HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY MARC!!!!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARC!!!!! Celebrating 21 years!!


I can't believe how fast the last 21 years have flown by. It seems like yesterday when I first held you in my arms. Oh how I loved you then. I could never have imagined then how much that love would grow. I am so proud of you and all you have done. Life hasn't always been easy and I know your heart has been hurt by things I have done, as well as life in general. Even though my heart aches for your pain, I know all will eventually be redeemed. May Papa continue to bless you and keep you safe, dear son.



As much as I know it is the call on my life to be here in Kazakhstan, I can tell you it is hard today to be so far away from you. I wish I was there to celebrate this special day with you. I am ever so thankful for who you are and all you have added to my life. It is because of you and your sister that I wanted to be a better person. I have been humbled and honored to be your mother. Each day I count you as one of my greatest treasures I've been given in life.



The gift of music you have been given has been with you since you were born. I remember giving you your first real drum when you were in 4th grade, but you were banging on everything and anything from the moment you could grasp something in your hand. You began speaking at a very early age and rhyming words came naturally to you. You are truly gifted and a poet in the way you convey your thoughts through your words and music. I miss hearing you working on your rhythms, hearing your beats and your practicing your newest song. You have been given a gift my son. Give it back as worship and you will go places you never imagined.







I'm not there to throw you a big BBQ cook-out, or have a special family dinner, but in my heart I am celebrating the life you have had and the chapters that have yet to be written. This isn't the first birthday I've missed being in Kazakhstan. Several of my trips in the past have been in June and I've missed those birthdays, too. This birthday is different because I know it will be longer before I see you in person and this birthday is one of life's milestones. This time marks the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood. When you were 13 we had a big cook-out with family and friends and marked the beginning of leaving childhood. Words were spoken about your future and blessings were given by those who attended. Know, my son, that you are loved and treasured, not only by me but by many others, as well as our Heavenly Father.







While you celebrate this day, I hope you will know you were given as a gift and that you will reflect upon and count your many blessings. Even thought there have been hard things in your life, you have been richly blessed with so much. I love you, my son, and celebrate with you and for you. I may be far away but I hold you in my heart and know someone bigger than me loves you even more and holds you in the palm of HIS hand. Seek HIM first and all the rest of your life will fall into place.






I love you, my son, and am proud of you, and am honored to be your mother. I love you as high as the sky, as deep as the ocean, forever and always, no matter what - even from half way round the world.

Love,
Mom

Faces of Kazakhstan

The people of Kazakhstan! They have captured my heart! When I came for the first time in 2000, the children in Ulan orphanage stole my heart but it didn't take long for the Kazakh people to also claim my heart.

It is hard to explain how I can be in a land far from where I was born and feel so at home, yet my heart tells me I am home! When I look into the faces around me, I see people I desire to talk with and hear their stories, hopes and dreams.

Having been raised in the South, I grew up hearing that there is nothing like Southern hospitality. I experienced some of that warm Southern hospitality through the years but I can honestly say the Kazakh people put most Southerners to shame with their hospitality. From the orphans to the average person on the street, their generosity amazes and humbles me. When my children came with me in 2002, one of the first things they noticed was how welcoming people were, even children at the local school. Since we had moved quite a few times as Marc and Sarah were growing up, they had been the "new" kids in school several times. They knew first-hand how unfriendly children can be to the "new kid." When they came back to the States, they both began reaching out to new kids - especially those from other countries. Each of my exchange students came home crying after a couple of weeks in their new schools because their classmates had been so unfriendly.

Here in Kazakhstan most people are friendly. Many stop me on the street to inquire where I'm from and ask how I like Kazakhstan. When locals welcome me into their homes, it is with a table spread full with dried fruits, nuts, candies, bread, meat, cheese, and tea. Relationships are certainly a higher priority than schedules. Of course, this can be frustrating at times, particularly because being told an event will start at a certain time doesn't mean the event will actually start at the time given. Being asked to "drop by" usually takes at least 2 hours - or more! If you schedule a 15 minute "dropping by," the unexpected extended time can definitely disrupt the rest of the day.





