUT! And I reveled in it! Really... I proudly showed my bloody palms all weekend. And when I got home...I showed my host brother. Poor guy is always falling and is covered in wounds and scars (no joke) so my family had a good laugh when I came home and had my own to show!!

There were some really good moments though. One young teen girl who I've grown close with through letters over the months was having a really bad day (at the birthday party no less)! I was able to spend some time comforting her and then got to watch her slowly engage all the way to ending the party with a smile. Another kid, a teen boy, is generally a misfit, but after he gave me a hard time I decided to add him to "my group" and began writing letters to him. Well, he didn't want to have anything to do with our time in his group. Later I saw him and we asked if he wanted a letter and picture...he didn't. Well, he didn't till I pretended to be wretchedly offended he didn't want the letter I had written! His frown flipped over into a smile and he hung around long enough to get a letter and to do the sponsor update we needed from him! It's so humbling to know that our love and care for the kids can fill up a sad heart or get a rebel to soften. I can't wait to be back in a couple of weeks!

Here are pix of me and the team!

Rah Rah Shishboomba!

2008-10-16T02:41:00.000-07:00

The title is meant to indicate the coaches are here! David Knauss, Interlink President, Barb Bullard, US Director of Ops, and Larry Hargis, Chairman of the board are in Taraz for one week for business (and the pleasure of seeing us). We've had loads of meetings and have many more to go! This visit is a little more fun for some though as it's Barb's first time in KZ and it's always such a delight to share the "firsts" of Kazakhstan with people. Here we are at dinner!

And Thursday (tomorrow) I will meet with the coaches to discuss my future...drum roll please!

Gone with the wind

2008-10-14T23:01:00.000-07:00

So this weekend brought a GREAT WIND to Taraz. And when I mean great...I mean winds that can do THIS! (See below) The first picture is at my apartment building and the tree is still there. What do you do where there isn't a "city service" to remove the tree branches sticking through your balcony?

During the afternoon, I did take a walk home to see the clouds after the storm. I thought a lull was the end...I was wrong. I felt bad for my choice to walk until I saw the BIRDS. Hundreds (literally) were being blown by the wind. The poor things were fighting so hard, but they didn't have a choice to hide inside, away from the wind.

Note: GREAT WINDS are a controversy here at the office. Some nationals believe the winds tend to follow a rocket being shot. Remember Kazakhstan was long the home of Soviet rocket and nuclear testing. However, others feel strongly that rockets and winds aren't related. It makes for lively discussions!

Yellow = Happiness

2008-10-10T01:54:00.000-07:00

I was sad to think I would miss the turning of the leaves in beautiful Virginia. Often I've wished I could drive up into the familiar Blue Ridge Mountains for peace and prayer. But happily...there is a beautiful fall in Kazakhstan too!

Each walk home I watch the colors get richer and richer. We've been blessed with mild weather and so each day with the blue sky, perfect white fluffy clouds, and gorgeous trees, I'm as happy as a lark! I tell you though, it has let to a lot of nostalgia. Kazakhstan has become home, I love my life and friends here and each day that passes takes me closer to departure. But I am doing my very best to cherish each day and hold it in my heart.

Here are some pictures from my walking route...

Where did all the chocolate go…ooo…oooo….

2008-10-08T01:47:00.000-07:00

In my mind, the title of this blog goes to some song about cowboys…

In any case, on this day (really September 30th although I’m likely to post this much later) we know where the chocolate went. To OLYA!!!

For her birthday, Sara and I pulled out the chocolate stops. Sara made her super easy fudge and I pulled my chocolate chips out of hiding and used the rest of my stash for authentic American chocolate chip cookies. I think she was happy! Here are some pictures from her birthday (one she shared with Jason). I think the crowns are a nice touch, don’t you? Those were also a Sara, Kiikzhan, and I special! Birthdays really are so much fun…though I’m ready for a break at this point!

EARTHQUAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-10-07T03:12:00.000-07:00

Literally! A fault line juts into the southern corner of Kazakhstan. In fact, some say the earthquakes are a reason (one of the many) the capital was moved from Almaty in the south to Astana in the north. Supposedly I've already felt TWO earthquakes while living here. My host family told me to sit down for one (it was so minor you couldn't feel it standing) but I missed it. The other I woke up in the night and wondered why I felt "shaky" but was ill at the time and thought it was me!

So Sunday night I was laying down not yet asleep and RUMBLE! Earthquake! It felt as if I was lying on top of a old running dryer, the kind that rattles and bumps, but not enough to go anywhere! I looked over to see the water sloshing in my water-bottle on the dresser. The whole thing lasted maybe 8 minutes...just enough for me to go from thinking "COOL! My first earthquake!" to thinking "Ummm...what if it gets worse?!" I realized I had no idea what to do if the earthquake got worse! Till now that is. I've done the smart thing and found some tips (all logical) on earthquake behavior recommended by the Red Cross...

Yet another thing I never thought about in Delaware or Virginia!

Lesson from my mother: “A little paint and fabric goes a long way”

2008-10-06T01:39:00.000-07:00

So this year the Polytechnic Institute gave two rooms to the Youth Impact Program. So Olya asked me to team up with her and Moldir to bring empty rooms to life on a low budget. We found some pictures we liked, they came up with a few slogans and we picked out fabric at the bazaar. Ideally we could throw in a few couches as well, but the thrift-shop-second-hand-couch concept hasn’t reached KZ yet. So we did our best and I think the rooms look pretty good! Here’s a shot from Moldir’s room.

Kazakh Teacher

2008-10-05T01:33:00.000-07:00

I’ve been spoiled lately. My Kazakh teacher is now coming to our office since there are four of us enrolled in classes that occur one after the other. Here is a picture of my teacher (on the left), her assistant Anya, and her grandson. On a recent exam I did really well with grammar which is shocking, but not so well in vocabulary…. Here’s the problem.

