Monday morning started with our day of planning. After talking with mom and Lynn about what we wanted to do we then met with John & Julie Wright to iron out a few things and get a bit organized. I can only say a 'bit' because things will change - we know they will.
After coffee and tea we (Wrights - 5, us - 2, Blair - 1, Sergey - 1 - all in an eight seated van) headed out to the Baby Hospital to find out what they needed. To see this hospital would amaze you. Not what we see in North America. We got to go up to the floors to see where the babies were delivered and where the mothers are with their new babies. What's interesting is that there are no visitors - I'm not sure if they are actually allowed. Fathers, I know, are not allowed up there. The fathers have to wait downstairs outside the building waiting for their new baby to be shown through the window. Each window is numbered. The father knows what floor and what window number to watch for a distant glimpse of their new child. When we were leaving there was a father all dressed up in a suite with his two young children dressed up as well waiting for their first glimpse - I hope to witness that some time!
We found out during the tour that the hospital needed several cribs, beds, night stands, and stools. The doctor said that the beds were from the Stalin era and the 'cribs' deserved to be in a museum somewhere. I think she was right.
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| The crib is the new crib. The bed is the 'Stalin' era bed - it was broken and the mattress was old and dirty. This is a room for new mothers . . |
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| This is the doctor as she told us these CRIBS need to be in a museum - yes these are cribs and still being used until they get new ones. |
After that we headed over to the bazaar and met up with mom and Lynn at the furniture store. To the delight of the doctor she will be getting what she needs in just a few days due to a donor that wants to provide what is needed! I honestly don't know how you can ever tell a donor how much and how far a donation can go. Nor can we even begin to tell you how much these donations mean to those who are helped. I don't think we can even comprehend . . .
After the furniture purchases we along with mom, Lynn and Tanya (newest LAMb employee and interpreter) headed into the bazaar to pick up needed food items for our stay - cookies, chocolate, vegetables, bread. Then it was lunch time back at the apartment.
The afternoon consisted of a bit of laundry, a trip back to the bazaar to pick up an order, to the grocery store. The guys headed to a meeting at Mercy Foundation to talk to some folks from the States and from Kyrgyzstan about a pilot project coming in September for fuel alternatives. VERY exciting results from the meeting. More on this over the upcoming months from LAMb as this gets organized.
Monday evening ended with a WONDERFUL evening with Dabu, Tanya, and their precious daughter Anita. We had homemade pizza and had a great time talking about Tanya's new adventure with LAMb as she beings the transition to being a full-time employee. Their oldest daughter Rinata is currently living in Minnesota going to Crown University. She is going to be home for the summer and they are sooo excited!
Tuesday brings a day of visits to the seniors at Kamin, men at Iskra, Orlofka (sp?) orphanage. The afternoon is planting a garden at Dayspring with the precious little girls assistance, and the evening will be a meeting with a couple from California who are missionaries here.
As mom and I were returning from the bazaar I told her it was like I have been here many times and just felt like I was at home. Oddly enough, more so here than at home . . . Only God understands.
Until later . . . .
Randy & Kim
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