Saturday, March 31, 2012

ADOPTION CONFERENCE - A SUCCESS IN UKRAINE

STRENGTHENING FAMILIES  CONFERENCE 2012


LtoR:  Jon Beurgeron, Hope for Orphans, Texas; Lynn Johnston and David Schooler, LAMb International
Panel for Strengthening Families Conference - Kiev, Ukraine


LtoR:  Jayne Schooler, LAMb International; Paul Pennington, Hope for Orphans, Texas; Ruslan Maluta, Alliance Ukraine Without Orphans. 
Jayne's Speech - Children From Hard Places - with demonstration activity. 

CONFERENCE IS COMING TO A CLOSE - Tomorrow Steve Weber, President of CBN and Roman Korninko, President from Father's House will do the closing ceremonies.  The conference was a success with 200 participants - representing 97 families and 377 children.  

Jayne and David; Lynn and Ruby were all workshop presenters helping families with issues regarding some tough parenting issues.  This conference is the second conference to be co-sponsored by LAMb International with CBN and others.  The conference idea was "birthed" several years ago in the offices of CBN in discussions we were having there - thinking how we all might better serve Christian families who have adopted.  We had no idea then how successful such an event might be.  But this year - the conference was completely full over two months in advance of the deadline for registrations ending.  And we had many we were not able to accommodate for the conference - indicating the need for a larger location if we decide to conduct another conference in two years.

For Lynn, Ruby and David, it is on to Kyrgyzstan on Monday and for Jayne it is back to Ohio to complete a move to their new home.  We will miss Jayne not traveling with us to Kyrgyzstan.  However, we will soon be  joined by our other team members the Wrights - we arrive in Bishkek on Tuesday and the Wrights arrive on Wednesday.  

The team will be very busy - and will soon be joined by our first Short Term Mission group - our board members from Ohio - Randy and Kim Gebele.  Then later in the month - Ruby will travel to Russia for two different activities - a conference Russia Without Orphans and some activities with the National Foundation for the Prevention to Cruelty to Children.  Following will be a team from our home church in Barrie - three amazing Short Term Mission member who will help us carry out serving orphans, widows, elderly, and the disabled.  

We will end our months away this time by returning to Ukraine to work with our friends in Kherson - working with Christian families who have adopted from the southern regions of Ukraine.  We will also be sharing with NGO workers in the Kiev area - at an area conference on Christian Leadership.

Our time is precious here and in Kyrgyzstan.  We have always claimed the motto, "just show up and stop for the one in front of you."  We look forward to who God places in front of us these months - as we know each step we take is being directed and guided by the prayers we and you send forth.  

We thank you for your support and remind you to KEEP DREAMING - AND BELIEVING AS WE DO:

A WORLD WITHOUT ORPHANS

We each need to capture the VISION!


Friday, March 30, 2012

TRAINING FOR ALLIANCE UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS







TRAINING LEADERSHIP FOR UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS - ALLIANCE INIATIVE
WE ARE EXCITED TO SAY WE HAD 15 PARTICIPANTS IN OUR EVENT FOR THIS SERIES. They are off now and working hard to develop additional strategies to bring Ukraine to a country without orphans.   This group of highly motivated leaders share the common vision and they are passionate about their part.

This entire idea is a MAJOR MOVEMENT OF CHANGE IN THE  ORPHAN WORLD.  We are seeing key leaders who have joined together across countries, religions and turf issues to work together to reach for the VISION.  A WORLD WITHOUT ORPHANS.

Just think - from the efforts of one - what might happen - and the efforts of two - on and on.

We closed this training with lots of excitement  and now we head to the conference we are co-sponsoring here with CBN -  in Ukraine - Strengthening Families.  We will have 97 families in attendance representing 377 children.  These are Christian Ukrainian adoptive families.  All committed to a Ukraine Without Orphans - all committed to understanding the child they have adopted - understanding how they can grow and develop into a strong family and Godly parents.

Join the dream - believe with us.  Let us know if you want to help. 

