Central Eurasian Mission - Week 10 - May 22-28, 2017

I'm going to start each post with a description/discussion of something I really like about Astana.

I'd heard, before we came here, that the city puts on an amazing display of flowers in the spring.  And it is true!  Somewhere there must be a lot of greenhouses growing petunias and marigolds and pansies and others I can't think of now. As soon as the snow had melted from the city streets and sidewalks and areas between buildings, we could see city workers busily cleaning up the flower bed areas. Raking and raking - cleaning up six months of debris that had gathered in the layers of snow.  All over we could see big concrete sidewalk flower boxes being painted and the soil bed being prepared. Then  on May 14th we left for Tbilisi, Georgia, and when we came back the flowers had been planted. They are everywhere now!



Last week I told you all about our trip to Tbilisi, Georgia.  We returned Saturday morning after being up all night, regrouped that afternoon, went to church Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon got on another plane to go to a Maxi Zone Conference in Almaty.  Yeah - I wondered too, what is a Maxi conference.

Apparently a 'maxi' conference is of longer duration and with more training etc.  Two YVs from Istanbul along with the Mission President and the Mission Matron (that is just my name for her....nothing, absolutely nothing to do with reality).  Sometime ago the YVs from Turkey put a proposal together explaining why having smart phones and using Facebook would help the "work" here in the Central Eurasian Mission.  So....this mission is the first foreign mission where YVs have their own smart phones.  Part of the conference was involved in this training.

One of the first things that the YVs did in Astana was to set up a private English Club Facebook page.  It has been happily accepted by many of the Kazakhs who come for English conversation.  For us it has become a great way of learning about things we see.  For instance, yesterday we went to an open air street market outside one of the big bazaars.  We saw these things in a stall.  Yep - are they food or rocks or something dried up with white mold on them?  We posted the picture on the facebook page and found out.  They are a Central Asian national food made especially from sour camel's milk with salt.  Sounds yummy!!  So it is solid cheese made from sour milk, dried in the hot sun, laced with salt, and compressed into balls.  We're told that the bags on the far right are chalk and that some people eat them because some people lack calcium in their diet.  Maybe sometime we'll buy one piece and share it.



I digress - back to Astana and the conference.  On Monday we got to hike into the foothills to the east of Almaty.   In this region, between Kazakhstan and China, there is a high range of mountains called the Tian Shan Range, and we were able to walk for about a mile or two into the foothills of this mountain range.

Parking lot


Crossed to the other side


Even Smokey the Bear needs to help here.  "SAVE THE FOREST FROM FIRE!"


Some old trailer used for something







YVs and OVs on the hillside


We found a comfy place and had a picnic lunch

Mission P and M



HVs from Astana


Back in Astana, while the YVs were having their technology training, the HVs went out to dinner.  It was actually a nice place on the rooftop of a shopping center.  Nice view of the mountains between the buildings (but you can't see them)



Returned to Astana late Tuesday night and actually did some humanitarian work on Wednesday and Thursday.

Here we are on our way to see Emin who is a leader in the NGO community specializing in helping the poor and needy.   His NGO is called Green TAL.





He started out with the idea of making these baskets, which are really nicely made, but found out that there was no real market for them in Astana.



He started a woodworking shop for which LDS Charities provided the tools.  They make rustic furniture which looks really nice.  And they have these prototype drawings for beds for children (most likely for boys)



While we were there, they were working on a big project -finishing up a thousand seat cushions to be used at the graduation ceremonies at Nazerbayev University (president's last name is Nazerbayev).  I believe that LDS Charities also helped by providing the sewing machines in the shop.





Here are some interesting things we saw along the way.

Astana is built in the middle of the steppe.  There are no natural trees here - none, zip, zero.  The city is planting and has planted thousands of trees - big, balled and burlapped trees.  Here are some of them propped up alongside the road.  I'll bet that at least 50% of these trees will be dead and brown at the end of the summer.



And their ultimate destinations - must have been a big tractor with a big post hole digger.



The first plastic and light bulb recycling place we've seen.






That afternoon we went to visit someone who had called us - said she was from a disabled children's group.  Okay, we're game!  Turns out she (name is Marzhan) has a kindergarten/school for disabled children from kindergarten through 18.  The name of the NGO is Legacy (or maybe Heritage).  The mission statement is "We are engaged in charitable activities by providing social assistance and psychological support for children with disabilities and their parents.  We Firmly Believe that Every Child Has His Own Talent".  It's fun to go to these places because we have absolutely no clue where they are, what they do, or what they want - no, we know they all want help funding their projects.

This is the door going into the building.
"Children's office young leader"
Developmental activities for children


We went in, took off our shoes, and were ushered into the classroom which was full of children happily playing with all sorts of toys.







We were asked to sit down on three chairs placed in front of two couches upon which were seated the moms and the grandmas!  You could tell they wanted to be in on the action!  This couch full full hip to hip with these women.



We were asked to introduce ourselves and tell what we do - "we're from America blah blah  we represent blah blah we do blah blah."  Then we asked, "what sort of help do you want?"  And that's when the action began.  All the the ladies started talking at once and the director and the psychologist. Basically, they want new, good quality, educational toys.......... like the Montessori school in town has. We said we'd like to help and gave paperwork and such to the director.  On our way out, some moms wanted us to take their picture





Then the director said, "we're taking the children to a puppet show tomorrow.  Would you like to come?"  Well.....doing nothing in the morning, haven't ever been to a Kazakh puppet show, "Yes, we'd love to come!"

