TEACHING CAREGIVERS AND PARENTS TO HELP CHILDREN LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES

This is an amazing video.  It tells the story of why LAMb International does training!  You might have asked that question.  Well, here is one of the reasons.

Today and for the next week and half - we are working with social workers, adoptive parents and other caregivers here in Ukraine to build capacity in their knowledge and skills in working with children who have suffered trauma.  Just think...teaching adults to better care for their own children in their own country who have experienced many different kinds of abuse, neglect, loss and stress.

Today, she said, "my team said I do things differently since I started this training!"  Wahoo.  This is music to our ears.

Thank you Lisa for finding this video and bringing it to our attention!

Join us friends -  share this blog and this video!

The LAMb Team

UPDATE 2013

Dear Supporters,

We are so pleased to see the direction of LAMb Canada for 2013 - 2014. We have made some major changes that are leading us to our goal - we want to be a full member of the organization CANADIAN COUNCIL OF CHRISTIAN CHARITIES (CCCC).  This organization is a strong organization that works with charities to ensure best practice in compliance and accounting that meets and exceeds the requirements of the Canadian Revenue Agency.  We are getting closer.

We have hired a new accountant who has been working with us now for the second year.  In January, she also directed us to a new firm and  bookkeeper who has set up a completely new system of bookkeeping and accounting.  We hired this firm and are so very pleased with the work.

One suggestion of the new firm was to develop a new Chart of Accounts, in which they gave us the categories recommended after reviewing our work and scope.  We have done this.  So, now we have 6 Categories for accounting:  General Fund, Missionary Specific, Special Projects, Leadership and Development, Barnabas Group and Sponsorship.  This chart of accounts now appears on our Canada Helps donation site and will be used for designation purposes.

At the April 17th Board of Directors Meeting, the board approved these accounts and requested they be implemented on the Canada Helps site right away.  Done.  In addition, the board approved that all donations of cash and check made to LAMb International would now be receipted annually and in the mail by the 28th of February each year.

We are pleased with the growth of LAMb International, with the work of our board and the new direction toward the CCCC.

For our  USA Charity of LAMb USA, we have applied for membership in a similiar organization:  Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).  ECFA is an accreditation agency dedicated to helping Christian ministries earn the public’s trust through adherence to Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship™, which focus on board governance, financial transparency, integrity in fundraising, and proper use of charity resources.

We thank you for your support and prayers as we continue to grow as a new charity,

The LAMb Team

TRAUMA COMPETENT HEALING HOMES - ONE FAMILY AT A TIME!

TRAUMA COMPETENT HEALING HOMES

Heading to Ukraine on Saturday.  Lynn and I will be conducting training in the area of Trauma.  

Over the years it has become more and more apparent that children who have been adopted from the orphanages have experienced trauma that impacts their lives dramatically.  When families and/or caregivers live with children who have been victims of trauma, it can be both challenging and confusing.  What do I do?  What does this mean?  Can I help?  Many questions surface.

But there is HELP.  The work of many experts have surfaced strong, effective approaches to children and their pain.  We are honored to be able to share this with our families in the countries where we are working.  The goal of course is to help parents and caregivers become Trauma Competent Healing Homes...

Our team members Pastor David and Jayne Schooler have worked tirelessly to pull together quality tools that can be used in training.  We are blessed to have the permission of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and Dr. Karen Purvis to use materials and publications that will support these training efforts we put fort.

Saturday we leave to deliver training to Christian adoptive parents and caregivers in Ukraine.  Here is our schedule.

UKRAINE

May 19 - arrive Kiev

May 22-23 – Crimea - TRAUMA

May 24-25 – Kherson  - TRAUMA

May 26-27 – Nikolaev - TRAUMA

May 28-29 – Kherson – TRAUMA

May 30 – back in Nikolaev to be presenters on the conference Nikolaev Without Orphans – ABOUT TRAUMA

June 1-3  Kiev to work with ILDC Staff

Following our time in Ukraine - Jayne and David will arrive in Ukraine - working with prospective trainers - helping them prepare to conduct the trainings in Trauma we conduct.  It is yet another way to ensure we build capacity in the country - where they are NOT dependent upon foreign workers.

Jayne and David will then head on to Poland to deliver training in the area of Trauma Competent Healing Homes (Caregivers). 

We are most grateful to Orphan Promise and My Home for making much of this possible! 