Right now I have about 50 words to learn. I truly learn about five a week meaning they become a part of my regular vocabulary. But every week my teacher gives me about 20 new words…can you see the backlog? So generally I pick words that are relevant to me, words like “pick up” “cheap” “remember.” I tend not to memorize words like “ski” “to conquer” as I’m not likely to use those. Yea, guess which ones were on my exam?! I think I’m progressing, slowly but surely, like molasses…or a sloth...or an iceberg...get the drift?

Mr. Postman bring to me...

2008-10-03T23:57:00.000-07:00

So Thursday I was at Ulan and we were handing out some gifts from sponsors and pictures from the carnival. We asked the children if they wanted to write their sponsors, but the truth is, many still don't have sponsors.

Sponsoring a child is about $200 per year ($50 each quarter). It allows us to do big projects, like the purchasing of mattresses, redoing old floors, installing new doors or windows. But the other half of sponsorship is letting a child know that they matter. On our end we have birthday parties for the children each month, and from the U.S. come letters (in the form of emails or physical mail) and gifts. I can't describe to you how excited the children are when they get these little things that let them know they are special to someone, somewhere. If you want to be a sponsor, see our website.

Unlocking the chamber of secrets

2008-10-02T23:52:00.000-07:00

So the doors were opened (metaphorically speaking) and I got my “surprise” from the rooms with the signs. No, it wasn’t a pony. No, they didn’t keep the clowns in the conference room for 3 days like I guessed. What I DID get was a huge poster with pictures of my close office friends writing me sweet or funny messages. With a tiny apartment it was difficult to know where to put it, but now it sits next to me on the bed (topping my guitar) and I smile every morning at my friends’ birthday surprise for me!

Ramadan and the sheep on my porch

2008-10-01T23:39:00.000-07:00

Living in Kazakhstan, I’m learning a lot about Islam this year. For example, did you know that Ramadan has occurred in the month of September? Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. During Ramadan, Muslims fast and pray. One night during Ramadan, translated, the “Night of Power,” is a night many will stay awake to pray all night. It coincided with my birthday this year.

Ramadan ends with Eid, which is the breaking of fast. For Eid at my house this week a lot of food was cooked and we had guests for two days! We also, in our tiny kitchen, chopped up a whole sheep from the village. I watched only out of morbid curiosity as my Mom dug through the innards and salted it down. The whole caboodle is now on our porch…who knows what the future holds for it now!

The clowns are out tonight...

2008-09-26T04:55:00.000-07:00

Okay, well we didn't wear the clown costumes. But we did throw a HUGE CARNIVAL for the Ulan kids. We had games and prizes and I think they had lots of fun. The weather was a perfect, sunny, fall day. I was behind the camera and here are a few of the shots I got! We had this special time because were weren't able to have a summer camp with the kids.

One of the coolest parts of our time was that the Ulan graduates who are now in the YOUTH IMPACT program volunteered to help. Some of those girls are born leaders! Others, well, we're going to work and train them more. It was just so good to see them giving back! Here are some of our volunteers.

Birthday....well, birthday....birthday WOW is all I can say!

2008-09-26T01:14:00.000-07:00

So far my birthday has been one surprise after another. I've had middle of the night texts from America, flowers upon flowers to greet me, balloons in the shape of chickens, balloons with funny noses, balloons with special messages, and heart shaped balloons that say"I love you."

THEN I got to do the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new basement toilet! I was supposed to christen it first, but the spot was already taken!

But that's not all! I also had CLOWNS! It was the most amazing birthday EVER! I can't imagine how any future party could top the surprise of clowns!! My coworkers did crazy races and dances for me. I got to wear a Kazakh crown and robe! I mean, it's better than Christmas!

Following office tradition I brought a cake for tea time! It was my own version of Black-Forest-meets-Devil's-Food-Introducing-Strawberry-Jam! It was decadent to say the least!

And THEN, yes, there's more. The package from home that disappeared finally reappeared and I opened a big box of presents from home! Hurrah! In addition, one of my orphanage graduates stopped by with a sweet gift. Another gave me a picture of her as a baby. So precious.

But I'm still banned from the room upstairs so I think there is more to come! Even then, the day isn't over yet. Tonight I'll have a party including my own crazy games and prizes....

Where next???

2008-09-25T03:45:00.000-07:00

Good thing my birthday is tomorrow. I'm already banned from going anywhere at work at this point!

Santa Claus need not apply

2008-09-25T03:24:00.000-07:00

Well, one of the most fun things about my job is GIVING to the kids!

This past weekend we spent time at Ulan (the Kazakh speaking orphanage) to give out gifts. If you remember the American delegation came but for financial reasons was unable to do the full camp with the kids. So we spent the weekend with the children. One day for gifts and the second...well, you'll see on my next blog. So here we are giving out tee-shirts and cameo bags (very popular). Here I am with our mentally challenged boys group who were over the moon about their presents!

One bucket girl

2008-09-24T03:11:00.000-07:00

I am a one bucket girl. Don't worry, that's a good thing. :)

So now is the chilly season. The city has turned off the hot water to prep the pipes for winter. They won't turn it back on until October 15th. So unless you have a water heater (which we don't at my apartment) the water is cold, cold, COLD! October 15th is also, not coincidentally, when the heat is also turned on as it is also city controlled.

