I realized that I haven’t written any newsletters the whole summer. It means that we had a very-very busy summer. Indeed we had. I apologize for not writing for so long (I know that I apologize for not writing quite often :) |
Lighthouse
In May, we trained our third group of mentors. There were a few challenges with this group. First of all, we had just four mentors by the end of the training. Some people understood that they are not ready for that yet, one woman got sick a week after the training and needed medical attention for long-term. Also, we had more kids that wanted to participate in the program than adults who were trained. There was one girl who is waiting for her mentor for half a year already! Our coordinator is spending time with her, but she still need her own mentor. The biggest challenge was that kids from the rehab center are not always in the center during the summer :) Some of them have distant relatives, living in other parts of the country, and go to visit them during summers. Others like to run away and live on the streets (they usually return during the Fall since it is cold to stay on the streets). Sometimes, administration of the center is able to send the kids to some summer camp. Anyway, regardless of the reason, kids are not always there, and it is very hard for new mentors who didn’t have time to develop strong bonds with their mentees yet. We were worried a lot, but all pairs except one turned out very well (one pair is struggling right now, and we pray for them). We decided that next year our latest training for the kids from the rehab center will happen in April.
In May, we trained our third group of mentors. There were a few challenges with this group. First of all, we had just four mentors by the end of the training. Some people understood that they are not ready for that yet, one woman got sick a week after the training and needed medical attention for long-term. Also, we had more kids that wanted to participate in the program than adults who were trained. There was one girl who is waiting for her mentor for half a year already! Our coordinator is spending time with her, but she still need her own mentor. The biggest challenge was that kids from the rehab center are not always in the center during the summer :) Some of them have distant relatives, living in other parts of the country, and go to visit them during summers. Others like to run away and live on the streets (they usually return during the Fall since it is cold to stay on the streets). Sometimes, administration of the center is able to send the kids to some summer camp. Anyway, regardless of the reason, kids are not always there, and it is very hard for new mentors who didn’t have time to develop strong bonds with their mentees yet. We were worried a lot, but all pairs except one turned out very well (one pair is struggling right now, and we pray for them). We decided that next year our latest training for the kids from the rehab center will happen in April.
Picnic for mentors and their mentees
In June we started a group in a small town at the south of Kyrgyzstan – Kyzyl-Kyya. It is a very special place. We trained a small group there (7 people), but they already say that there are more people in local church who want to become a mentors, and of course, as usual we have kids in line for mentors. Two weeks ago, ministry of Social Affairs told us that they want to close the orphanage in Kyzyl-Kyya next year. It doesn’t seem possible, plus the director of the orphanage says that it is not the first time they say so, and it will be unlikely, but we still pray for this situation.
In July, Ieva, our co-founder and psychologist, returned to Lithuania. Last year, when she came to Kyrgyzstan, she planned to spend one year here, return to Europe and continue her studies. Nevertheless, God gave her a strong vision to work with people in Lithuanian prisons. She wants to start a nonprofit there that will bring education into prisons, so people who served their time and want to start a new life will be able to work after their release. She is now in the process of gathering more information, meeting people, doing paperwork, looking for funds. If you are interested in this area and want to help her, but don’t know her personally, write me an email or FB message, and I will get you connected. We are really proud of her willingness to follow God in this great vision.
Most of July and August we were working on our program. Made a methodological book for our staff, finishing handbook for our mentors, and soon we will have a short video for our partners and presentations for churches where we look for potential mentors.
We now prepare to have a very special group of mentors consisting of people from local churches who is hearing impaired. They will become mentors for orphans from the boarding school for hearing impaired children. We pray to get all the permissions soon and start this group in September. Also, for the end of September we planned to have another group for children from the rehab center. We will try hard to gather a bigger group than usual. We pray for 15-20 mentors.
Lighthouse team is growing. We hired a new psychologist here in Bishkek and a coordinator in Kyzyl-Kyya. We now also have a person who is responsible for marketing and development – working with our partners, updating information on our website, looking for grants and donors. We also plan to hire one more coordinator for mentors that work with kids from the rehab center, and one coordinator for hearing impaired mentors.
In July, Ieva, our co-founder and psychologist, returned to Lithuania. Last year, when she came to Kyrgyzstan, she planned to spend one year here, return to Europe and continue her studies. Nevertheless, God gave her a strong vision to work with people in Lithuanian prisons. She wants to start a nonprofit there that will bring education into prisons, so people who served their time and want to start a new life will be able to work after their release. She is now in the process of gathering more information, meeting people, doing paperwork, looking for funds. If you are interested in this area and want to help her, but don’t know her personally, write me an email or FB message, and I will get you connected. We are really proud of her willingness to follow God in this great vision.
Most of July and August we were working on our program. Made a methodological book for our staff, finishing handbook for our mentors, and soon we will have a short video for our partners and presentations for churches where we look for potential mentors.
We now prepare to have a very special group of mentors consisting of people from local churches who is hearing impaired. They will become mentors for orphans from the boarding school for hearing impaired children. We pray to get all the permissions soon and start this group in September. Also, for the end of September we planned to have another group for children from the rehab center. We will try hard to gather a bigger group than usual. We pray for 15-20 mentors.