LIVING TO LEARN - LEARNING TO LIVE

LIFE SKILLS AND LEARNING TO SERVE 

JEREMIAH PROJECT - youth who will be graduating from a local orphanage.  Kosta is conducting a "help session" with the youth.  Each of these youth will be leaving the orphanage next month.  Where will they go?  Who will help them.  We pray Jeremiah Project can be a help to each of them.

LIFE SKILLS AT RED RIVER ORPHANAGE - This training is weekly.  There are 10 youth and they are very happy and excited to be involved with the program.  Here, Katya, our team member works with youth on "manners."

LIFE SKILL PROJECT AT RED RIVER ORPHANAGE -We pray the pilot goes well.  As after this pilot we will evaluate and if all is successful, these youth will continue with the training and there will be another group started.  We have two great team members working here - Katya and Ira.  Please continue to pray for this great program.

RED RIVER ORPHANAGE - HAPPY FACES
LIFE SKILLS TRAINING GROUP

DAYSPRING LIFE SKILLS - we decided that the children needed to learn about money.  They get NO money in their hands, so we decided to give them a monthly allowance.  Here they are holding 100 coms (about $2.00).  They will learn to put 10% into a giving jar; 10% to save; 10% to put aside for needs and 70% for their use.  Both Jeremiah House and Dayspring will now be receiving an allowance to learn how to budget.

KEMIN SENIOR HOME - The Dayspring Family went to the senior home to perform for them for an Easter program.  They shared God, and here they are praying for the seniors.  Again, teaching them to serve, another Life Skill outreach.

DAYSPRING AND JEREMIAH HOUSE GARDENS - The children will learn to plant, care for and harvest their own gardens.  Life Skills being learned - how to grow your own food.

UPDATE....

We have been away from the internet for some time.  After losing our co-founder Don, we focused back into family and friends as we said good bye to our dear brother and team member.  

And today, we return to share the joy of what is continuing on in Kyrgyzstan.  Our team on the ground there is doing awesome work - teaching and equipping our young people for the future.  Let's update some other wonderful news:

1.  Through the efforts of our team members David and Jayne Schooler, we will be sending four people to Texas this fall to be trained in TBRI (Trust Based Relational Interventions).  This training will prepare our four people to become trainers for us in the area of Trauma.  We are sending three persons from Ukraine and one from Kyrgyzstan.  This is a miracle in accomplishment.  

a)  4 full scholarships - worth $10,000.

b)  4 fully paid airline tickets - worth - $5,000

c)  housing for all four from families in the area of the training

d)  showing the Stuck film to raise funds for their food and on the ground expenses

2.  DISCOVERY PROJECT - Olga (our staff) from Kyrgyzstan received a full scholarship to attend a training in Hungary at the end of the month.  She will be going there to learn more about working with children who have disabilities.  This will be a strong foundation to our program in Kyrgyzstan called Discovery.  She will return to do training and support groups for families who have children with disabilities.   In addition, we will use her new learning in our Life Skill program and in our work with the different orphanages where there are children with disabilities.  FULLY FUNDED - worth over $3500.  Grant from organization doing the training...Olga applied for this and was awarded the grant!

3.  UKRAINE - Lynn and Ruby are leaving for Ukraine on May 18th - they will be training in the area of Trauma with Ukraine Christian families who have adopted, working with two different agencies - My Home and Agape.  Training will be conducted in three different locations.

4.  Jayne and David will be heading to Poland in June to conduct training in the area of Trauma.  They will also be doing the same training in Ukraine, working with our prospective trainers in Kiev.

MORE UPDATES TO COME:  BARNABAS GROUP is on the move too.  

HE WALKS WITH THE LORD

DONALD BUCHMAN

A MAN OF GOD - WENT HOME TO WALK WITH THE LORD ON MAY 3, 2013

Our hearts are heavy today, as our team - our family are grieving the loss of Don.  Our earthly hearts rejoice at the same time - knowing his healing is full and complete.  He no longer is restricted, as he has complete freedom in walking with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Don was instrumental in the founding of LAMb International.  He moved on to be the foundation of the legal work, the documentation, editing, and carrying out the role of President of LAMb USA.  He carried out duties of leadership, guidance and development.  Together with Johanna, the USA team moved the ministry of LAMb from 2002 to the present.

