Last Anniversary (in Kazakhstan)

Yesterday was our 37th wedding anniversary!!!
The day before we attended a mini wheelchair distribution (yes, we are still working) and were able to spend half the day with people that we have grown to love.

 We were able to play with the baby for a bit. This lady also has a handicapped child that needs this wheelchair. She was very grateful!!

 This young boy was tested in 3 different wheelchairs until he was properly fit and comfortable. His family was very grateful for this donation.

Kamka with a young man who also received a wheelchair. His family drove for hours to be able to get this wheelchair for him.

As our NGO friends were getting ready to take us home they asked if we could have lunch with them before we go home and it turned out that the best day for all of us was yesterday - our anniversary. They picked us up around 2:30 and we had the lunch at their handicapped children's kindergarten. They had prepared the Kazakh national dish with a lot of good horse meat. We spent a few hours with them reminiscing about the past 18 months. They also asked more questions about the Church and our beliefs - especially the Word of Wisdom because they drink a lot  of tea and over half the men and young men here smoke. Since it was our anniversary we were also able to share how we met, some info about my mission in Tahiti, and about our Eternal Marriage. Kamka and her husband will have their anniversary next week and it will be 36 years for them.

 Before the main dish arrived - fruit, veggies, caviar, juice, fried bread, ...

 The main dish is the Kazakh national dish - Besh Barmak (five fingers) - which is boiled onions and noodles with mutton or horse meat. The sausage looking stuff on top is horse.

 We love these people and will miss them dearly!!!

At the end of the lunch we went to see the kids who were doing some therapy. We greeted each child personally and took their picture. What a joy it was to be with them!

 Very friendly Roma!

 When I showed him his picture he smiled.

 This boy and his brother below are twins! What a sacrifice and blessing for their parents!

 He wanted to shake my hand but could not quite make it work so we improvised.

The kids and their therapist staff. They have taught us a lot about unconditional love and patience.

 After the meeting with the kids they took us to the Directors office where the sang us a song of friendship and asked Viviane to sing a song and for me to record it so that they would have it. She sang for them the Primary song "Where Love Is". They then gave us gifts that surprised us and many of us shed a few tears as we expressed our friendship and love.

 They said the whip was so that we could have another 37 years of happy marriage!

 They gave me this chess set with a hand crafted leather carrying case/board and Kazakh chess pieces.

 For Viviane, they gave this yurt shaped, handcrafted leather jewelry 'box' with handmade ring and matching earrings of Kazakh design.

Here are the words to the song that Viviane sang for them ...

Where Love Is

Where love is, there God is also.
Where love is, we want to be.
Guide us, his truths to follow;
Help us obey him faithfully.

Where love is, there God is also.
We think of him rev’rently.
Teach us to pray, to talk with him above
And know that he will guide us with his love.

The comfort of loving arms around us,
A song that makes us want to sing,
The happiness we feel when love has found us,
’Tis love we get when love we bring.

Where love is, there God is also.
And with him we want to be.
Show us the way and guide us tenderly
That we may dwell with him eternally.

Words: Joanne Bushman Doxey, b. 1932, and Norma B. Smith, b. 1923
Music: Joanne Bushman Doxey, b. 1932, and Marjorie Castleton Kjar, b. 1927
© 1972 by Joanne Bushman Doxey and Marjorie Castleton Kjar. Arr. © 1989 IRI. This song may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church or home use.
Alma 13:28–29