YOU CAN BE PART OF THE MOVEMENT TOO! 
Ask us how....

Every church is called to take up the cause of the orphan.... 


Friday, March 23, 2012

UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS - THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES

WE ARE MOVING FORWARD

..next week we will spend four incredible days with 18 leaders from around Ukraine who are working together to achieve a DREAM - UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS.

Lynn and I will be doing training with these leaders to encourage them to join together and create STRONG partnerships and healthy collaborative relationships so they can make a difference. Already they are making a difference.  Each person has contributed time, energy and resources to conduct many different events in their regions to promote the cause of the orphan.  So for the next week - we are jammed full of building strength to reach the DREAM:

1.  Four days of training with key church, NGO, and Orphanage leaders - hand in hand to plan and make a difference.  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

2.  Friday we join together with our LAMb Team members - David and Jayne Schooler who will be here to help promote the cause of the orphan by presenting at our conference - Strengthening Families.  Jayne will be one of our "key note" speakers and both David and Jayne will be presenting workshops as well.  This is a "sold out" conference of over 200 people - all Christian adoptive families who are coming from all over Ukraine.

3.  Lynn and I will be presenting at the conference as well - Strengthening Families.  Conference is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

4.  Monday we will fly to Kyrgyzstan with David and Jayne will fly home.  Our team has already started to arrive into Kyrgyzstan - Bekah and Emma are there and hard at work.

As well our on the ground team is VERY ACTIVE:

29 SENIORS AT KEMIN
WALLS WILL BE READY FOR COMPLETION IN APRIL
DAYSPRING CHILDREN WILL BE ATTENDING A THREE DAY CAMP IN BISHKEK
DASHA IS BEING CARED FOR AND IS GETTING BETTER SLOWLY
FOOD GOING TO THOSE IN TB HOSPITAL
FOOD TO THOSE IN NEED
LOTS OF DOCUMENTS BEING RECOVERED
VITAMINS DELIVERED TO THEM

AND VITAMINS FOR THEM - DELIVERED!

SOME HELP WITH FOOD

TB HOSPITAL - SENDING THEM HOPE

FOOD FOR THE TB HOSPITAL

THANKFUL MEN FOR BEING REMEMBERED
TB HOSPITAL

DAYSPRING LITTLE GIRLS WITH OUR NEWEST
STAFF MEMBER - TANYA

ON AND ON AND ON.....

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

UKRAINE - TRAINING MORE TRAINERS

Oleg, our Executive Director at ILDC
in Ukraine.  

Luba, Lena, and Tanya - our newest trainers for
Wounded Children Healing Homes

Lena - traveled from Ukraine to Kyrgyzstan to conduct
training for us.  An AWESOME TRAINER!

A group hard at work defining key strategies to work with 
a scenario of a child who has experienced trauma.

THE GOAL - SUSTAINABILITY!  We just completed a course of training for SOS Children's Villages - the participants were village mothers, staff and management.  As well, we had three trainers who where preparing to carry the training forward as the national trainers.  We have already trained one  person as a trainer.

When we (foreigners) conduct a training, we work with an interpreter.  We have excellent interpreters and the work is both easy and as we are told effective.  However, the training can be a bit slower and often the opportunity for extensive clarifications and conversations are hampered by the use of interpretation.  Our goal has always been to train nationals to conduct the training we take into the country.  We want to leave a competent group of nationals to carry on long after we leave.

This goal has seen much success in the past.  We have many trainers in Ukraine who are conducting trainings such as the Life Skills Training for Orphanage Youth, countless different modules in leadership, parenting and child welfare.  We have trainers in the churches, schools, orphanages, government offices and even in a number of NGO's.

Today, we have turned over a one day training to four nationals.  The training is a foundation training to understanding and applying strategies when working with children who have experienced trauma.  We call the foundation training - Wounded Children Healing Homes - after the book by Jayne Schooler and Betsy Keefer.