So the temperatures are dropping (long sleeves and jackets necessary) and we're up to 2 blanket night temperatures...and we've no hot water nor heat. But this happens every year and is normal. And really, I'm fine with it. I've become a one bucket girl. That means with two kettles of boiled water mixed with half a bucket of frozen water, I'm able to complete all necessary bathing for a day! Top to bottom. :)

Torture, simply torture

2008-09-23T04:37:00.001-07:00

Yeah so my birthday is coming and...well, someone thought this was a good idea.

I think they got me a pony!

1+1=2 and 2-1=1 Simple Village Math

2008-09-22T04:13:00.000-07:00

So I was in the village again this past weekend. It was a really wonderful time. The village is one of the places I feel that I can truly relax. I'm too much of a guest to work, and there's nothing else to do but relax. We girls watched some old Indian movies and played tons of games with the kids. I made super-friends with the little girls when I gave them some little butterfly barrettes. And I made the mistake of creating a "wonderful" train game of running around the yard... only a mistake because it was so fun I had to do it for ages and ages!!

So why the math? Well, in the outhouse there is normally one hole (self-explanatory). Except now there are two holes! I stepped in only for a board to break and my shoe to fall in (yes, it was a new shoe!!). So one hole became two and two shoes became one!!! The most beloved of all the village dogs has claimed the left over shoe and so I happily departed the village two shoes lighter! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend.

What are you eating for Thanksgiving (Alternate title: I'll take the one on the left)

2008-09-18T03:36:00.000-07:00

I don't normally eat meat...but there are some exceptions. We've chosen the big one...

Seriously, I'm told these babies are like gold here and of all places, they are just down the street from our office!

Fun & New Friends

2008-09-16T03:17:00.000-07:00

So, what have I been up to with my friends and free time? Well, we've been rollick! Although it sounds a bit like the combination between a dance and a sickness, it's really the local term for roller-blading. So awhile ago we took some of the orphan kids...then some of my Kazakh friends (specifically my coworker Olya) were inspired to learn. Here are some fun pictures!

Everything is more fun in Kazakhstan

2008-09-15T04:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, well not everything...but...

I got a package today, only no one told me! Instead a troop of coworkers came to my desk and demanded a "song or dance" for a surprise. I gave them a song appropriate to having 5 people staring at you demanding things for an unknown reason. See link to song. However, they felt that that song wasn't appropriate and demanded another.

Now there are two things I'm thinking:
1. Dude, it's sad if they are surprising me two weeks before my birthday. It will spoil my birthday if they do everything early.
2. Is there really a surprise? I wondered if perhaps they were seeing how gullible (or vain) I would be to keep taking song requests with the lure of a "surprise" to come.

But I gave in (since not all the people in the group were hooligans by nature), and I sang a happy song. ...And VOILA, they brought in a package from my Mom! Hurrah, I'm so excited! Mail is SUPER DUPER EXTRASUPERCALAFRAGALISTICEXPEALADOTIOUS WONDERFUL when I'm here.

BUT then...they tried to take my package away when I told them it was for my birthday! I stole it back and insisted I DO have some self control (which I do) and therefore the box is resting happily at my feet under my desk. :) Everything is more fun in Kazakhstan...

As you can see, my address is very clear just in case anyone is interested, lol! :) Thanks Mom and Dad!

Preparation 101: The More People the Better

2008-09-14T03:06:00.000-07:00

Each month we have a birthday celebration at each of the different orphanages. It may not seem important but for these kids it can be a HUGE deal. Imagine if you never had a birthday celebration at all!

So we make sure they have one. There's cake (homemade chocolate and the local variety) soda, chips... you get the junk food idea. Then there's games and dancing with lots of prizes. And, of course, there are the birthday presents. Past years they've given wallets, watches, lotions, all sorts of things. The most recent past year, children chose from several small items and got a cap and small carrying bag.

This year we went with fun school supplies. So here is our team packing up tons of packets full of pencils, erasers, coloring books (younger kids), journals (older kids), rulers and the like. And as ever with an assembly line, the more people the better!

Birthdays at the office...mine is coming September 26th and I'm not ashamed to say so!!!

2008-09-13T03:48:00.000-07:00

So here was my end of August checklist:
1. Jump off the balcony for Kiikzhan's birthday
2. Arrange clowns for Aben
3. Find a birthday princess
As you can see, I sucessfully completed each mission. I like birthdays!

Um...yeah, not so much :)

2008-09-12T02:28:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't posted anything in awhile...mostly because there's not so much to report. I have been here (see photo) pretty much all the time the past few weeks.
It's September and the kids are back is school so you would THINK that we'd be back to our regular orphanage visits. Yeah, that's what I thought too. However, we are waiting till their schedules get settled and we'll start up our program in October. So when October hits, it'll be INSANITY... but for now I get to do fun things. So we'll have some fun things post.

Number 1: Go to the park with friends and take pictures, which is a very popular pastime among young people with cameras!!! It's true in America and pretty much everywhere these days! Since I am one of the priveledged few with a camera it happens to me often. :) So here is my friend Jumiliya in a new park near my house. And here am I at what I call the "Happy Fountain" because instead of running steady it just bursts up as if it can't contain itself. I like to watch it very much. Maybe because it's a little like me sometimes!

Some things never change

2008-09-01T00:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't have the time with the Ulan work group like I wanted, but I did have some great moment to remind them that some things never change! For those of you who know me, you know how silly I am. I just wanted you to know that some things never change! I would encourage you to check out the Interlink blog and Sara's blog to see the amazing work the delegation did at Vanofka orphanage and at a cerebral palsy camp!

Karen, it was so great to see you!

