Friday, September 25, 2009

Blind children, Special needs and the Children's home



Playground site!

What a day, what a week, WOW. How do I begin? Today our day started with visiting the blind childrens home in the city. There are 212 children there. It was a wonderful home where orphaned children and children that have parents study and live. It is for children that are blind, partially blind or have vision problems. If they are orphaned the government pays if they have parents the parents have to pay. These children are in a wonderful place. The director is SO kind and caring and asked us many times if we could visit a blind school in America and then come back to tell her what they are doing there so she knows if they need to add anything to her school. She genuinely cares about the children, she genuinely wants them to be something in life. She did tell us that in Kazakhstan the people view these children as throw aways and will not hire them even if they have a university education. It was very uplifting to know that some people really do care about the kids.

Our next stop was the special needs orphanage. 250 kids live here. Talk about a pathetic place . Very eye opening and very sad. We first handed out some wheelchairs, the kids were so excited. We had 5 and we could have used 50 at least. The first boy was so excited. He wheeled his chair EVERYWHERE. When we got to the 2nd floor to hand the last one, a little boy crawled in and said he heard that we are handing out wheelchairs and at this point we were out. It was the most sad thing I have ever seen. He cried and cried until finally we went and got the one that we were saving for the little girl in the hospital. None of us could take it so we had to give it to him. It was a very enlightening and heart wrenching experience. Knowing that most of these children will never be adopted is so very sad! But knowing that we made a bit of a difference makes it all worth.

Our last stop was the children's home where we are building the playground. Oh what a FABULOUS place, I mean fabulous an in clean, caring and way better than we have seen all week. The assistant director is such an awesome woman. The regular director is in America right now so we toured the facility with her. I bet she knows every kid by name and they all come running to hug her when they see her. She is definitely a very caring and sensitive woman! We could not have picked a better place for this playground to go. If the children have to live in a orphange setting without parents this is the place they will learn about love and life skills. This CH houses 350 children. Yes I really said 350, it is the largest orphanage in the country of Kazakhstan. It used to be CH#3 but now it is called the Children's home complex and it houses children age 3-18. I asked her if people come for the older ones and she said yes sometimes. She also told me that she loves americans because they don't just pick the kids with the best looks, they pick the kids that are close to there heart. She also Thanked me at least 50 times for the playground and for the help. She said we were welcome anytime. It was still sad to know that that are so many children with no parents but at least these children are in a loving environment and are thriving and learning life skills. The playground will go to good use!

As we wrap up our trip, we want you all to know that all of your support whether it be large or small is making a difference. Our organization is one that was started to care for the ones that were left behind. That is and ALWAYS will be our primary goal for the children of Kazakhstan. God tells us to take care of the orphans, if we don't who will?? Thank you for following our journey this week. There will be a next time, so start praying now. If you would like to join our team next year please let us know. We haven't got the dates set yet but we are working on some projects that will need your help! Thanks again!













16 comments:

Kristan and Mark said...

Stacy you have changed lives and inspired others. You know your calling and will not be detered! That is a special gift. You are a special gift to all of us but more importantly to all of the children's lives you have touched!

It has been an emotional and life changing week for me just as a spectator, so I can even begin to imagine the person you have become just since stepping off the plane!

Henry's mom said...

Oh Stacy, you have done it again... crying my little eyes out! I just want to reach through the computer screen and hug all these dear children and you of course too!

I keep telling you this but you are truly amazing Stacy, just amazing. As I read your words I can hear your voice saying it all. I feel so blessed to have met you and Kim in RL, lucky me! Can not wait for the next get together.

HUGE HUGS!!!

Carolyn

Susan said...

THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing your journey. you really do inspire others to do god's work.

thank you for making such a huge differnce in ALL of our lives....god bless you!

Becki Stone said...

Stacy, I had wanted to go this year, but since we are still waiting for our travel dates it did not work out for me. Next year you can count on me. I will be there- I'm 100% sure.

Karen said...

Unbelievable. I'm in total awe. So thankful there are people in the world like you and Kim. You make us all better. God bless you and all the orphan children in the world.

Stephanie and Gary said...

I have passed your blog on to many friends and family this week as a way to educate them about the orphan situation. No where have I personally seen such in depth photos about the life in an orphanage and seen so many photos of so many children there. I have never felt more conviction for my upcoming adoption than after following your enlightening week. I keep saying "I am only one, but still I am one ... " You and Kim and your amazing organization are fantastic beyond measure. I truly look forward to joining you on such a mission one day.
Best to you and safe travels!
Stephanie

Trudi said...

STacy - beyond beautiful. Come to LA and we will tour Junior Blind here. It is phenomenal. Perhaps we can set up a sister program with them as they are well known for their innovative programs. I have a good friend who produced a fabulous movie called "Blindsight" - it is about a blind woman named Sabrea Timburken who went alone to Tibet to found the first school for the blind because she had learned that the blind are considered evil in Tibetan culture and thrown out into the streets. She connected with Erik, the first blind climber to ascend Mt Everest and together they took the kids on an expedition to the top of the mountain next to Everest in order to teach them that they could achieve anything, regardless of their handicap of blindness. If the director has the ability to watch a DVD, I know she would love it and perhaps we can link them to Sabrea as well. Sabrea just opened a second school in India.

You are an amazing, inspirational woman, Stacy and I am SO proud to know you.

teresab said...

Stacy...You are AWESOME!!!!!!!

Judson and Kristi said...

Thank you for sharing your wonderful journey. I know you touched so many lives. I am blessed to call you and Brad friends. We love you guys The Bells

marsrob said...

Stacy I'm dying over the wheelchair thing and the kids and thank GOD you met compassionate people there, it means so much. I cannot stand this. It is killing me. You are beautiful in a million ways.

Julie said...

Thank you for posting. So glad to hear some positive things about the other care centers. Was especially touched by the children receiving wheelchairs. Imagine to have mobility in your life, when you haven't. An enormous gift that can change the way the child feels every day.

Julie

dnd82001 said...

Thanking you can never be enough for all that you have done to help so many with so little.

You are truly an amazing women with an amazing family and and amazing dream that you have made happen.

None of us can ever thank you enough for.

Darlene

Regina said...

Thank you Stacy and Kim. And Brad too. Thank you a million times over. My heart is broken, but that means it is more open than ever before. Much much much love to you.

Jaimie, Gena and Berik said...

Wow, God is good!! What you all are doing and sharing with us is nothing short of amazing!! I have throughly enjoyed reading the posts. Thanks so much for taking the time to post. Sincerely, Gena Lloyd

Soper said...

There is a man named Erik Weihenmayer who is blind who climbed Mount Everest and has devoted much of his time to helping other blind children around the world. He led a group of blind Tibetan students to the summit of Mount Everest (they made a documentary called "Touch the Sky" about it). You might pass along his website http://www.touchthetop.com/
to your translator and see if his organization can help the school for the blind that you visited.

Chris Sapp said...

Wonderful stuff going on here! So very happy to know so much is being given back!