Sunday, December 26, 2010

When You See It On Paper

Everyday we are amazed at what we see God doing.  When we are in Kyrgyzstan, our days and many nights are filled with being with people of all ages, most with overwhelming needs.  Lynn and Ruby just wrote their final journal for 2010 and we are truly amazed and thankful for the many open doors to us.  When we saw it on paper, it was hard to believe.

     Ruby purchasing supplies for the home for invalid men

Here is from the LAMb Journal for 2010:

December 23, 2010


GREETINGS
We wish you the best for next year - that your family will be blessed and filled with joy, peace and that you will have a year that meets your passion and allows you to serve one another. We thank you for your continued support and prayers. We are blessed to have you as a supporter and a friend.

CLOSING DOWN 2010

As we write this, it is two days before Christmas. We are in Brazil with family – enjoying four grandchildren whom we have not seen for two years. It is both a blessing and a joy to be here to spend time with this section of our family. And of course we continue in ministry here as well – looking closely at how we might serve and continue to carry out the mission and goals of LAMb International.

  • Had the pleasure of sharing the ministry of LAMb with the English speaking section of the church here in Uberlandia.
  • Will be sharing with the Brazilian church on January 2, 2011 – the work of LAMb in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan.
  • Will be preaching the service to the Brazilian church here in Uberlandia on January 2, 2011.
  • Checking out the child welfare system of Brazil – introducing them to the Field Guide to Child Welfare.
  • Reviewing how the churches here work in orphan ministry and of course we will check out the local orphanage.
    LOOKING BACK ON 2010 AND FORWARD TO 2011

What an amazing thought – looking over the past year and seeing all that has occurred. We stand in awe and wonder and feel humbled by what has been. We cannot begin to list all that occurred over the last year, yet we recall so many blessings, and moments that took our breath away:

          Emma (r) with three young ladies from the Kara Balta orphanage.

  • The miracle of getting a new eye lense for Medina
  • The makeover for Jessica’s family in Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan
  • The purchase, renovation and furnishing of Dayspring Family Life Resource Center
  • Starting the art department at the Home for Disabled Men in Iskra, Kyrgyzstan
  • Lecture series established and completed for Bishkek Humanitarian University
  • Completing the upstairs heating for the senior home at the Kemin Senior Home
  • Bringing new furnishings into Kemin
  • Hiring a family to serve at Dayspring
  • The surgery support for Asimba’s heart – as well as other surgeries
  • Teams joining us in Kyrgyzstan to help us
  • The miracle of getting the team safely out of Kyrgyzstan when the revolution broke out – seeing God’s hand at work getting us through a crowd of hundreds
  • Seeing Adopt Ukraine getting families back home safely and other children into adoptive homes and churches motivated to help find adoptive homes
More of 2010 
 
 Bekah (r) with Anya at the Kara Balta orphanage. Anya will be aging out of the orphanage in two years with no plans after that.

 More of 2010
  • Conducting the first ever Christian conference in Ukraine for adoptive parents
  • Partnership with Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans
  • Promoting both Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan without orphans as a passionate focus for next year
  • Bringing a team from Kyrgyzstan to Ukraine to learn more about alternatives to orphanages
  • Working with US partner Institute for Human Services to bring best practice written materials and training to both Kyrgyzstan and to Ukraine
  • Bringing two doctors to Kyrgyzstan to teach and work with nationals in the area of disabilities and child abuse
 More of 2010
  • Serving churches through teaching, cell groups in our apartment, preaching and sharing the love of Jesus to all
  • Bringing humanitarian aid to many – food, clothing and supplies needed for survival
  • Team members, Pastor David and Jayne Schooler who are teaching at the International University of Central Asia, ministering to young adults and church members who seek counsel on many issues
  • Teaching and training in the area of child welfare in Ukraine and in Kyrgyzstan
  • Consulting to NGO’s who are growing, struggling or in need of help as they work to develop their ministry
  • Approval of our charitable status in the beginning of the year – allowing us to formalize our work
  • Adding John and Julie Wright to our LAMb team along with their daughters Bekah and Emma
  • Distribution of hundreds of sets of the Field Guide to Child Welfare in both Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine
  • Continued teaching of the Life Skills Curriculum – in both Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan and sending it out to other countries for use
  • Translation, distribution of Telling the Truth to Your Adopted or Foster Child – written by Jayne Schooler and Betsy Keefer

     John with three dynamic young people - two of these children were rescued from a future in a orphanage and now are with their birth mother and doing very well.
    David with these beautiful children on the Dayspring cleaning day.


 More of 2010
  • Training of all the adoptive government leaders in Ukraine
  • Ministering to families one on one in both Ukraine and in Kyrgyzstan
  • Pastor David and Jayne ministering in Poland and New Zealand
  • Seeing the miracles of service of our co-founders while handling one medical issue after another – yet never missing a moment of LAMb service
  • Experiencing the commitment of others wanting to support and help the ministry of LAMb
  • The dedication of those who have embraced the vision of LAMb
  • The diligence and endurance of our prayer partners
  • The growing support in team members and financial support of LAMb International
  • The anonymous donor of the matched funds of $25,000 and the subsequent LAMb INTERNATIONAL gifting of our sponsors for over $50,000

Dayspring Cleaning Day - Julie and I are often behind the camera, so I had to look hard to find one of her. Julie is in the center back row with a black sweater....this was an unforgettable day!


OPENING THE NEXT DOOR
So what is next for LAMb? Continued work teaching and training in the former Soviet Union – bringing hope and dignity to those we serve. Sharing the love of Jesus, through words and actions as outlined in James 1:27. Stopping for the one God places in front of us and encouraging others to join a mission team, work alongside of us and share personal gifts and talents to carry out the GREAT COMMISSION  “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Mt.29:19,20 NASV, emphasis added)


We serve an AWESOME GOD.  We thank Him everyday for the privilege we have of serving Him.  We look forward to an exciting new year.  We feel God is preparing us to continue our work in Central Asia and also perhaps a new thing.  Thank you for your prayers. We will keep you posted.