Friend’s Needed, Apply Within

2008-08-30T23:49:00.000-07:00

I think I’ve mentioned this before, but one thing my friendships have shown to me is the real need for authentic, trusting friendships here. Many of these young women are confiding in me things they say they can’t talk to family about and don’t have friends they can trust. In the US counseling is so common and we (sometimes too openly) can admit to family and personal problems. In contrast, Kazakh society functions on a more private level where it is still very shameful to admit personal struggle. To admit to even a close friend any kind of hurt, abuse, or fear (from present, past, or future) is to incur their pity, the worst possible thing. And it may mean that you have released details that may be passed on to their family and friends. At one point I was cautioned that to tell a person something means its public information to share! I was quickly reassured by my close Kazakh friends it’s not so for them!

I simply think the counseling field is wide open and so needed here. Kazakhstan has had a painful history like we Americans could never understand. I can only imagine how many people hunger for someone to talk to, to help sort through the challenges they have faced in the past and present. In the meantime, I am simply thankful for the many, many women who have invested into my life, listening and advising. And I am thankful and humbled to have the chance to be that person for my friends here.

Қазақ телін кішкіне киен болды

2008-08-28T23:41:00.000-07:00

What can I say? Well, it’s now comfortable to read Kazakh, even monstrous words and my pronunciation is good. I can’t spell worth anything though! Some things never change! The issue is I can say words but can’t figure out which of the 1,000 vowels and vowel combinations they have make the sounds in my head! My dictionary is my close friend.

The good news is that I did make a breakthrough this month. At some point, I was suddenly okay with using my Kazakh and explaining things. Whew! I’ve been waiting for this breakthrough for a long time.

The hardest bit now is questions! I still can’t for the life of me figure out questions. People have to repeat them twice and then I have to sit and think it through and sometimes still get it wrong! Agh!

Still my opportunities to speak Kazakh aren’t as frequent as I like. With my Mom working evenings and my host brother in the village, my Kazakh only speakers are limited. Hopefully this will change when school starts September 1st. I try to make the most of time with my coworkers but most of the time English is so much easier! I just need to keep working!

Right now we are taking a break from grammar (HALLELUIAH!) to focus on some children’s rhymes. I’m thankful as there’s a backup of grammar in my brain!

I’ve also cut back from two lessons to one which will hopefully give me time to digest the increasingly complex grammar before learning more!

I've also moved on to Kazakh music and have some recorded songs and words that I'll be trying to figure out guitar chords too. I've also met a bunch of musicians locally who have said they'd love to get together and trade music we me!

They missed the train!

2008-08-27T23:31:00.000-07:00

So…August 13th I was at the train station with great excitement! Two boys, Andre and Ruslan had been accepted into military school. We had gotten them backpacks and other small gifts, had letters and pictures, and were going to surprise them at the train station. Only…they surprised us! Apparently, they decided not to come all the way to the city, but to get on the train at it’s next stop, a town about 100 kilometers closer to the village they live in! We were so sad and are now trying to figure out how to get the gifts to them!

The GOOD NEWS is we found out just yesterday that they haven't left yet! They had made the first trip to complete more exams. In fact, they are coming into town on Friday so we can help purchase some of the clothes and shoes they will need for school. I can't wait to see them! Here's my favorite picture of them from this past winter.

Can’t let you go Kazakhstan!

2008-08-25T23:17:00.000-07:00

I've recently taken up painting (2 years ago) but usually don't have time. Thanks to the Commonway delegation, I am inspired again. Here's a sketch I did of the Kazakhstan mountains and steepes (that I sent home to Grandma, thanks Karen) it says "Kazakhstan, My Kazakhstan"

One year is not enough. I have to laugh simply because many people who know me well, knew this day would come! My internship will end in another 4 to 5 months, but I’ve made the request to stay here longer! There’s a mountain of a process to go through and a 100 conversations to have (that’s the low estimate!). I don’t know if I’ll be allowed to stay, whether I’ll be required to return home for a certain period, or how it will work. But hurrah, at least I have peace that this is where I want to be.

The thing I’m especially excited to be a part of is the Youth Impact program (more future discussions about the possibility of doing that). I will need to work hard on language and eventually learn Russian too, but these young adults are hungry for love and guidance as they make decisions (relationally, academically, regarding employment, and for some spiritually) that will impact the rest of their lives! I don’t have any assurance of an extended stay, a return, or switching to the YI program, but these are my hopes!

The moon shone a bit brighter that night (Alternate title: No moonshine here)

2008-08-13T22:40:00.000-07:00

The Interlink team has recently attended a couple of soccer games here in town. 5 girls from Savva orphanage and another 2 from Saramoldeava play on the Taraz girls team. Last week they had a tournament so we went to cheer them on. Last Thursday night we took them out on the town for a lot of firsts!

Their first time in a real restaurant where the silverware was set, the waitress poured your drinks, and you got fresh plates for the second course!

The first large fish tank they’d seen. We named the fish. I was a fun, small orange one, who was talking a lot and making kissy faces. Sara was a hooligan fish all fancy stripes that kept attacking one we named Beth! Ken was huge with big eyes and kept floating backwards. Olya was the fattest one of them all!

The first time they’d been roller blading! And of course, if you’ve ever seen anyone learn to roller blade, this was HILARIOUS! The girls were incredibly excited. They were finally getting to do what they’d only ever watched others do! A special surprise was when Akim showed up. Akim is one of "my boys" from Savva orphanage who is now living with his sister in Taraz. He had a LOT of fun harassing the girls with his speed and expertise!

I just love sharing all these firsts with them! And the total sum of this amazing night for the girls? $50. That’s it. $50 and a few hours of time for a night they’ll never forget!

Four guys in a cage…and YOU

2008-08-11T22:20:00.000-07:00

Beth, Olya, and I recently visited a local rehabilitation center for substances abusers. Once we got past the locked gates in the hallways, we spent about an hour hanging out with four teenagers between 15 and 18. Beth and Olya had been before and were returning with boxes of games and puzzles from the US to keep the guys busy. We had a great time playing Connect 4 and Uno and I hope to have the chance to go back and get to hear their stories.

