Awesome day today... we started off with a trip to the Hospital to check on things there... We are falling a bit behind, and it was not looking like we would be finished before I leave.. then I got a call from the Humanitarian University in Bishkek.. they have a team of 11 students that had heard about our work, and would like to come out tomorrow and spend the day painting... this should be the boost we need to get back on track .
We met up with the city director of child services there.. she was glad to see us and also glad to see my friends with me... They are so pleased with the renovations... Exceedingly and abundantly more then they could ask or imagine.
Our friends connected with the director of the hospital, and will be coming back out to do some training for helping mothers that have relinquished kids for adoption as .
the next stop was to the invalid home... what a celebration... not only were they celebrating the new room, but this is the very FIRST hot water in the building... everyone was excited.. the Dr's and nurses even had a concert planed for us ... then after giving our friends a tour of the last couple projects there, they prepared a wonderful celebration meal for us.. I was feeling a little guilty because I could not imagine that everyone was sharing in this celebration feast, then I found out that the workers had brought the food from home because they wanted to do something special for us.
It starts to get uncomfortable having so many giving speeches about how thankful they are for the help, and the HOPE that we are bringing to them... I keep telling them that I am the blessed one because I get to bring the help, but the real hero's here are the workers that help every day, and the sponsors that make the sacrifice.. I also shared how my faith has increased by being around them... I was open and honest, I shared how difficult it was for me the first time I came.. this was a place with out hope... I did not know how I could ever come back.. I did not think that I could ever make a difference the needs were so big... But I had a very small amount of faith, and a week later, we started the first renovation..then as the support continued to come in my faith was increased, and the feeling of desperation began to lift... and now today, they do all the work, they have a brightness about them... I then said that I so wish I could do even more... they without missing a beet, and hardly waiting for the translation, one of the men said very as a mater of fact... well then ask for more.... He had the faith...... You know that we are likely into the thousands of people that support the work here in Central Asia... all working together to make a difference, but this project has been a special one for me... It is like the movie the awakening... the men here are coming to life .. they are being physically , emotionally and intellectually healed... Had we done the entire home at once, the impact would never been as great.. now this has become a source of therapy for the men to do the work themselves... we are even looking at the possibility of putting together a work team that we can have do minor renovations and painting at some of our other projects like the seniors home... I never in my wildest dreams would have thought it possible... but what amazes me the most is that 95 percent of the funding for this project comes from a single source... From an amazing family that first heard about this place and actually asked me if I could go back and do a project there... I would have likely missed it if they had not suggested it... What this has confirmed to me is that we are all in this together... Those of you reading this blog have the same responsibility to help those we come into contact with as I do... We are responsible for what we know... sorry about that..... that reminds me of something that happened a little later in the day.
I was on my way to visit with a gentleman who was having some substance abuse problems... on the way, we found the mother of a young boy that we sponsor at one of the orphanages.
.. in fact I began my day dropping the TV off there and got a hug from him.... any ways... she was not looking well, so we put her into the car and took her to Dr Tatyana... she had a full physical, and some minor tests, and it was clear that without help, she would not last more then a few more weeks... and most definitely not make it through this winter on the streets... it struck me... all day every day people walk right past this poor lady ... don't they see her dying.. I can not imagine how lonely that would be or how worthless you would fell.... So after Dr Tatyana, We took her to some apartments that I knew were cheep... I sent my driver in so that they would stay that way... he came back in a few minutes and said that he found a one room for $12 a month... so I sent him back with the money to rent it for 6 months... He said to me don't you want to come in and see it for yourself ? I told him that I was going home in 2 days... I can imagine what we are getting for $12, and I did not want to be responsible for what I know.....At least this way I can know that I did not put her back onto the street ... I sent over a mattress and a blanket for her tonight... but that is All she has... but at least this night she will not be sleeping in the sewer... that I do know.
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