Love to the Fatherless.....

These pictures supposed to be at the bottom...but they had a mind of their own so they are at the top. I encourage all of you to read this story. I admire Dere for being such a fragrance of Christ to those orphans. He's such a blessing! Continue your prayers!

GREETINGS TO ALL,

BEING A SCHOOL BREAK HERE, THE KIDS DO NOT HAVE SO MUCH TO DO AND SOME OF THE TROUBLE MAKING KIDS REALLY SHOW THEIR CHARACTER!  WELL, IT WAS ON MONDAY ONE OF THE GROUP MOMS ASKED ME IF I WOULD TAKE OUT FOR HALF A DAY ONE OF THE TROUBLE MAKING KIDS, POSSIBLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BIRTHDAY OF ANOTHER ORPHAN I WAS PLANNING TO TAKE OUT.  OF THE CLOSE TO 300 ORPHANS THIS 13 YEAR OLD BOY IS KNOWN FOR HIS TROUBLE MAKING, BEING AGGRESSIVE, FIGHTING WITH OTHERS, EVEN WITH SOME OF THE TEACHERS. WELL, I TOOK THE CHALLENGE AS AN OPPORTUNITY AND THOUGH THE GROUP MOM TOLD ME HE COULD RUN AWAY AS HE DID A FEW TIMES BEFORE (HE COMES BACK AFTER FEW DAYS). 

WELL, WAITING FOR TUESDAY TO COME I WAS TENSE AND INDEED ASKED THE LORD TO GIVE ME WISDOM.   WELL THE IDEA OF GOING TO THE POOL (BILLIARDS) PLACE IN TOWN ADJACENT TO THE PIZZA HUT CAME TO ME. I HAD JUST RECEIVED ON FRIDAY A NOTE FROM ONE OF THE PARTNER FAMILIES SENDING A 40USD TO SPEND WITH THE KIDS AND THAT WAS A PERFECT TIMING!

SO I TOOK THAT BOY AND THE BIRTHDAY BOY AND TWO GIRLS FROM THE ORPHANAGE. WE TOOK THE PUBLIC BUS AND THE RIDE WAS AN EXPERIENCE BY ITSELF!   NOT CONTAINING HIMSELF,  HE WALKED FORWARD AND BACK IN THE BUS AS THE BUS MOVED AND I HAD TO RAISE MY VOICE TO GET HIS ATTENTION TO JOIN US AND SIT BY OUR SIDE.  BUT HE SAID HE LIKED STANDING!  WELL, WHEN WE GOT OFF AT OUR STOP, I GAVE HIM A RESPONSIBILITY WITH ONE OF THE OTHERS TO GO TO THE PIZZA HUT TO GET US A PIZZA TO TAKE WITH US TO THE POOL PLACE.  HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ORDERING AND PAYING FOR THE PIZZA WITH MONEY I GAVE HIM.  HE PAID AND BROUGHT THE PIZZA AND THE CHANGE AND THE RECEIPT.  THEN HE SAID A VERY INTERESTING THING, “NO ONE EVER TRUSTED ME TO GIVE ME MONEY TO PAY.  THEY THOUGHT I WOULD KEEP IT TO MYSELF. “ 

WE PLAYED OVER TWO HOURS.   I SHOWED THEM THE BASICS OF THE GAME AND WE ALL PLAYED VERY HAPPILY AND IT WAS SUCH A FUN TIME.  WE ENJOYED OUR PIZZA AND ALSO SHARED A HOME MADE EGG AND FISH SANDWICH. 

TO DREAM IS JUST PART OF A CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE.  AS WE PLAYED THE BOY STARTED TO TALK ABOUT HOW HE MIGHT ONE DAY PLAY POOL WELL AND HOW HE COULD EARN MONEY!  THIS WAS HIS FIRST EVER EXPERIENCE PLAYING POOL.   HE SHOWED SUCH A GRATEFUL ATTITUDE.  WE HEARD OVER AND OVER THE THANK YOU WORD.  AT ONE POINT HE SAID, “I WISH MY MOM COULD COME TO WATCH SUCH A NICE SHOT” (HE JUST HAD JUST MADE), ADDING, “SHE WOULD BE PROUD.”  I UNDERSTAND HIS MOM IS SERVING A PRISON SENTENCE.