One young man captured Beth’s attention with his art. He showed us several of his pencil drawings that were simply amazing. We’re hoping to find ways to encourage his talent and with art supplies rather cheap, I’m hoping to go back with some sketch pads and proper pencils for him to use.

At the end of the trip Olya and Beth talked about how we could reach not only the kids in rehab, but the source, the youth detention center here in Taraz. The need is so great and the volunteers so few! We want to mobilize locals, but just like the states, people get busy and distracted, don’t know about the opportunities and concerned about another commitment…so who will go?

I would encourage you if you’re reading this blog to ask yourself if you know if your town has a rehab center or a youth detention center and see what it would take to pay a visit to those kids. Aren’t we all called to remember orphans and those in prison?

That’s how to die…

2008-08-09T22:14:00.000-07:00

I can’t tell you her name, but I wish I could. Last Thursday Olya and I went to visit a young woman (22) at the city hospital who attempted suicide. She is a young Kazakh woman from Ulan orphanage who trained as a seamstress/designer at PTL (technical school), graduated and found a job. She then had what doctors decided was an epileptic seizure, lost her job, and has since been diagnosed with a severe mental disorder. She swallowed a needle because someone told her that’s how to die.

She’s not dead on the outside, but talking to her you see that death has taken what’s inside. She has no hope. She just begged us to take her away. She doesn’t eat or sleep and is wasting away before our eyes. She has no family and no friends. Her peers at the facility were she lives have offered her only scorn. Olya and I just spoke to her with words of encouragement and hope, even out of our own experiences. We went for a walk outside in the sunshine till she was too tired to walk anymore. And just twice her eyes lifted in hope and hunger during yesterday’s visit. The first was when Olya said we were looking for alternate housing and the second when Olya said she would be back the next day.

Interlink is working hard and fast to find alternate living for her, a place where she’ll be protected from herself and surrounded by people. We may, or may not succeed. We’re also trying to figure out ideas for work as no one will hire her following her seizure and diagnosis. There simply isn't a place for her in society right now.

Three weeks later: She is doing okay, still living at the Youth House. We've encouraged her and gotten permission for her to do some small tasks at the office, but she hasn't come. We are still very concerned so keep praying for her.

It's raining SHOES! (Umbrellas recommended)

2008-08-07T20:54:00.000-07:00

So some of your may remember my funeral in July. If not, see here. Well, my amazing friends Michelle & Trish sent me new life from the states! I now have not one, not two, but FIVE new pairs of shoes! You guys are so awesome and generous. Seriously, a girl over in Kazakhstan is tickled pink, or red with polka dots! And thanks to you too Karen because without you, none of this would have been possible. Thanks for donating your time to the kids on this delegation! I hope it’s a great trip, in fact, I know it will be. I can’t wait to see how it all works out.

The office ran away

2008-08-05T05:13:00.000-07:00

Literally, we all ran away from the office last Friday. Beth decided our staff has been working so hard that we needed some time away to bond, and summer bonding happens, of course, with water, good food, and lots of games! Here are some memorable photos from our day away! Thanks Beth for these amazing photos!!!!

Note, for making proper "shashleek" (BBQ) you need several things...meat, long skewers, a fan (any frisbee will do), hot coals, and water (or juice) to smoke the meat as you cook it. The meat is pre-marinated, cooked and then eaten with raw onions! Bring your floss and chewing gum after this meal!

Notice me running off behind Zina (in blue) after a particularily WET hug!

Of course a summer party isn't a party without a lot of family and water! Women brought their grandchildren and the kid in the hat is my host brother. Beth also managed to giver herself a nosebleed during one frantic water fight on Ken's shoulder. Nothing broke but the boys were in awe of all the blood.

This ain’t no yoga!

2008-08-02T05:01:00.000-07:00

“Flexibility is key,” they say in the orientation to Kazakhstan. That’s not an exaggeration!

The Ulan delegation was expected to come for a week to work with kids at…Ulan camp. Yea, um, not anymore. The camp is a private camp and the amount we would have been charged for staying there was too high for the delegation to afford. We tried to work around it by bringing our own food, but the price was still too great for us to actually stay there.

We then decided to take the Ulan kids away for a day (a group at a time) to a nice local water park. …But the Department of Education wouldn’t approve it since they were paying for the kids to be at camp and thought the water park posed some hazards.

So…now the delegation will be working with orphanage children in a village called Vannovka AND will be part of a camp for children with cerebral palsy and their families near the city of Shymkent. It’s not what we had planned and everything was decided YESTERDAY! (Yes, that would be FRIDAY with the delegation arriving MONDAY!). But in all this we have to admit that a greater plan seems to be in motion that we are just a part of! Welcome Ulan delegation that’s now the Vannovka/Shymkent delegation! Welcome to Kazakhstan. I hope you packed your yoga mat, cause your flexibility is about to be tried!

Got milk

2008-07-26T02:15:00.000-07:00

The milk man got a megaphone. And every night between 10 and 10:30 he drive around on his truck with a megaphone with enough static to electrify the neighborhood yelling “Malako.” “Malako.” (This is the Russian word for milk). And I might have mentioned that though I live on the 5th floor, people below my window sound like they’re right outside. Even the nationals who have stayed with me have commented on it. In any case, for 30 minutes every night “Malako” is hollered by a rusty, old male voice into a rusty, old megaphone into our patir (apartment).

The sweetest icing on this cake is the sweet little song he plays as he drives around the neighborhood, in the nature of a US ice cream trucks of the ‘50s. And what would the song be that helps him sell milk? Yes people, I tell you the truth, every night I listen to the call for milk to the sound of “Happy Birthday.”

