I have no stunt double!

Before I flew to Kyrgyzstan to be with the team here, I had some last minute photos to take in LaTinta and Senahu.  You should see the house that is being built for the young family there!  The blocks are almost done being laid.

 They need to get the blocks all in place because 19 blocks went missing the night before we arrived.  I was so angry when I heard that.  I wish I could have found the thieves...I would have laid the "Chiquita Choke Hold" on them!  The Freakshow told me to settle down but I was not impressed.
Anyways, the young family is pumped about their new home being down.  I dug up a pic of the old one.

As you can see...they are "pumped" for good reason!  Thanks to all that gave so that PI could bless this family with a new home.

I also had the fun of dropping by the school in Latinta.  I got to deliver some supplies to the teachers and that was great fun.  It was a special thrill for me to visit the PI sponsored kids in LaTinta.  It was way to cool to have my pic taken with them.  They are doing great in school and looked "bananariffic" in their uniforms.  Jocelyn was late getting to school so we got Vee to find to have her pic taken.

As you can see it was a wild couple days...then to the airport and off to join John in Kyrgyzstan.  He gave me a few hours to rest when I got here but I am busy, busy, busy again.  I will post again soon.

Arrived save in Kyrgyzstan

Hey Sam! It's Phil here, just calling to say we made it to Kyrgyzstan safe and sound! I am so tired, I had to get my new friend Beksultan to hold the phone up for me!

It was great to finally meet Bekah and Emma's Kyrgyz sister Altynai. Here she with some beautiful blankets from Aigulia.

It was a great day!

Here is the entire family, with the entire iam1ru crew.  What a joyous time this was.  This was a great trip with a great team.  I have included a few pics of the house below.  Enjoy!  To all those who gave so that this house could be built....Thanks!

Imagine living in a beaten down, nasty building with dirt floors...then moving into this!

This is the new bathroom for the family.

You see folks, whether it is in Guatemala, Haiti, Uzbekistan, Kenya, Philippines, Ukraine or Kyrgyzstan at PI we are all about restoring dignity.  I cannot wait to read reports of happenings in Kyrgyzstan once John Wright gets there in just a few days.  It has been a busy March for PI....I love it!  I have loaded a few more pics on the website.  You can view them by clicking the outhouse pic above.

Hot Stuff!

It was a quick pose as my hiney was a bit warm!  Yes!  That is molten lava there behind me.  I have been called "hot stuff" many times before by young ladies but today....I was totally "hot"!  That was one crazy morning.  Fifty five minutes on horseback up the mountain...then a 45 minute walk up the lava field.  The Freakshow's shoes were melting...I could smell the rubber burning.  The work is done....we had a great day today and tomorrow we head to Pana for a bit more R&R.  Stay tuned for more stories.  I gotta go look for some Aloe Vera to rub on my rear....I have a bit of a burn!

Everyday Philanthropy at work!

As many of you know PI presently has a team in Guatemala building a home for a family and also doing medical clinics.  However, while I lead the team here in Guatemala, John Wright (PI's Director of Sponsorships) is preparing to lead a team to Kyrgyzstan.  While they are there they will be following up on past dreams sponsored....checking in on children that are sponsored...visiting friends in their homes...partying with the men at the invalid home....and the list goes on.  We are able to see all these things accomplished because of two key things.  The first is the generosity of everyday philanthropists in Canada and the United States....we also now have partners in England!  If everyone does a little....we can do far more together than we could ever do alone!  The second are the incredible Dream Agents we have on the ground in Kyrgyzstan.  People like Sergei and Anya, Larissa, Vlady, Vera....and many others.  Take a tour of the Act of Kindness blog...some great inspirational reading there.  Be sure to follow this blog over the next few weeks as reports come to you from not only Guatemala but also Kyrgyzstan!

I am feeling the love!

This is the life!  I was just sitting there minding my own business after helping the doctors unpack some meds and "shazam!"....I got a peck on the cheek from Dr. Kymm and Jolyanne.  Wow!
Okay...enough about me!  Yesterday was awesome as I was able to see the medical team in action and I also dropped by the build site.  The house will be finished today.  We just loaded up some fresh pics you can view them by clicking on the pic above.

One Lucky Monkey!

Wow!  What a gig!  Yesterday I got to take part in handing out the Guatemala Family Care Packs.  For a little while I was on the "bean station" handing out a bag of beans to families as they walked by.  We handed out food to 200 families...it was well organized and was a blast.  This crazy monkey just wants to send out a shout of "thanks" to all those that donated so we could together bless these families.  My cousin Fred can have his Hollywood fame and stardom.  This is what life is all about.  Stay tuned as the Freakshow and team are not done the craziness just yet.

Hand in the cookie jar?

Sometimes....you just get caught.  I could not resist the Snickers.  This monkey loves his chocolate!  I coudl not take it anymore....I went for it....I got caught.  Jackie Todd stood up for me and I got to keep the chocolate bar.  :)
Things continue to go well at the build site.  They are saying we could have the house pretty much done here by Saturday.  The medical team continues to do clinics and are impacting many.  Last night we went to feed a bunch of volunteer firefighters and Ambulance folks.  That was really cool.  I think the Freakshow put a bit of a video together of some stuff we have been involved in to this point.  To view the video....just click on my hiney!  :)

Safety first?

Well?  What can I say?  She tells me that she was in such a hurry taking care of her husband Mike that she forgot to put on her running shoes.  She told me they had a "green patch"...lol.
Today was awesome as the Dr's and nurses showed up to help in the morning with the build.  What a crew we had.  I was back early this afternoon and they already had most of the roof on and I am told that they will be pouring concrete for the floor tomorrow.  The medical clinics kick into high gear again tomorrow.  I will have some pics up tomorrow from the medical clinics. I just posted some new construction pics on the iam1ru site.  You can visit them by clicking on Angie's flip flops....careful....do not chip the paint on her toes.

It's a new day!

Thought I might post this pic of myself in the airport in Toronto.  I look wonderphil first thing in the morning.  The boss man (also know as the Freakshow) has posted some pics on our website.  Why not take a tour over and look at them.  The pics may look a bit small...but you just click on them and prestomundo...they get large.  To see more pics click here.

The building begins....

Day one of the building saw John King, Don, Wayne, Mike, Geoffrey, Betty and Josh (grandson of John and Laurie King....our guests) head to the lumber yard where they had to load up their own lumber.  

The pics are of the building site.  As you can see Don Welten is figuring out how to make it all work.  Because the property is on a fairly steep slope there had to be a retaining wall built.  Today was going to be spent digging post holes....no gas auger friends...pick axe and Guatemalan auger.:)  Stay tuned for updated pictures on a daily basis.

Making lunch

Here I am helping Dr Kymm Feldman and Jolyanne Marcotte make their lunch for the first big day out on Monday.  Gonna be a wild ride!  A full medical team with 3 doctors....two nurses...and great help!  The building team will be on their way.  Gotta jet....the team is going bananas calling me to get a move on.  Will report later.

I am pumped!

What a gig I have travelling with PI. In the airport with my new
Senorita.....Jackie Todd. That is right....this funky monkey loves his
new job. Cannot wait to get to Guatemala and get at the work.

Oh yeah.

Okay all you young guys!