We were able to get this book translated into Russian, print 1000 copies and as well get permission to have the Russian language version on line on our web-site and the web-site of ILDC (coming soon!).  This expands this training even further.  Soon any Russian speaking person can go directly to the web-site and download and read the book.  This book creates the foundation to the trauma series of training we will be offering at ILDC in Ukraine and hopefully soon in Kyrgyzstan as well.

We now have four trainers who are prepared to conduct this day of training.  We are pleased to see this capacity expand.  One trainer - Lena  - has even been trained to do a number of different trainings we have offered - and we most recently sent her to Kyrgyzstan to conduct a month of trainings with Social Service there.

We believe we are seeing the foundation to a sustainable system of training and education that will strengthen families, keep children safe and move children out of orphanages and into permanency with a family.  Matthew 28:20  says "....teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you."  James 1:20 "Pure and undefiled religion is to visit orphans and widows in their need..."

And finally, Deuteronomy 32:2
Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, 
like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. 

We thank you for your interest and support in strengthening the wonderful people of Ukraine -  one class, once church and one person at a time.  Our footprints will wash away with the tide, but the foundation of knowledge, skills and abilities will remain with those who carry forth to teach!

WE BELIEVE - IN A UKRAINE WITHOUT ORPHANS

Saturday, March 17, 2012

PASTOR GLEN - THE CONFERENCE REPORT FROM NICARAGUA


REPORT FROM OUR NEWEST TEAM MEMBER 
 PASTOR GLEN PITTS





NICARAGUA CONFERENCE REPORT
Lynn & Ruby

I want to thank you again for helping make our "Pastor's Time Out" in Nicaragua a wonderful success.  
Pastor Paul, who travelled with me to help with the teaching load, told me several times... "Glen, this was one of the most meaningful and fulfilling ministry experiences I have ever had." 
OUR THEME VERSE was Micah 4:2 NIV  "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord ...and he will teach us his ways, and  we will walk in his paths."
Let me share some of the highlights of this first pastor's conference.  
ABOUT NICARAGUA
    - has a population of almost 7 million people.  Spanish is their main language.
    - 53% are under the age of 18
    - it is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere behind Haiti
    - minimum wage is $137 a month
    - literacy is 66%
    - unemployment runs between 50 and 62% ...depending who you ask.
    - 1 in 3 children suffer from chronic malnutrition
    - only about 30% complete grade 6
    - two centuries of dictatorship, civil wars, natural calamities, mismanagement, corruption, and exploitation have prevented this  nation from moving forward    
    - Hurricane Mitch in 1998 traumatized the nation and caused an estimated $15 billion damage.  9,000 people perished and 2 million people were left homeless.  They have never bounced back from this horrific event.
    - in spite of this, many have turned to Jesus through various outreaches over the years
    - most needed in Nicaragua today are Bible teaching; leadership training; evangelism; and help to alleviate enormous social needs
  ABOUT OUR FIRST "PASTOR'S TIME OUT!"
    - 23 pastors attended.  They ranged in age from 23 to 73.
    - God had the right people there.  We found the size of the group to be ideal.
    - A token $5 was charged each pastor.  The balance of $145 per pastor for the four day period was underwritten by us.
    - The group meshed unbelievably well.  They socialized, played soccer and basketball together; some swam in the pool; they     lingered after every meal to strum guitars, worship, share stories, and have fun.
    - In our 13 sessions with them they hung on every word!
    - Only two pastors had ever attended a conference
    - Only two pastors received any pay or financial help from their churches.
    - All but one were from poor communities within a 30 km radius of the Skylark Retreat Centre
    - Our focus for this first conference was:  1.  Being the man God uses.  2.  The essential elements of an effective Shepherd- Leader.   3. The importance of clarity re mission and vision.  4.  The importance of Team.
    - When we asked the pastors at the end of our time "How many of you are planning to return in June?" ...every hand shot up like a  bullet!
    - We closed our time in a unity circle praying that God would use us more fully and effectively for the outworking of His purposes     and plans.
    - As we said good-bye I felt I was re-deploying 23 reinvigorated "Ambassadors for Christ"  ...23 freshly encouraged and determined     "points of light" ...into 23 needy communities of Nicaragua ...each determined with God's help to serve him better as Shepherd-    Leaders in their communities.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR...
    - each pastor, that they will experience a new level of confidence and fruitfulness in ministry
    - each pastor and their family that they will truly know God's love, leading, care, and daily provision
    - God's provision related to our upcoming "Time Outs" in June & November.  Approximately $10,000 is still needed.
With gratitude,
Glen