Welcome to westernization!

Speaking of circumcision...

2008-07-24T01:41:00.000-07:00

So you may be familiar with the Jewish tradition of circumcision at 8 days. In the US it’s either done at birth, or not at all. However, for Kazakh boys and Doongans (see my earlier post) circumcision happens at 7 to 8 YEARS old! It’s considered the passage into manhood, though that seems like an early age to me. On the other hand, considering life here and the nomadic heritage, 7 or 8 is when a village boy becomes responsible for a lot of the work with the herds.

Anyway, a group of us from the office and some US guests headed out to a circumcision party on Monday June 30th for the son of a friend. The party started at 6:00 am, just after the 5:00 am morning call to prayer. For prayer, Muslims must be ritually clean and to save the need to clean again later for the ceremony, the celebration begins after morning prayers. Thankfully, women don’t need to come till 7:00am!

For us the ceremony consisted of meeting a very stoic faced young man, eating a lot of food including a LOT of meat and having a bit of a dance before getting back to the office in time for the start of the day at 9:00 am. The party went on after us and eventually the newly circumcised young man would…go RIDE A HORSE! No joke. We couldn’t stay to see it, but apparently it’s a very important (and likely painful) part of the ceremony. The thing that surprised me most was having older women throw walnuts (in their shells) at the young man and turn to fling them at the women (to bless us with many sons). I got wacked in the head twice and had them land all over the food!

…In other news, Sara went to a circumcision party at a local orphanage. She saw some of our youngest (5 years old) boys at their circumcision party along with, get this guys, a 14 and 16 YEAR OLD. They had never been through the ceremony and it was a big deal. Hard for the American mind to grasp, but they were proud, not embarrassed at all!

Celebrating the passage to manhood is one thing this culture does really well. I only wonder whether then include the precious knowledge that a boy needs to become a man along with the rituals. I hope so, but being a woman, I’m unlikely to find out any time soon!

A sad little funeral for three

2008-07-22T01:34:00.000-07:00

These are my dead shoes. There are only two pictured here as the third pair is still in ICU. Those of you that know me will understand. I love shoes, shamelessly love shoes. I am embarrassed by the number that I have here at the office, at my apartment, and in America still. I can’t help it. And Kazakhstan has almost reduced me to tears over…shoes, yes, shoes.

I walk here, a lot! Walking is hard on shoes, especially on rocky, wet surfaces over long distances like I face here. Thankfully flats are finally popular here (I can here my chiropractor rejoicing! You’d be proud of me Dr.Lilkins!) and so I finally bought some shoes to replace the US versions I’d completely worn out. I saved and scrimped and went to the big city of Almaty where I bought three pairs for approximately $60. Not outrageous right, but enough to last me for the summer right? Yea, no. I bought three pairs of shoes that lasted…drumroll please...one week. One week. Yes, Buy a pair of shoes for $20 in the states and they’ll last you at least a year (allowing you to buy another fashionable shoe next year!). Buy a shoe for $20 here and they’ll last you a week. Not even a full seven days!

Solution: Beg friends from home to send you shoes!

Waterworks, playing with FIRE, and patriotism

2008-07-20T00:58:00.000-07:00

So because of the delegation, some things are much delayed…like this post about fourth of July. The office was closed since we are an American company and we threw a huge party to invite our local friends. Following a meal of burgers, fries, and chocolate chip cookies, we had a full fledged water fight! I tried to remain a cool observer with my camera, but got a bucket of water nonetheless. I exacted my revenge and was left alone from further torment.

To help dry off we had a little fire which led into fire jumping, the guys version and the girls version (see video links). Followed by smores and fireworks. *sigh* It was a good day!

Youth Impact Delegation

2008-07-18T00:40:00.000-07:00

Well our second summer delegation has come and gone with great success. And I was so sad to see them go, just as we were really getting to know each other and become good friends. You can read about all the things they did at the park here, here, on a picnic here, here, on a scavenger hunt here and with Youth Impact kids here and here.

The things that impressed me were their ability to make strong connections with the youth in just a few days, their flexibility, and the way that they blessed me personally with their friendship and gifts. It was also my family that hosted some of the delegation and I loved having time together with my family! Here are some of my favorite shots from their time here with some kids who are special to me...thanks guys for letting me use your photos!

This is my host family together in a shot. It's my Mom, Aitan, her son Sultan (next to me) and a cousin whose Mom just died last month. Our delegation guests took us out for an amazing dinner that night! Thank you Sara, Elizabeth, and Jeff!

Youth Delegation

2008-07-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

Americans arrive today (July 8th). We're going to have a few days with the Youth Impact girls working on decision making, culminated by a picnic in the mountains. We'll then take time to show the delegation the orphanage work we do and take a "quick trip" down to Shymkent for a tour of the English Centre! It'll be a busy time so you may not here from me, but as the norm, I'll be sure to have dozens of pictures to share!

Apples are from Kazakhstan…so are tulips (sort of!)

2008-07-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

And just to be clear, I stole that from a book! (In Search of Kazakhstan: The Land that Disappeared) No plagiarism here. Actually this book is going on my top recommendations (see to the right). I’ve not gotten even two chapters in but am already captured…perhaps I should finish it before I recommend it, but I think it’s more interesting to put it out there and then disclaim like crazy later if it turns out to be dodgy. Just don’t let the kids read it first, just in case!

Seriously though, the fact is that quite a bit of the scientific community believes that Kazakhstan is the birthplace of the apple. They began in the mountains and were exported. The sad thing is that now it’s fashionable to eat imported apples, allowing the apples growing naturally to fall by the wayside…in some places! I’m on the hunt for these wild apple groves in the mountains come September.