Lighthouse team is growing. We hired a new psychologist here in Bishkek and a coordinator in Kyzyl-Kyya. We now also have a person who is responsible for marketing and development – working with our partners, updating information on our website, looking for grants and donors. We also plan to hire one more coordinator for mentors that work with kids from the rehab center, and one coordinator for hearing impaired mentors.
Mentors and their mentees from Bishkek and Kyzyl-Kyya
We moved to a bigger office and now able to do the trainings in our own room. Since March, we partner with a Christian organization in US that sends us funds every month. Also, some of our friends are helping us to fundraise finances in US and Europe by telling others about us, distributing our booklets in their churches and other communities. (If you want to help us fundraise for Lighthouse, please, contact me.) As a result, we have more or less stable flow of finances coming into organization. We had a few unexpected expenses this summer such as our new group in Kyzyl-Kyya or some furniture that we had to buy for our new office, but God provides.
(Below you can download our latest report with our news and future plans.)
(Below you can download our latest report with our news and future plans.)
lighthouse_kyrgyzstan_-_july_2014_report_sm.pdf |
King’s Kids
It is so exciting to me to see how God is working in and through our teenagers at King’s Kids. I greatly enjoyed this year together with them. Since last Fall we were meeting with them weekly, studying God’s Word, praying, worshiping, having a lot of fun. In July we were planning an outreach. We prayed a lot, and as you know, we were planning to go to Pakistan. We started to do different fundraising in order to go for this short mission trip. Kids were very excited and eager to go. In June, we received a letter from our friends in Karachi that we cannot stay at their house since everyone will be gone in July. Next day, there was a terrorist attack on Karachi airport. We prayed and decided that we won’t go. We kept praying asking God where shall we serve. We decided that the outreach will be in Kyzyl-Kyya.
In July, seven teenagers went to Kyzyl-Kyya with Ulyana. They served for local church, organized English camp for local kids, served in the orphanage. We also received a King’s Kids team from El Paso, Texas, who joined our team on this outreach. I was so impressed with the amount of change God made in such a short period in our kids, particularly in some of them. After the outreach, we gathered in the park and everyone was sharing about the trip. Great time.
It is so exciting to me to see how God is working in and through our teenagers at King’s Kids. I greatly enjoyed this year together with them. Since last Fall we were meeting with them weekly, studying God’s Word, praying, worshiping, having a lot of fun. In July we were planning an outreach. We prayed a lot, and as you know, we were planning to go to Pakistan. We started to do different fundraising in order to go for this short mission trip. Kids were very excited and eager to go. In June, we received a letter from our friends in Karachi that we cannot stay at their house since everyone will be gone in July. Next day, there was a terrorist attack on Karachi airport. We prayed and decided that we won’t go. We kept praying asking God where shall we serve. We decided that the outreach will be in Kyzyl-Kyya.
In July, seven teenagers went to Kyzyl-Kyya with Ulyana. They served for local church, organized English camp for local kids, served in the orphanage. We also received a King’s Kids team from El Paso, Texas, who joined our team on this outreach. I was so impressed with the amount of change God made in such a short period in our kids, particularly in some of them. After the outreach, we gathered in the park and everyone was sharing about the trip. Great time.
King's Kids in Kyzyl-Kyya
Ulyana’s sister, Alena, finished her Discipleship Training School in Minsk and again joined King’s Kids. We also invited a few of our older kids to pray about becoming volunteers at KK. We took August off to have some rest, and will start a new season in September. We plan to continue our teenagers group, ministry for boys and ministry for girls. Also, we are praying to start a ministry for families. Our first step is to organize a place where, once a week, parents can bring their kids for a few hours, so they could go on a date together.
Family
Our family is doing great. We enjoy our life together. Ulyana helps me a lot with Lighthouse and other things. We spend time working, serving and just having fun together. In August, we celebrated 5 months since our wedding. I am already amazed how God can use my wife to inspire me, support me, motivate me. I’m already looking forward for having kids)))
We were invited to visit our friends in US and Europe. Which would be a fundraising trip for Lighthouse and King’s Kids. We prayed, and God clearly that we shouldn’t go, at least now. Nevertheless, we really want to know everyone is doing. Please, write us, skype with us, and come visit. Our apartment is small, but there is always space for guests :)
I think I could write more about our summer, but I’m too tired already. Need to be more regular with updates.
Family
Our family is doing great. We enjoy our life together. Ulyana helps me a lot with Lighthouse and other things. We spend time working, serving and just having fun together. In August, we celebrated 5 months since our wedding. I am already amazed how God can use my wife to inspire me, support me, motivate me. I’m already looking forward for having kids)))
We were invited to visit our friends in US and Europe. Which would be a fundraising trip for Lighthouse and King’s Kids. We prayed, and God clearly that we shouldn’t go, at least now. Nevertheless, we really want to know everyone is doing. Please, write us, skype with us, and come visit. Our apartment is small, but there is always space for guests :)
I think I could write more about our summer, but I’m too tired already. Need to be more regular with updates.