Women's Ministries - Kyrgyz Style

"We will never forget this night!" That was the response from one of the women who attended the women's dinner last night. Hosted by Julie and Jodie from Canada, the evening was set aside to honor women....to bless them and let them know how very special they are.

It was a simple dinner, but a special one for the women here, who perhaps for the very first time, ever experienced something this. Jodie remarked later, "what would it take for me to say, I will never forget this night!" What a humbling event to witness.


Julie and Jodie planned before leaving Canada for this special evening.

About 25 women attended last night's dinner. Just wished I could have talked with them and heard their stories.

Jodie reads a Blessing to the women...Acel, the incredible, humble pastor's wife interprets.

They were there...from the oldest

To the youngest

Jodie and Julie wanted to take the time to honor Acel in a very special way.

After the evening was over, I quietly mentioned to Acel that I knew her heart as a pastor's wife. I told if I can be of help in any way please let me know. We are planning for another event before we leave. My thoughts, however, what could I say to these women, who know far most about trusting God for their every day survival than I do. Maybe it will be a time to let them speak.

The week ahead....

Sunday....can't wait...we are going to see Pastor Elenya

Monday...social work team from America arrives

Tuesday....we begin teaching at the Professional Institute and spending time with the team

Wednesday....social work team to Bishkek

Thursday and Friday....training in Bishkek

The journey is underway.....

BREAKING NEWS

HI Friends,

We arrived in Kyrgyzstan to this news from Lynn and Ruby Johnston, our team founders....

From their newsletter...
"It was a shock, but the Vice Prime Minister invited us for a meeting, which was arranged by the President of the Kyrgyz Association of Social Workers. Our meeting centered around the vulnerable children and at risk families in the country. ....She is submitting a formal letter of request asking for our help."

The Vice Prime Ministier is the third highest ranking official in the government. Please stay tuned to the journey ahead...as always your prayers for our wisdom are ALWAYS appreciated!

First Days

We arrived Saturday morning - excited that God has allowed us this incredible opportunity to return to a people we have come to love. I am thrilled to report NO LOST LUGGAGE! Two pieces were delayed for one day, but all is well there and we can get about the business of waiting and listening to God then moving forward.

On Monday, David had the first opportunity to visit one of the orphanages we were at frequently last year. I stayed behind to work with Ruby on an amazing grant application, more about that later. As usual, David had alot of stories to tell about what he felt and saw - and this is just the first week.

It was wonderful to see these children looking healthy and well. We worked with these children last summer on lifebooks and other small craft projects. Actually, I just watched the craft projects :)

I noticed from the pictures that David took that the children have grown taller - the little ones were precious as always.

David, John, Julie and team arrive at Orlovka just in time for lunch.

These three beautiful young ladies, the two on the ends and the orphanage director's daughter in the middle, have certainly grown up since last year.


David, John, Julie and team visited a brand new nursing home in Kemin, about 40 minutes from where we live. It was David's first sad encounter of the trip. The nursing home, just opened by one woman who saw the desparate state of the elderly, now has seven residents. These are men and women, who up to this point, were homeless, evicted from their own homes by their children.

David described the new nursing home as very dark, stark and cold. One large room had five beds around the walls and the women just sat there - all day. Much work is needed here and the volunteer director has high hopes for caring for the homeless elderly population in the area. When asked how many elderly people could live there, David was told, probably sixty. The problem was there were no beds and only a two burner hot plate in the stark, empty kitchen.

David mets a new friend. In James, where it talks about visiting widows and children, Lynn Johnston raised the questions, "I think there is a deeper meaning to the word "visit". We agree. We hope to be able to "visit" these beautiful people several times while we are here.

The team delivers over $400 worth of food to this home. What was in the pantry before this? Small rotten potatoes and a sack of rice -nothing else.

This woman's response to the food supply says it all.

In the near future, we will be writing about the food ministry of Children's Hope International. This is a local (Ohio) ministry that is feeding thousands of people around the world. They want to come to Kyrgyzstan as well. Please visit http://www.achildshopeintl.org/HomePage.html.

We are making plans to partner with this organization to help feed the hundreds of thousands people in Kygyzstan classified as "food insecure" What a definition!

The journey continues....