Tulips also grow wild here and a great majority of the varieties that grow world wide. They are also believed to have grown originally in Kazakhstan before exportation. Hmmm….the things you never knew!

The ugliest camel I’ve ever seen!

2008-07-03T09:12:00.000-07:00

So we stopped on the way to Savva when we saw a mama camel and her baby. The baby was so sweet and fuzzy and cute…and then I got a close up of the mama! AGH! This is a face only a baby could love!

Beggars can’t be choosers…or can they?

2008-07-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

One of the issues that came up at the teaching conference was the issue of begging. Some of the children come from situations so bad that they were reduced to begging on the street before coming to Savva. Unfortunately, begging appears to be a habit they are finding hard to break and the caretakers just don’t know what to do. The older children have some freedom to leave the property and some try to make the most profit they can, doing odd jobs or, in some cases, begging. I would never have imagined this problem and nor did I know how to respond to the caretakers’ questions. So I’m off to do some research on ways this issue has been dealt with in other countries. If you have any ideas, do let me know!

Mountains worth climbing

2008-06-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

There’s a song from The Sound of Music that I’ve always loved. It goes “Climb every mountain. Ford every stream. Follow every rainbow, till you find your dream. A dream that will need all the love you can give it, every day of your life, for as long as you live.”

As the years have passed and I’ve had different experiences my “dream” about working with children overseas has slowly been refined. This past year I’ve gained so much more clarity and my recent time at Savva really confirmed the thoughts I’d been having about future work here. I would love to have a “home” here, perhaps in the city of Chu. While having a family and living out a village life I want to offer an open door to these orphans boys. They leave Savva and are on their own to deal with hopelessness, loneliness, temptations of drugs and alcohol, and an unfriendly and suspicious world. They need a safe place of acceptance to come and receive encouragement to make the right choices. It’s a dream I’m becoming more and more passionate about….though the reality of it happening seems far away. Looking at my situation that dream will require the impossible to become possible and who knows what the years are ahead are to hold?! I haven’t even decided if I will extend my stay here or not! But to dream a dream, to cherish a hope…this makes life worth living. And if you could meet my boys, I know you would agree…

Receiving from their poverty

2008-06-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

One of the most challenging and humbling things here in Kazakhstan is receiving gifts. After the teacher training, the teachers gathered together their resources and purchased Sara, Diore (our translator) and myself beautiful, traditional tea sets. We came to serve them and offer ourselves and in return they blessed us!

Even more touching were two of my boys who surprised me on my last day with gifts of their own and the most amazing letters. Here’s a little glimpse (it doesn’t rhyme because it’s a translation from Russian!):

“I am writing to you, Ember
Because I love you as a sister…
You like to have fun with others
To cheer up those who are sad
Sister, I respect you
I will never forget you
I will keep in touch with you…”

And they gave to me, having nothing. I’m honestly not even sure where they got the money from or how long it took them to save up. All I could do was accept them and try to do so without crying! There’s something so beautiful and simply breathtaking about the generosity of one who has nothing and it can bring you to your

knees like nothing else.

More than a little broken and still worth loving

2008-06-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

During my days at Savva I sat down with each of the students I new best and gave them a little one on one “interrogation” as we joked. Some had a lot to say about the past and future and some not at all. However, all of them chose to sit with Diore (my translator) and I, long after the questions were done. It became crystal clear how full their hearts became the more someone took an interest in the good and the bad within them and cared how they were.

In one such conversation, a difficult thing happened. A caretaker came over and began to “shame” a young man who was sitting with us. He happened to be a hard young man who was and had trouble upon trouble. Diore and I had been trying to slowly peel away the layers around his heart…until his caretaker came over with accusations (probably true) and compared him to better behaved students, leaving him emotionally stripped and exposed before everyone. He handled this once, but the second time she yelled at him (with us right there) he ran. By the time I caught him he was sobbing to break your heart in his room. With an audience of 10 other boys, I saw this one break like I’d never seen before. I had the privilege of holding this dear boy and speaking love and truth into his life, allowing him space to be broken, hurting, and weak and encouraging him to let go of his anger. The next day the freedom on his face and the light in his eyes was beautiful to see although it was difficult as he had to deal with my departure that same day. Before I went I sat down and spoke with him once more. Although I hated to go I believe that leaving after this emotional incident will impress those vital, deep conversations even more upon his heart. He will be at Chu next year so I am thankful to know I will see him again and be able to impact his life.

Lost and found

2008-06-27T07:24:00.000-07:00

Sasha had been “lost” this to me this year. He was not at Chu when we visited and I was told he was working in Merke (where Savva was). At Merke I was told no one had heard from him and that he was in Chu. After walking away from that conversation at Savva I wanted to mourn this “lost” child, but had a sudden surety that I would indeed see him again this year! I was doubtful but willing to accept the hope and kept an eye out for him everywhere.

And guess who came to Savva? Yes, Sasha! I couldn’t help but run to him and throw my arms around him I was so happy and surprised! I got to give him the gifts and letters I had been carrying with me all over Kazakhstan in the hope of seeing him. And we were able to talk and I am so thankful to say he is doing well. He was at Chu after all and has been working on the railway. He even has plans for the future! He hopes that when he’s 20 he’ll qualify for train conductor. He’s found summer work too in construction, not too far away and has a place to stay. We had such a good conversation that my heart is just full of joy of the one who was lost but now is found!

The boys go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah!

2008-06-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

Two Savva boys missed their own graduation this year, but it was for a really good reason! They went to the capital to test for the military school and they passed! In September, they will move to Kiraganda (in the north) and finish high school at the military academy and they have the chance to join a division of the Kazakh military. Here they are (to the far left and the 4th from the left) with myself, 2 of their teachers, and a 2007 Savva graduate.