THE OTHER KIDS ALSO ENJOYED THE POOL PLAY.  WE GRABBED AN ICE CREAM ON THE WAY BACK AND TOOK THE BUS RIDE BACK.  THE KIDS RETURNED REFRESHED HAVING FUN AND LOTS OF MEMORIES.

APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYERS FOR ADEL'S EYE TREATMENT APPOINTMENT ON FRIDAY THE 30TH OF MARCH.

ATTACHED ARE SOME RANDOM PHOTOS FROM THE OUTING TO THE POOL PLACE.

Dere

News Letter....

GREETINGS TO ALL,

THE MENTORING PROGRAM IS CONTINUING AND IT PROVIDES A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO MEET WITH SMALL GROUPS FROM TWO OF THE ORPHANAGES.  USUALLY I TAKE SEVERAL KIDS OUT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO HAVE A LUNCH AND A TIME OF FELLOWSHIP OUTSIDE OF THE ORPHANAGE.  THIS GIVES ME THE CHANCE TO POSE QUESTIONS FOR ALL OF THEM TO THINK ABOUT AND OVER THE LUNCH TIME WE DISCUSS THE QUESTIONS AND OTHER CONCERNS THEY HAVE: CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR FUTURE, CONCERNS ABOUT BEING LOVED AND STARTING A FAMILY SOMEDAY.  SOME OF THE KIDS TELL ABOUT HEARING OTHER KIDS IN SCHOOL TALKING ABOUT THEIR PARENTS, BUT THEY CANNOT RELATE SINCE 

THEY HAVE NEVER KNOWN THEIRS.  EVEN ONE GIRL TALKED ABOUT HOW SHE IMAGINED IT WOULD BE HARD TO BE A PARENT ONE DAY NOT HAVING HER OWN AT ALL.  AVERY, VERY SENSITIVE QUESTION CONCERNS LOVE:  THEY EACH GIVE THEIR OWN DEFINITION OF LOVE AND SHARE THEIR DREAMS ABOUT ONE DAY HAVING THEIR OWN FAMILY AND BEING HAPPY.  AS I HAVE KNOWN THEM OVER THE YEARS IT GIVES ME AN AUTHORITY TO SPEAK IN A VERY DEEP LEVEL WITH THEM.  A QUESTION ASKED TO ME, “YOU SAID IT IS A GREAT THING TO HAVE A FAMILY AND YET YOU ARE STILL SINGLE?”  WHAT A QUESTION!  AND EXPLAINING THAT ON THEIR LEVEL 

WAS HARD BUT I GUESS I MANAGED TO SHOW THEM I AM WAITING ON THE LORD’S DIRECTION!  SEVERAL QUESTIONS WERE RAISED ABOUT HOW WOULD ONE RESIST A POPULAR THING IN HIGH SCHOOL LIKE SMOKING, OR IS PIERCING A BAD THING? HOW ABOUT TATTOO?  ANOTHER GREAT PRESSURE THEY EXPERIENCE IS TO BE/FEEL ACCEPTED BY DOING THE SO CALLED “COOL” THING: “KLYOVA” IS A VERY POPULAR YOUTH WORD, LIKE “COOL” IN ENGLISH.  (I EVEN FIND MYSELF USING IT!  ONE OF THE MOMS WAS REALLY AMAZED AT HOW MANY NEW YOUTH WORD I HAVE PICKED UP!)  THESE GROUP MEETINGS ARE REALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE KIDS TO SPEAK OUT FREELY AND I AM PRAYING THEY WILL TAKE A LESSON FROM THE MENTORING AND SHARING TIME.  I AM STILL PREPARING MATERIAL ON FORGIVENESS AND ABOUT LOVE TO SHARE WITH THEM. 

PLANNING SIX DIFFERENT GROUP MEETING DURING THE COMING TWO WEEKS.

APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYERS FOR ALISHER AND ADEL AS THEY ARE PREPARING SOON FOR EYE OPERATIONS.

IN HIM,

Dere

WARM GREETINGS TO ALL,

 I HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM A TRIP TO VISIT THE ORPHANAGES IN THE NORTHEASTERN KAZAKH CITY OF USKAMINOGORSK TO DELIVER GIFTS.  THE TRIP BY TRAIN TAKES OVER 24 HRS RIDE.  I WAS MET BY THE -41 BELOW WEATHER! .......THE COLDEST PLACE I HAD BEEN TO!  I SENT THE BLANKETS A FEW DAYS AHEAD OF ME AND BROUGHT WITH ME OVER 30 TEDDY BEARS THAT WERE SENT FROM A FRIEND FARA IN VIRGINA OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.   I HAVE BEEN PERIODICALLY GIVING THEM OUT TO CHILDREN DURING HOSPITAL VISITS.   GIVING RANDOMLY THE TOYS I KNOW IT SEEMS SO LITTLE COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF ORPHANS (OVER 250 UNDER THE AGE OF SEVEN), BUT INDEED IT BRINGS JOY TO THE KIDS. 

I WAS WELCOMED BY MANY FAMILIAR FACES INCLUDING THE TWO WHO WERE LED TO THE LORD A FEW YEARS AGO.  THIS IS MY 9TH TRIP SINCE 2005.  THE BLANKET DISTRIBUTION WAS ORGANIZED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE KIDS CAME IN THREE TO FOUR GROUPS OF AROUND 50 EACH TO A SMALL HALL TO RECEIVE THEIR BLANKETS.  HOW GREATLY THANKFUL I AM TO FRIENDS IN TEXAS FOR THESE BLANKETS IN VARIETY OF COLORS!!!!!!!  I ALSO BROUGHT SOME PUZZLES TO GIVE TO THE CHILDREN.  I SHARED A SHORT MESSAGE THANKING THEM FOR LETTING ME BLESS THEM.  I ALSO GAVE OUT VITAMINS WHICH WILL BE GIVEN OUT INDIVIDUALLY DAILY BY THE GROUP MOM.  THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF THAT ORPHANAGE RETIRED LAST APRIL AND I GOT TO MEET THE NEW DIRECTOR.  IT IS INTERESTING THAT IN HER FORMER POSITION IN ANOTHER TOWN, SHE KNEW SOME OF THE ORPHANAGE DIRECTORS IN ALMATY AND SHE HAD HEARD EARLIER ABOUT OUR PROGRAM. SHE IS AN ETHNIC KAZAKH -ASIAN AND MY KAZAKH LANGUAGE, THOUGH NOT AS FLUENT AS MY RUSSIAN, HELPED IN THE CONVERSATION AS IT IS A STATE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ...NEED TO WORK ON MY KAZAKH LANGUAGE MORE!!

THE ORPHANAGE STAFF MENTIONED ABOUT THE MEDICAL CONDITION OF TWO KIDS WHO HAD SEVERAL OPERATIONS LOCALLY AND ARE STILL NOT TOTALLY STRENGTHENED UP; ONE IS VERY SIMILAR TO A CHILD ADOPTED FROM HERE BY A FAMILY IN TEXAS.  THE FAMILY HELPED HIM WITH SEVERAL OPERATIONS IN A HOSPITAL IN OHIO AND OVER FOUR YEARS NOW HE IS TOTALLY RECOVERED.