WANT TO HELP SPONSOR THE JUNE CONFERENCE?  JUST GO TO THE DONATE BUTTON  ON THIS BLOG AND BE SURE TO NOTE IT IS FOR THE
 NICARAGUA BARNABAS CONFERENCE  IN JUNE - thanks for the support!

The LAMb Team

Friday, March 16, 2012

UPDATE ON DASHA'S SURGERY



DASHA HAS RETURNED FROM THE HOSPITAL - AND WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR HER HEART SURGERY.

We have not posted a great deal publicly about Dasha's surgery.  She has been on the list for several months to fix several holes in her heart.  She was admitted to the Bishkek hospital last week, but contracted a serious cold and thus has been dismissed until she is well.  Needless to say, this is serious for little Dasha - not only does she need the surgery, but the admission, staying in a "scary" place overnight for several nights and then to be dismissed - it is all very confusing and scary for her.

Please add Dashsa to your prayer list and keep her close to your heart in your thoughts.

Thank you so much.

The LAMb Team

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

MEET LITTLE ULYA - OUR NEWEST LITTLE GIRL AT DAYSPRING

LITTLE ULYA IS 6 YEARS OLD.  
We welcome her to our home and family.  Little Ulya is a bright little girl that has really adjusted into the family.  This makes five little girls in our Dayspring family in addition to the three little girls of our resource family - making a TOTAL OF EIGHT little girls.  Wow what excitement.

We leave for Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan on Saturday and cannot wait to meet our most recent little girls.  We know each of their stories and they come from some very "hard places" and have experienced some very difficult life experiences.  Yet our resource family is so kind and patient to work with these little ones.  Our Child Advocate is amazing in her attention to details and meeting their needs.

Soon, we will be building a playground at Dayspring and soon we will have our garden planted.   For now, our garden is and will continue to be our little girls - SAFETY, WELL-BEING AND PERMANENCY!

GREAT JOB Team!




Wednesday, March 7, 2012

HOSPITAL AND DOCTOR BLESSINGS - 100 STETHESCOPES

WOW WHAT A WEEKEND - GEARING UP FOR KYRGYZSTAN


We spent the weekend in Ohio with Kim and Randy Gebele - both board members for LAMb International USA.  We packed their humanitarian bags they will be carrying over to Kyrgyzstan in April.  What a wonderful time we had packing 100 BRAND NEW STETHESCOPES to give to the hospitals and doctors we work with  there.  You heard right, 100 brand new ones.  This was from the generous donation from Kindred Hospital in Tucson, Arizona.  Dr. Sunil Natrajan initiated the process and we are so grateful for this donation.  

We also packed up 10 BRAND NEW 18" dolls to be given to the 10 little girls at Dayspring Family Life Resource Center.  Ruby's mother - Ruby Tinker donated the dolls and went on to make some beautiful doll dresses for the little girls to play with in dressing their little dolls.  

LAMb INTERNATIONAL WANTS TO THANK KINDRED HOSPITAL, DR. NATRAJAN AND DEAR MOMMY - RUBY TINKER.

Friday, March 2, 2012

LITTLE JENYA IS BACK!

SHE IS HOME!

As many of you know, little Jenya was pulled from Dayspring due to some incorrect paperwork done by government and a lingering argument between two different jurisdictions.  However, after diligent work from our team on the ground - the papers are corrected and Jenya is home!

She is overjoyed.  She cried constantly when she was gone and jumped for joy when she was told she could return to Dayspring.  JENYA IS HOME!

We are so thankful for all your prayers.

GOOD JOB LAMb Team!


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