Amy York

Hi Amy,

Hope you are checking out the blog.....we needed your email and cannot retrieve it. We thought this would be a good way to get in touch with you. We just needed to check in on the family....

Can you email us? Love to all, David and Jayne

Celebration Day for Social Worker Training!

On Tuesday afternoon, we celebrated the completion of six weeks of training for fifteen social workers in the Tokmok area. This was an historic day for us. The International Leadership and Development Center, the organization we serve under, is headed by Lynn and Ruby Johnston. They have completed other seminars over that last couple of years, but this one was our first!

We met each Tueday morning for three hours as we explored the issues of abuse and neglect on child development. They were so very appreciative and said they had never had training like this before. The wonderful part of extending the training over a number of weeks is that we got more acquainted with the workers and developed relationships that I hope will continue.

Another major two-day workshop is scheduled to be held at Mercy Foundation in September and we will reach out to other orphanage caregivers and social workers. The topic is one of intense interest for this group - Caring for Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused. The seminar will be held on September 10 and 11.


Here are some of the pictures from our celebration day!

Workers gather to finish up the seminar series. They are currently working here on a casestudy.



These social workers came in weekly from a local village and were committed to the entire series.
The gentleman on the left is the regional director and the gentleman on the right is one of the adoption workers. We asked the director to participate in passing out the certificates. He greeted us weekly when we arrived.



This is Valentina. She was always enthusiastic and a great participant.

Most of the group was present for the presenting of the certificates. The local newspaper covered the opening of the training series in early June and a photographer/reporter covered the certificate presentation. It will appear in the local paper next week with the story and pictures.

The director thanks our group for bringing this training to them.
Sharing in the satisfaction of hard work completed....you can't celebrate without cake!

We look forward to working with these social workers again in September and hopefully, next year when we return.

Watch for tomorrow's updates on people you have met along the way.

Work Day Readies Professional Institute

Saturday was work day at the Professional Institute. These old buildings and grounds, formerly a medical college, are being transformed into the Professional Institute of Tokmok, Kyygyzstan, and will open its doors to a beginning class of 80 students on August 25th. Much renovation has taken place over the last year with still much to go in the few weeks to opening day. Over 20 employees of Mercy Foundation gave up their Saturday to do major outside landscaping and clean-up. It is so exciting to see what they accomplished in just one day.

Six year old Caleb, son of the acting director helps clean windows in one of the new classrooms.

David helps sweep up debris left over from construction dirt and years of inattention.
I joined in debris sweeping.

Isaac, also son of the acting director carries away foliage.

Elenya, one of the Foundation accountants, joined the Institute work group.

Ludmilla, also an accountant, eventually grabbed one of the saws and went after the over-grown bushes.

Alicia, who does hospitality work at the Foundation and Gulnara, the Institute's new librarian weed one of the gardens.


Costa and David carry bush and debris from the front of the building.

Another work day is planned in a week or so, and there is much excitement as the professors meet each day and staff prepares for official registration day on August 4.

The journey continues....