Back to the future

2008-06-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

We were able to attend the graduation at Savva this year, the same day as our arrival. We saw a lot of performances and heard a number of speeches. To my joy, several of graduates from past years came including three of “my boys.”

Girls that graduate will be in Taraz next year and hopefully I will see more of them. They will be at the local polytechnic institute finishing high school and learning a profession. The boys will be going to Chu to another polytechnic institute. My concern, as I’ve said before is that Chu is a well renowned drug city and the boys have little to no guidance or support. Moreover, I found out from them that the teachers instruct mostly in Kazakh whereas they mostly all speak Russian. There are few to little healthy recreational activities and the temptations to drink and smoke are great.

What they don't teach you at school (Alternate title: Teacher training II)

2008-06-24T06:58:00.000-07:00

Besides teaching teachers, we also gave training to caretakers in the same subjects of learning styles, discipline, and then in love languages as well. They too were receptive of our information, though admittedly a few older teachers were more accustomed to older patterns of relating to children which included extremes of shaming students and/or reinforcing bad behavior.

But where I had known one or two women at Savva before, now I know many! They came to sit with us, greeted us, and loved the fact that Sara said the children at Savva are all our children. Sara and I are so excited about helping not just the children, but the caretakers and teachers which in turn will bless the children twice over!

(Here we are playing a silly game together!)

Everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten (Alternate title: Teacher training I)

2008-06-23T06:10:00.000-07:00

I was nervous about the idea of teaching teachers, but it went GREAT! There were a few times I was worried about their boredom or worried that we were offending them in some way, but when I expected criticism, they gave praise instead.

Most of the teachers at Savva have been there for 5-40 years! Many of them are already in retirement and keep teaching because they love their work and they love the kids. They understood when we talked about remedial learners and behavior problems, eager for fresh solutions to old problems. We also introduced the newer concept of learning styles. Although change takes time, we are thankful to have been received so well. They all completely evaluations that we are so eager to read!

One funny thing you can see in the picture below are some of the role plays the teachers did which were absolutely hilarious! We all knew which kids they were and watching grow men throw fits was too funny for words!

The hope is that perhaps we could have specialized educators visit from the states to do trainings two or three times a year and, with Internet now available at the orphanage schools, perhaps to do even an online training for the teachers!

90 years and aging fast!

2008-06-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

So I’m at Savva right now and unable to post any blogs, but I’m working ahead here, hurrah! On June 6th a group of us went to Savva to celebrate their 90th anniversary. There are some really cool thoughts from Kiikzhan and Moldir on the Interlink blog. I did want to show you my huge art project for them…turned out pretty well I think. The director certainly seemed very pleased!

And don't forget the special anniversary meal including...SHEEPS HEAD! Thankfully there were about 8 tables the head got passed around to before it go to me, so all the "good parts" like the eyes and brain were gone. So sad! None for me.

No more teachers' dirty looks...

2008-06-20T22:05:00.000-07:00

To help the Saramoldeava children end their school year, we had a great picnic by the river with the boys group and girls group as well as all the "ministers" (class officers) of the orphanage and a few of their teachers. I had a lot of fun bonding with the teachers, especially one who helped drag me into the water! The other great thing was that a couple of the older boys absconded Sara's camera and mine ad got some really great shots!

You might notice that a picnic for one orphanage seems way cooler than handing out small gifts at another. But Ulan has about 200 children we work with and the least amount of structure and discipline. On the other hand Saramoldeava has about 18 groups of children and wide number of sponsors (we sponsor only 3 groups) and they are highly organized. It's just of the challenges we face working with a wide variety of orphanages here in a culture that is still weeding out corruption.

No more school, no more books...

2008-06-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the end of the school year we took small gifts to Ulan orphanage for a special day. I was excited to get some great photos of kids I don't see that often. This is the one orphanage where the children all speak Kazakh and so I'm looking forward to spending more time with them in August, at camp. We had some help in handing out presents from the the Knauss family. The Knauss boys wrote about their impressions of their peers at the orphanage on the Interlink blog. In the meantime, here are some of their amazing faces...

Summer Madness and Loads of Americans!

2008-06-16T06:17:00.000-07:00

Summer is the busiest season of all around here. It begins with the month long visit of the Knauss family. David Knauss has recently switched from being the in country director to the stateside President of Interlink. With his arrival have come a lot of business, American team, and coaching meetings. I've been asked a LOT of good questions, but have been a bit overwhelmed by all the meetings we've been having. It's been especially difficult with the challenge for me as a new person on the team, and with the question of extending my stay still hanging. I honestly have been pretty overwhelmed, but even though some talks have been difficult, they are necessary for us to have unity and for us to work together. And this is how summer starts!

Then we have a JUNE delegation to Savva. We will be at the orphanage for about a week. Sara and I get to do an ALL NEW teacher training. I'm nervous, but I think it will go really well. We're teaching on love languages, learning styles, remedial learners, and behavior management. Although it's difficult not to be attached to a certain class or group of kids, building up and connecting with the teachers is going to have an even bigger impact on them long term!

After a brief week, a team will arrive in early JULY to work with the Youth Impact kids (orphanage grads). Olya and I are working together to lead this delegation and I'm learning a lot.

Then, shortly after they depart, AUGUST brings us a delegation to Ulan summer camp. This will be more of a camp type place and will have a smaller US team, meaning we here in KZ will be playing a bigger role. I'm hoping my language will do well enough I won't need a translator! Maybe...lol.

So if you don't hear from me so often, sorry! I'll post stories and pictures as quick as I can!