Time to Grow (2004-2008)

One of the joys of working here in Kazakhstan is the Interlink Kids Connection sponsorship program started a couple years ago. It's a typical sponsorship program where an American family back home can connect with one of the children in our area orphanages. Letters and photos are exchanged while relationships are developed. The $200 a year, per child, enables Interlink to help these children in many practical ways. The Savva Orphanage in Merke was in need of a new water tower last year. Such expenses are not a part of normal funding. The government provides staffing, food, clothes and other necessities. There are no funds for large maintenance type of repairs. Interlink was able to provide all the needed funds for that new water tower. Kids Connection also helps out with celebrating B-days and other special holidays for the children. We've , in the past, provided funds for a sound system, material for draperies and performance costumes etc.

The advantage of being a local part of the staff is that I can sponsor a child and also visit that child on a regular basis. Some, join with a delegation coming here and can visit their child. What a special event that is. So Interlink is in the unique position to help these children and also have a net work available for sponsors to come and visit their child. But I can see Dina on a weekly basis, while also exchanging pictures and letters. I'm also learning Kazakh so I can chat with her in person. Included are two photos. One of Dina when I met her in 2004 when she was 8 or 9 years old. The second photo was taken recently and she is now 13. It's a joy to see these children grow and I'm delighted to be a regular part of their lives.

Ulan Carnival 2008!

Who says work is not fun??? We put on a mini-Carnival for the children at the Ulan Orphanage, Labor Day weekend. Due to a shortage in staffing we were limited to 6 stations. We had a Plinko stand, Picture board with a strong man and woman on a trapeze for the children to put their faces in, Ladder toss, Clown Bean Bag toss, Ring toss over wooden milk bottles and the all popular Gorilla sponge toss with yours truly as the target.


As you can see these children through the soaked sponges with great determination. Fortunately for me most of them missed though given 3 chances. Fortunately for them, some of them succeeded. All in all we had a very nice time. The weather is still nice and this was the weekend before they started back to school. Prizes and candy were awarded. The children also received a Camp "T" shirt and a carry bag (made by a local Kazakh woman) donated by an American Delegation from Muncie, Indiana.

The children have two dormitories. One for younger children and the other for the older pre-teens and teens. The teen building is undergoing renovations so all the children are cramped into one dormitory for the next few weeks or until the remodeling is complete.

Sorry you could not be a part of all the fun, but your continued support from back home makes all this possible.

Having FUN! For the children

This is the first time I volunteered to be the target of a sponge toss event. An American delegate (Vicki) painted the gorilla with too-too. I made the frame and was more than willing to be the target. You may say, so that is no big deal. They are only sponges after all. But these sponges can hold some amount of water and some of the children are strapping young men with quite an arm.

This photo was taken last June at the Savva English Camp carnival night but this weekend I'll assume the post again for the Ulan orphanage carnival we've prepared. Should be fun. With the help of the team here and local translators we'll set-up a half dozen stands for the amusement of the children.

So as the summer closes and the new school year begins we want to give the children a last hurrah. Don't you wish you could be here to toss a few sponges??? Go ahead, you probably throw like a girl! And if you are a girl then I would still tease you for throwing like one!

Well, off to prepare for the Ulan Summer ending Carnival.
Wish you were here
Ken

Monster Burgers

Just in case you were wondering how the food is over here, take a gander at my latest creation! I took nearly 2 lbs of lean ground beef and made 5 "Monster Burgers". Believe me, they are as tasty as they look.

Of course this is not the typical meal here. For the most part I take in mostly national foods and enjoy them very much. Kazakhstan is a real "meat and potato" kind of people. It is said here that Wolves are the one animal on the planet that eats the most meat. And Kazakhs are 2ND!

Veggie lovers stay home. JUST KIDDING! Come one and all. Especially veggie lovers. More meat for me.

Anyway, having said all that we all really love the national dishes here, but like a bit of old fashioned American style burgers and pizza! National foods include Bisparmak which is a hand made flat noodle dish with potatoes and of course meat. Kordak is another meat and potato dish usually made after a fresh slaughter of a sheep. The Usbec main dish is Plov. A rice and meat dish, while the Russian favorite is Borsh which is a cabbage, potato and meat soup. All very tasty and I'm sure you'd like them, very much, as well.

In any case, don't worry about us loosing weight over here. We love our work, we love the people and we love the food.

And Still Working!

I wonder, how many of you out there, can give your boss a bloody nose and still keep your job??? As it happened, my friend, and acting Company Director, were engaged in a water war. Not our first mind you (Remembering the past 2 4th of July gatherings). I was backing up as she charged. A co-worker (Kiikzhan) stopped me from behind. Beth, not knowing this, was in full attack mode. I bent down to give a good splash but her nose met up with my shoulder. OOOOOuch! Well, I didn't say ouch, but Beth sure was feeling a little pain.



In the third picture I was loaded up for bear with a water gun prepared for more battle. This was Interlink's 1st Annual Staff Summer picnic.

All had a good time. Some of the guys prepared sashleek (kind of like shish ke-bab) while others prepared salads, bread and drinks. We played many games, got really, really wet, and ate some more! We already look forward to next summers 2nd Annual Staff Summer picnic!

OUCH!

I think the last time I needed stitches I was 4 or 5 years old. I was running through the house, fell, and hit my forehead on the corner of a wooden table. I can't even remember how many stitches I got then.

This time things are a little more clear! We had an American delegation here working with Youth Impact. This is the group of teens who have graduated from local orphanages and are in a job training program. Some are seeking further education. In any case we all went to a local riverside for a picnic. The river, or large stream was only knee high so a number of us were wading in the water playing with a volley ball.

The river bed is loaded with rocks and at one point I felt myself step on (what I thought was) a sharp rock. Not thinking much of it I kept playing. About 20 minutes later I got out to find a sizable, deep cut, on the bottom of my foot. Hello! Instead of a rock it must have been a broken piece of glass. Actually it did not hurt, all that much, until I started to squirt some water in the cut to clear out the dirt that was inside. Fortunately there was among us, a licensed RN. When we got back to the office, Sara, the RN, went to work on me. Fortunately we also had a supply of medical equipment on hand.

It wasn't perfect. The Novocaine and stitching material we had is really for dental work, but here you have to go with what you've got.

The stitching was a breeze! However, and that is a "BIG HOWEVER", the Novocaine shots were excruciating. If you have any doubt ask Sara Coggins, my co-worker, who was holding my foot down for the shots. I think her ears are still ringing.

Funny thing is, I have water slippers for just this kind of activity. Guess I won't forget them next time. Anyway, all had a great time at the picnic and the Americans went back home. Thanks Sara for the art work.
In Him,
Ken

The Old and the New!

I just completed one small project here. The old ladder at the house I am living in has been repaired many times over the years. Here in Kazakhstan if something breaks they just add on another piece of wood to keep it together. The old ladder is smaller and yet, with all the added wood, is heavier than the new ladder which is an extended 3 feet. I also used bolts to secure the steps while cutting out notches for the steps to fit into. I've yet to varnish the new ladder, which it will need to keep protected from the coming winter.

Now I can gain access to the garage roof (pictured with ladders) and the grape vine lattice. As the vines grow they need to be laced in the metal framed lattice which supports the grapes and also turns the grape vines into an awning providing much needed shade for my car in the dog days of summer. As you can see in the second picture the vines are in much need of attention. I'll use the new ladder to redirect the vines on the lattice.

Hope your house projects are going well.
Keep me posted on your end.
All for now
Ken