As I walk around the bazaar or down the street, I don't blend in. I have to admit I'm not sure I blended in all that well back in the States. My KEEN shoes and "paint" jeans aren't the height of fashion. In the States I found my J-41 and KEEN shoes to be the most comfortable shoes to wear. Here, with the rough terrain, I love these brands even more. Now, Kazakh's love fancy shoes and I am absolutely amazed at how high the heels are that Kazakh women wear on sidewalks that are definitely rough terrain. So many of the woman are strutting around in these high, high heels without missing a step. I don't know how they do it but I am going to stick to my all terrain comfortable KEEN's and J-41's. Sometimes in the bazaar I do stumble and trip, but that's because I'm so busy looking at all the sights and trying to capture them with my camera.

Standing out isn't all bad. I love that venders stop me and ask where I'm from. What is my story, they want to know. Since I arrived almost a month ago I have been to the bazaar 4 or 5 times. Now people are stopping to ask how I am doing, how my language learning is progressing, and how I'm enjoying my time in Taraz. I absolutely love this kind of interaction. My heart fills with joy.









The children have the biggest hold on my heart, especially the orphans. These children have been through so much. They hang onto the smallest bit of hope their hearts can grab hold of. Their longing to have someone take the time to let them know they are of value - even when shown the smallest bit of attention - is evident.

Interlink Resources, Inc. has a sponsorship program. Money donated goes to do so much for the children; however, I think it is the letters and visits from the American sponsors that make the most significant impact on these children. They are desperate to know someone cares. Letters, pictures and small gifts are treasured like precious gems. Children will read and reread letters and learn every detail about their American family. One sponsor came to visit her child last spring. When she returned to the States, she shared with us that even though she sent money for her sponsored child and had written a couple of letters, including letters about her granddaughters, she really never gave her writing much thought. When she came last spring she was actually a little nervous. What would she have in common with this child? What could she actually talk about with this child? When she entered his room she saw plants in the window. This young man liked to grow things and, as it would happen, so did she and they had something to talk about. As nice as that was, however, that isn't what touched her heart. The young man pointed for her to look at the underside of the top bunk. His bed was the bottom bunk. As she bent down to see what was there, she couldn't have prepared her heart for what she saw. Taped to the underside of the top bunk were all the photos of her family that she had sent. Every last one, along with the letters! He knew each family member by name and could recite the contents of each letter. Each night before he closed his eyes, her family's smiling faces are what he saw. Can you imagine being so alone and so scared and continually wondering if anyone cared about you that you would treasure pictures and letters from strangers?

She came home realizing how the little bit of time and effort she had put into her writing and mailing letters was but a drop in the bucket compared to the return. The children here grab hold of these letters and relationships as a lifeline being tossed out to them in the midst of a storm.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child, you can find more information by going to Interlink Resources,Inc.'s website. The site is listed on the right side of this blog.















Even though I am not a child, I also appreciate the cards and notes I am receiving from home. As much as I'm loving being here, there are times my heart longs to see Marc and Sarah and my dear friends. There are days I want to show the amazing sights here to those of you who have meant so much to me through the years, to share the joys of my surroundings to a familiar face. The next best thing is sharing through the great convenience of the Internet. What did people do a 100, 50 or even 20 years ago when they went off to other parts of the world? They had little opportunity to keep in touch with loved ones who were left at home. I am ever so thankful for this connection today.










Thank you, dear friends and family, for joining me for this next chapter of my life. I am truly blessed with great friendships and am looking forward to the new friends I will be meeting in my new home.

Love,
Vicki

Different modes of transportation here!

Most mornings I walk several blocks to catch the marshuka (bus). After exiting at my stop, I walk the last several blocks to the Interlink Office. This is a pleasant walk except in the pouring rain. I imagine come winter I'll think less pleasant. In Richmond, Virginia I never took the bus or a taxi. I always had a car. As I drove around, I typically only saw cars, buses, trucks, a moped or two and maybe some motorcycles. Nothing too unusual. When I was in Lancaster, PA, I loved hearing the clip clop of horses' hooves as the carriages passed Chip's home. In Lancaster, PA it is the norm to see horse-drawn carriages on the roads. I also loved seeing mule drawn plows in the fields as we drove around.

