A New Year

I would guess that not many Americans can say they have been to Talgar, Kazakhstan! I would bet that not very many Kazakhs can make that claim either. We have been there and would go back in a minute if it meant visiting with the good people at the Wholesome Family House. About 18 years ago a couple retired and decided they did not want to just sit around getting old(er). So they decided to start the Wholesome Family House. It is an incredible place where they take care of, educate, and instill family values for over 100 orphaned or abandoned children. They have been doing it long enough that some of ‘their kids’ have graduated from university and have their own families. Anwar and his wife, who is the Director, are amazing people. In the past the Church has donated some of the kitchen equipment and for the past two years new beds and mattresses have been donated for all the children. We hope to do a project for them this year that will fix the building heating system and get them gas stoves for their kitchen.

For the past week we have been hanging out in the apartment a bit more than usual since it is soooooo cold (the last few days have been freezing fog to start the day which coats the trees with beautiful 'fur' coats) and we want to close a bunch of projects before we start new ones in 2012. In order to close a project you have to complete ALL the paperwork, it has to be perfect, and you have to write a Historical Report about the project because someone just might want to know about the project in the future. Actually we have used some of our Historical Reports to let government officials know what a great blessing it is for them to have us (the Church) in their country.

For 2012 we are currently working on 5 potential projects and our wheelchairs. Good news about the wheelchairs – they have been ordered!!! Maybe next week we will get an estimated shipping date. We hope they come before we go home! We have also started NRT projects for the countries of Kyrgyzstan (will take place in June) and Tajikistan (will take place after we finish our mission).

To help me be warmer we bought a ski jacket that has a hood and that will fit under my large, lined trench coat. I'm sure I look rather large walking down the street in this outfit - somewhat like the Pillsbury dough boy in a trench coat!

A couple of quotes ...

"I have now disposed of all property to my children," said Patrick Henry; "there is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian religion. If they had that, and I had not given them one cent, they would be rich. If they have not that, and I had given them all the world, they would be poor."

O Brother Man! fold to thy heart thy brother;
Where pity dwells, the peace of God is there;
To worship rightly is to love each other,
Each smile a hymn, each kindly deed a prayer.

Follow with reverent steps the great example
Of him whose holy work was "doing good";
So shall the wide earth seem our Father's temple,
Each loving life a psalm of gratitude.

Then shall all shackles fall; the stormy clangor
Of wild war music o'er the earth shall cease;
Love shall tread out the baleful fire of anger,
And in its ashes plant the tree of peace.