Blessing the Children of Kyrgyzstan

Throughout the past week and into the new year, the team on the ground in Kyrygzstan has been and will continue to take Christmas and God's love to many children and families.  The actual Christmas time over there is January 7 and they celebrate their new year like Christmas here.

The Wright's for the last several years have organized a "pie in the face" challenge. To anyone who raises $500, their friends can throw a pie in their face.  Just think what kind of Christmas one can give for over $10,000 raised this Christmas.  That is alot of pie in the face. The joy is being spread from one end of the country to another. The vision of the Wrights is totally amazing. They see and think of things no one else does!

Here is just one picture of the many celebrations that have taken place throughout the country. This is a picture of the children we know well and see when we are there. Many of them lived in our community until they were moved 2.5 hours away last year.  What a blessing to see them.

To see the entire impact of this year's "pie in the face" challenge,  please visit John and Julie's blog:
http://www.actofkindness.blogspot.com/

Our journey continues as we are seeking God's heart and direction for us in the new year.  Thank you all for taking the time to stop by our blog....you are important to us.

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. 

Saying Thanks for So Many

This season of Christmas brings warm memories of many people.  As I reflect on the many friends we have, my mind goes to many people who sacrificed their time in supporting Dayspring Family Resource Center in Kyrgyzstan.  Whenever one tries to thank people for their contribution, there is always the risk of leaving someone out.  Please forgive us for that. 

We want to thank the following people for their work in selling many candles each and thank you care and concern for the work overseas.   

  

Sarah Stansberry, Mark Huber, Melinda Murphy, Chris Albee, Crystal Johnson, Ken Snelling, Sue Burchwell, Andy Combs, Claudia Brown, Kim Gebele, and Linda Rosser.

Many friends also bought candles for their families and friends and we thank you as well.

We are looking forward to the opening of Dayspring in the new year and will keep all of you posted!

May you have a blessed Christmas and incredible New Year.

The journey continues for all of us….

It Is Christmas Everyday for a While In Krygyzstan

If you want to experience an incredible blessing, please visit the blog of our partners, John, Julie, Emma and Bekah.  Your heart will be warmed, we are sure.  Seeing these pictures has made us pretty homesick for over there.

Here is his link:
http://www.actofkindness.blogspot.com/

Have a blessed Christmas...David and Jayne

Making a Difference One Candle at a Time

What can the light of one candle do?  Dispel the darkness.  What can the light of over 729 candles do?  Just imagine. 

In early October we announced the incredible gift of StarwickCandles - all the profits from the candles sold that month would go into the work of the Dayspring Family Resource Center in Krygyzstan.

Jen Hauk and Carrie Combs caught the vision and spent hours and hours of work getting the candles made and shipped. Jen, who is the owner of Starwick Candles, and Carrie, are a key part of the newly formed Lamplight Orphan Care Ministry in our church - The Shelter Community Church in Dayton, Ohio.

We are so excited to announce what happen!  Over $2,800 dollars has been given to the ministry of Dayspring. With the matching gift promise that really means $5,600. Now coats, shoes, boots, clothes, school supplies, nutritional items, etc...will fill the cabinets of the new foster family home.

All that will happen because our friend, Jen, made 729 candles.  Jen and her dear friend, Carrie, spent countless hours in preparing the orders, making contacts, making the candles, getting them shipped out....and a thousand things we don't even know about.

These candles will light the homes of hundreds of familes and friends across the US. They also light hope into the lives of abused and neglected children in Tokmok, Krgyzstan.

THANK YOU JEN AND CARRIE and the many, many who helped you!  What an incredible blessing you are in our lives.

Medina's Story - New Hope for a Brighter Future

“Medina was so happy today I have never seen her like that!” These words, sent to us from our team member, Natalia, describe a life-changing event for a precious 12 year old in Krygyzstan.


The journey with Medina and her family began 18 months ago when we first saw her, and her younger sister and brother. Our team, joined by social workers from Cleveland, was visiting in a children’s park. As a special treat, the team had planned an afternoon lunch for the orphanage children who were brought there to play. As the group of orphanage children made their way into the little house for lunch, three little children, standing aside from the group, caught Lynn’s eye. He knew right away that these children needed help and the most immediate need was something to eat. He scooped them up and took them into the luncheon with the other children.

The first day we met Medina and her siblings. This was a kingdom moment - one to yet be fully revealed.

That gesture – stopping for ones that God placed in front of us – began a journey with this family, we call Jessica’s family. Jessica, a social worker on that visiting team was captured by the pressing need of the family and became involved with intervention work with them right away. Thus the name - Jessica's family.

Over the past 18 months, LAMb with the help of many sponsors has provided humanitarian aid to this family, including a complete apartment makeover last April. However, one particular challenge confronted us every time we visited the family. Little Medina, due to an accident, was blind in one eye and her appearance was greatly impacted by it. We wondered could something be done. The answer came months later - YES!

You can just imagine how very self conscious this beautiful young girl felt everyday of her life.

Medina's life changed with the events of last week. Here is the note from Natalia:

I took Medina and Ainura –her mother to eye hospital. Today Medina got her new eye lense. The doctor taught Medina and her mother how to put the eye lense in and out and how to keep it clean.

Medina was so happy today I have never seen her like that. Her mother said so many warm words to you and the people who are involved in that. They both were so appreciative and grateful.

                          Medina's smile speaks volumes.

           The doctor, Medina and her mother.

David and I are learning experientially more and more all the time that life changing ministry happens in small things – a hand extended in love, a gift of encouragement, hope given for the future. All of these are wrapped in this gift of restoration for beautiful Medina from a couple in West Chester, Ohio who wanted to make a difference.

Thank you all who have given to the on-going ministry of LAMb International. Your gifts open doors just like this one.

WOW We Are Almost There!

From November 1 - December 31, we have a matched fund donor who will match up to $25,000 - giving LAMB International $50,000.

We are almost there...to see how close we are, visit.....   http://www.lambinternational.blogspot.com/