After an accident left Don with quadriplegia, he moved on in life to serve in ways that touched many.  With numerous hospital stays, his life became a witness to others of how God restores everything - even in the midst of what man may say is a tragedy.  He was a man of God, a teacher, a trainer, a counsellor, a mentor, a coach, a writer, the head of his family, a brother, a role-model, a sports fan, a father, grandfather and husband.

Johanna, Don's wife has walked side-by-side in the ministry of LAMb International with us.  Many times we four (Don, Johanna, Lynn and Ruby) have laughed and cried together at the honor it has been to be called to serve in His work...to be received into the family of God as missionaries.  We know we are such a "motley" crew.  Age, body limitations.  Yet all He really asked of Don was just to be obedient.

The obedience was given.  The race was run.  The journey completed.  And today Don's healing is complete.

Don - we your team - your family will miss your earthly presence and involvement with our team.  Yet your influence will never be far away.

LAMb International celebrates your life!

IT IS TIME TO SHOW OUTRAGE!

STUCK 

IS COMING TO DAYTON 

More than a movie, it’s a movement.           

                  WHEN: May 12 – 7:00 pm

                  WHERE: Epiphany Lutheran Church, 6430 Far Hills Ave Dayton, OH

HOW MUCH: Admission to the screening is free, but donations will be accepted for two worthy               adoption causes: Adoption fees for the Collins family of Lebanon, Ohio working to adopt Maggie             from Guatemala for five years and Lamb International’s project to provide extensive training to                   orphan caregivers from the Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan.

SPONSORED BY LAMb International – a worldwide mission serving children and families and        local adoption advocates

WHAT IS STUCK?

The award-winning documentary film, STUCK, is the story of the struggles and rewards of international adoption. It is travelling to 60 cities over 3 months, beginning March 1. A special screening, hosted by local adoption advocates and LAMb International, will be in Dayton on Sunday, May 12 at 7 pm at the Epiphany Lutheran Church, 6430 Far Hills Ave Dayton, OH 45459.

STUCK follows the stories of four orphans from Haiti, Vietnam and Ethiopia and their heartbreaking struggles to come home to their families. The STUCK film is designed to raise awareness – and outrage – over the deplorable system of international adoption. Bureaucracy, inefficiencies and politics keep children incarcerated in orphanages around the world when loving families are willing and eager to adopt them.

For more information, call Angela Manuszak, STUCK Dayton city host at 937-433-1669, Jayne Schooler, 937 689-0985 or the Both Ends Burning office at 877-908-5161 or visit the STUCK Web site at www.stuckdocumentary.com. 

To view the trailer or download the film for personal viewing, please visit www.stuckdocumentary.com.

WHAT IS NEXT? SUMMIT, TRAUMA TRAINING IN UKRAINE WITH ADOPTIVE PARENTS

Heading now to Summit 2013.  Christian Alliance for Orphans is saying the summit is SOLD OUT.  We are just so excited to know that thousands of persons who are passionate about doing something about the global orphan crisis are heading to Nashville to join together to plan and strategize on what is next.

After the recent gathering in November with Transform World in Indonesia, we are believing in a major breakout of people activated and aggressive in  making a difference.  Something is happening folks!  Something big and we need you to get on board - join the movement.  There is so much you can do!

1.  Speak up for the orphan!
2.  Defend the orphan!
3.  Pray!
4.  Adopt!
5.  Support others working in the movement!
6.  Head out to a short term mission team to bring joy into the life of an orphan!
7.  Become a foster parent!
8.  Develop a fund raising plan to support families who want to adopt!
9.  Purchase an airline ticket for a family adopting internationally.
10.  Purchase books for adoptive parents and send them these little gifts of parenting helps.
11.  Sponsor a child through a mission group.

Want more ideas?  Contact us we have others.  In the meantime:

STOP - for the one in front of you.
LOOK - through the eyes of God.
LISTEN - to what the Holy Spirit would have you do!

AND THEN AFTER NASHVILLE?  We are off to Ukraine for some major training.  Lynn and I will be training Christian adoptive parents in three different cities....helping families understand the Impact of Trauma on the Lives of Children coming from crisis families.  Giving families skills that will help healing and moving forward in their family lives.  We are honored to be working with My Home in Ukraine once again.  More on this later.

KEEP BELIEVING - A WORLD WITHOUT ORPHANS