I grew up a city girl, but my heart longed for the open spaces of a farm. Opportunity, through a string of life events, brought me to working on a dairy farm outside of Richmond when I was in my early twenties. I didn't know a single thing about farming and even less about cattle or milking a cow. Brian Smith, the farm manager, for Cabin Hill Farm was a Va Tech graduate and willingly shared his knowledge. I found I loved that life style. It was hard work with long days, but there was a natural rhythm that soothed my soul. It made sense to me and I learned through hands-on experience. Having just squeaked by in high school, barely earning my diploma, a schoolroom environment wasn't for me. After a couple of years on the dairy farm, I worked for Jack and Lizzie Falls in Bedford, Virginia. He was a livestock dealer and they had a small 170 acre farm. They were in their late 70's and had an 8th and 5th grade education, but they were two of the smartest people I have ever known. I loved getting up early and then finishing tired and filthy after a long day of working hard. I thought I was born in the wrong century. I should have been in the "old west" because the modern suburban life wasn't for me. Little did I know that the desires of my heart would be answered in a foreign land. The call on my life was beyond my imagination in a land I had never heard of.





I have been here on seven previous short-term trips. Now I'm entering my fourth week since moving and my heart still leaps with excitement each time I see the livestock that are all around here. Hopefully, soon I'll have an opportunity to jump on a horse and ride or ride in a horse, donkey or camel drawn cart.















I am so very thankful for the opportunity to be here, but even more for my family and friends without whom this wouldn't be possible. I'm thankful for Marc and Sarah who have been a great gift to me and who have made me want to be a person far better than I ever imagined possible. I'm thankful for my dear friends who have encouraged me along the way, who have cried with me, celebrated with me and held my hands when there were no words. What treasures each are - rare and precious and born over time and fire.

As I enter my fourth week, the novelty is wearing off. A peace and contentment is settling in. This is the place I have held in my heart for oh so many years. I didn't have name or location, but now that I'm here I know this is the place that's been in my heart since before I was born.

Thank you, each one, for joining me in the next chapters of my life.
Love
Vicki

Beauty to Behold Around Every Curve

Tuesday I went with Beth south to Shimkent, Kazakhstan. Beth told me the drive had some amazing sights and this is the best time of year to see them. I can honestly say, however, I was not prepared for the beauty I saw around every curve. Each sight was more spectacular than the last. I was humbled and amazed by the glory laid out before my eyes.







I don't think I need to add any words to this post. The images say it all. I'll do another post with images of people I saw on the drive. They are just as beautiful. You can see all of the images by clicking on the family album link to the right. The first two albums "Drive to Shimkent" and "Drive back to Taraz" have all the images.





























This week I've had some trouble with my asthma. I was actually feeling horrible on the drive down to Shimkent, but the beauty of the landscape filled my heart with such joy, even though I was not feeling well and was not able to breath as well as I'd have liked. Nothing could dampen the joy of seeing the beauty spread all around me. What a gift to be given. I am so thankful for the many gifts I am given on a daily basis. No matter what storms may be raging in my life there are always precious gifts given each day. Some are large like the majestic scenes I had the privilege to see. Sometimes the gifts are small- like a wave from the Kazakh people as I drove by with half my body hanging out the car window trying to capture everything I saw: blue sky, red poppies, little donkeys pulling oversize carts. So many precious gifts given each day! I don't want to miss any of them.

Among the many gifts I have been given are the dear friends and family who have joined me in this next chapter of my life. I treasure each note and each encouraging word. Thank you, dear friends and family. Thank you for being my friends. Thank you for encouraging me, laughing with me, crying with me at times, caring for me when I am sick or discouraged, and for just enjoying the beauty laid out before our eyes. I so much miss my family and friends and especially my children. It helps to hear from you all, but I'm beginning to make new friends here which also fills my heart with joy - and the children, oh the children! My heart is bursting with love for them. I'm learning their names and learning the Kazakh alphabet and beginning to get some words, too.

Love you and thank you for joining with me on this journey. I hope you enjoy the images as much as I enjoyed capturing them. They do not by any means capture the full effect, but you can get a glimps and imagine.

Vicki