This Time Will be Different

It is Thursday afternoon and we are sitting at the JFK airport awaiting our departure about seven hours from now. Anne Grewell, a young Ohio girl, and niece of Lynn and Ruby, is with us making her first trip to Kyrygzstan.

I have been thinking alot about the contrasts of our two departures - last year - when we knew no one, had no idea what to expect, and really what we would be doing. This year - we are returning to people we know and love and want to serve in anyway possible. Yet that call is deeper than that.

Yesterday at lunch, missionary friends, Ric and Jane Taylor, told us a story. We weren't able to hear the entire story, but enough of it to get it. Ric told us of a young girl who had experienced devastating burns over most of her body. Through the incredible care of doctors and God's intervention, she survived. After a few months in care, the doctors told the family they could take her home to care for her. They were so glad to be able to do that. He said to them, "you can take her home, but not until you see the burns. It will be then that you will fully understand what she needs."

Ric asked a question - do we really get ministry until we have seen the "burns" - the devastation in the lives of people. It is not until we "see the burns" that true, deep ministry can happen - that we can maybe have some slight idea of the need. It is a sight that changes one forever.

Do we ask God to show us "the burns?" Are we willing to go there? Our prayer is yes, Lord, show us the burns.....and then show us what to do.

More from the otherside this weekend....

Getting Ready to Leave for Kyrgyzstan

Today is Monday, March 16. In just three days, we leave for Kyrgyzstan.The days are full of last minute connections with friends, last minute work related tasks and of course, packing. It might sound a bit strange, but it feels like, in many ways, we are going back home. We both are eager to return! Both David and I talk frequently of our love for the people there and how we simply want to go back and love and support them in anyway we can.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to speak at an adoption conference (CAFFA) in Chicago. It was a tremendous experience. Timing for this conference was perfect, because we able to see the teens from Kyrgyzstan who are here on a missions tour. They were performing in Rockford, Illinois. What a tremendous experience for all of us.

Here are some pictures of those beautiful kids that we saw here and will shortly see over there.

Elder Yang, in the center, is the man called by God to build Christian schools in Kyrgyzstan. All of these students are from the schools and orphanages sponsored by Mercy Foundation.

Please come back frequently, as we will update as soon as we are settled there. Thank you for all your prayers and support! David and Jayne

Let's Get it Right for the Wrights

(THIS IS A POST FROM LAMB INTERNATIONAL (our organization) FOR THE WRIGHTS - WITH THEIR HUMBLE PERMISSIONFOR US TO DO THIS POSTING)

Dear Friends of the Wrights,

We all know and understand the effectiveness of the work John, Julie and family have done in Kyrgyzstan – the country they love so much and have been called to. Let's get them there ON THE GROUND full time! We can do this.

This post is coming out with other blog posts all over the country – people who have blogs that know the Wrights. Let's shock them with the provision of financial resources and letters/notes of encouragement to help them return to Kyrgyzstan. They want to go as full time missionaries – they just need our help to get them there.

We propose that we raise a minimum of the following:
$20,000 to cover a year's needs on the home front
· Home expenses – the place to come back to

$30,000 to cover a year's needs on the foreign front
· Travel in and out of the country with family 2 x a year
· Travel in the country to the different sites
· Family expenses – including the educational needs of one daughter
· Lodging and meals

This is just $50,000. We can do this and we can do it quickly. Here is how. Go to JOHN'S Blog and hit the button on the top right hand side of the blog it is for the Wrights….support.
http://www.actofkindness.blogspot.com/

AND guess what – you can watch all that is done there on his blog..you will learn to live vicariously in a healthy way by reading and supporting the RIGHT cause.

What an opportunity – Will you help?

Let's do it RIGHT FOR THE WRIGHTS!

Blessings,

Lynn and Ruby from LAMb International

Introducing a Way to Partner in HOPE

Almost everyday, we meet a friend on the street or at the store, or at church that asks us questions - "What can we do to help? How can we give? What is needed?"

Those questions prompted me to consider putting the information in a permanent form on the side of our blog. Although the contents of the blog will change, the information on how you can partner in HOPE for those in need in Central Asia, will be a constant.

Let us thank you ahead of time for all of your support.