I GOT A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE TWO BELIEVERS AND WAS INVITED TO THEIR GROUP AND THEY SHARED THEIR STORIES WITH ME.   IN ONE FAMILY THE FATHER BECAME A BELIEVER AND STARTED GOING TOGETHER OVER A YEAR TO A LOCAL CHURCH.  FOR THE OTHER, SHE IS STILL BELIEVING THE LORD TO RESTORE THE FAMILY AS THE FATHER LEFT THE FAMILY OVER 10 YEARS AGO AND LEFT THAT MOM TO RAISE TWO CHILDREN ON HER OWN.  SHE SAID SHE IS OFTEN PRAYING FOR THE FATHER WHO LEFT HER AND HER CHILDREN AND THE WORD FORGIVENESS WAS OFTEN HEARD FROM HER.  I HAD A CHANCE TO PRAY WITH THEM. IN THE CONVERSATION I SHARED WITH THEM MY EXPERIENCE ON THE TRAIN RIDE: IN MY TRAIN COMPARTMENT I HAD THREE FELLOW TRAVELERS.  OUR CONVERSATIONS WERE CONGENIAL BUT AN OLDER MAN OF ANOTHER FAITH WAS SO TERRIBLY ARGUMENTATIVE ON DIFFERENT SUBJECTS AND I HAD TO CONTAIN MYSELF IN NOT REACTING THOUGH THE THINGS HE SAID WERE TERRIBLY AWFUL:  I CONTINUALLY HAD TO REMIND MYSELF THAT IN THE VERY AREA OF ONE’S WEAKNESS, GOD'S GRACE GREATLY ABOUNDS!

BLESSINGS,

DERE

 

attachment-random photos----the last photo is  the  card  ---a salvation message  card!.....as LORD leads  give out.  sawing a seed.....being asked if we take  photos outside  ..i forgot my gloves --wow   my fingers  frozee  rush back  inside.......the sun shine is such  a deciving thing there!!!! - Dere

Here are the pictures Dere sent. I wrote some captions on the bottom to translate some russian for the card. Dere is such a blessing to those orphans! Wow! Dear Jesus thank you  so much for providing for them and for those precious children! 

-Ashleigh

PS. If you like to contribute to Dere and his work in Kazakhstan please e-mail us at: 

fathertothefatherlesskz@yahoo.com 

Aren't they precious! 

Happy eyes! Visitors bring joy to those children! 

It says "Jesus Lives!"  (it tells how Jesus died for us and gave us life. And encourages to receive Jesus into your heart. plus verses on the bottom)

Some blankets and scarfs children received! So neat!

Help the Persecuted......

February 9, 2012 Dear friends of the persecuted, Just a quick update to let you know that we recently received confirmation that an important medical consignment PPF donated to assist the persecuted and war-ravaged community in the Nuba Mountains was safely delivered and distributed by our implementing partners in the war zone. This consignment was valued at $2.6 million and brings much needed help to the suffering Nuba people, including the largest Christian community in Sudan. God, working through your generous giving, made this achievement possible. PPF can give nothing that is not first given to us by the active compassion of thousands of Christians. Thank you for making a difference! And please keep up the good work! Sincerely,   Brad Phillips President Persecution Project Foundation    PO Box 1327 Culpeper, VA 22701-6327 Phone: 888-201-5245 · 540-829-5353 info@persecutionproject.org www.persecutionproject.org     PPF is a nonprofit ministry exempt from federal income tax under IRC section 501(c)(3). Corporate and individual gifts are welcome. Gifts are tax-deductible.

GREETINGS TO ALL  .IT HAS BEEN A  BUSY WEEK OF GIVING OUT THE  CLOTHS OVER 100  ORPHANS SO FAR RECEIVED WARM JACKETS  AND WARM SHOES  ...NOW HEADING TO THE  NORTH  TOMORROW IN A 26 HRS TRAIN RIDE IT IS  STILL HOLDS  40 BELOW  WHAT  A GREAT TIME TO BLESS THE FATHERLESS WITH  WARM  BLANKETS THANK YOU FRIENDS IN TEXAS MAKING THAT POSSIBLE   APPRECIATE  YOUR  PRAYER  FOR TRAVEL MERCY AND  MAY   THE FATHER'S  LOVE BE  MADE POSSIBLE  PERSONAL TO THE FATHERLESS  IN THE DISPLAY OF GOODNESS.  RESUME GIVING OUT  GIVING OUT CLOTHING'S HERE  NEXT WEEK   UP ON RETURN.

 

IN HIM

 

DERE