Next morning we arrived at the theater off bus route #2.  "Puppet Theater" in Russian and Kazakh



Into a nice lobby full of children looking at tropical fish in aquariums and at toys displayed on shelves.  Then two actors approached to the delight of the children.  They banged and pounded on the door, but it wouldn't open.  With the help of the children, they said all of the proper and polite words - abracadabra, shazam, other words, and finally PLEASE - and the door opened.



Inside the theater several life size cartoon characters came in.  We only recognized Sid, the ground sloth from Ice Age.  As he came in, music played and all of us sang along, "lollipop, lollipop, oh lolli lolli pop...and so on"



and this cow -- or deer



The show began!  It was Little Mermaid!  That was great because we knew what was happening.  Some Russian or Kazakh folk tale would have been lost on us.

The ship with the prince sank, the mermaid came to life, and all lived happily ever after.  It was great!





Then the group picture afterwards.



That afternoon we went to visit a previous partner, The Center for Independent Living.  This is a group who helps those in wheelchairs.  Previously LDS Charities purchased tools so that this group could open up a wheelchair repair facility.  Previously there was no place to get a wheelchair repaired - people would go to a bike shop or an auto shop hoping for repairs.  Now they come here.



Spare parts room



 At the time LDS Charities also provided an electric welder, but it couldn't be used inside and it was snowy frosty outside.  LDS Charities also provided funds for a container in which welding could be done for the repairs, but it was cold and snowy and couldn't be delivered.  So, we went out to see if the container had been installed.  No.... It was determined that the wires over the alley entrance to the shop were too low for the truck and the container.  So, the city has been notified ,and they will come out in June to look, and then will fix the wires sometime.  We will need to return for a follow up sometime.

Sharing the building is another NGO, The Association of Young People with Limited Physical Abilities, whose mission statement is "to help young people with disabilities become more successful and happy."  Previously LDS Charities had provided funds to purchase new and better exercise equipment etc.  We visited him and looked at all the equipment.



We spent a lot of time talking to the director, Murat, but we could never figure out what he really wants.  He talked about a lot of things.  Mostly he is interested in training people who are visually impaired (he himself is partially blind) to become certified massage therapists.  So, maybe we'll be involved in that.

Saturday afternoon after we'd finished all of our house cleaning and paperwork, it was time for lunch. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?  Shish-kebabs?  Something we might find at the street market? Okay - KFC it is!  Dad got the Daily Meal - no mashed potatoes and a hamburger bun rather than a biscuit.

it

I got the Box Master (it's really a chicken wrap). In Russian it is pronounced Boks Master. When I pronounced it 'box', she flinched, got the English menu and pointed.  I was so disappointed because I thought, surely I can order a box master.







On the way home we went by the bazaar because Dad wanted to buy some plants.



Cherry tomato plants - at least Dad hopes they are the cherry variety.

Here is a real life lesson on being prepared.  You know that I always take 50 feet of paracord when I go backpacking.  Here I have used the cord in various ways

key chain



knob on lid of crock pot



towel rod in too-a-let room



clothes line in laundry room (second bedroom)




Do next week.

Central Eurasian Mission - Week 9 - May 14-21, 2017

This last week has been memorable - actually I should say MEMORABLE!

Every year in this part of the world there is the Europe East Area Welfare Conference.  This year's conference was in Tbilisi, Georgia, and (who knew) it is an unbelievably beautiful city in a beautiful country.  I don't know where last year's conference was held, but there is some speculation that next year's might be in Kiev, Ukraine.  Here is the Who's Who

From the Central Eurasian Mission there were five couples:
The Huntingtons from Utah - Ankara, Turkey
The Carters from Alaska - Bishkek, Kyrgyrstan
The Taylors from Mesa, AZ - Almaty, Kazakhstan
The Lemmons from California - Istanbul, Turkey
The Grays from the End of the Oregon Trail - Astana, Kazakhstan

Here are our "mission buddies".  Top to bottom, left to right.



From other missions - Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Belarus
The Crittendens from Arizona - Moscow, Russia
The Dotsons from St George, UT - Minsk Belarus
The Haldemans from Las Vegas - Kiev, Ukraine
The Hancocks from Rexburg ID - Saratov, Russia
The Hansens from Utah - Plovdiv, Bulgaria
The Harkers from  Shelley, Idaho - Yerevan, Armenia
The Larsens from Utah - Moscow, Russia
The McFarlans from Spokane Valley, WA - Tbilisi, Georgia

Also attending were our Humanitarian leaders from Moscow - the Europe East Area Legal Counsel, Finance Manager, Welfare Manager, Public Affairs Assistant.  They are the ones who help us out with support and knowledge and also are the ones who say 'yea' or 'nay' to our projects.

Two General Authorities.

Area Authority - President James Martino (his brother happens to be the MTC President).  I have been in Stake Conferences, previously, that were presided over by Area Seventies, but none compare to Elder Martino.  Of course, I think my opinion might be swayed by the fact that he was talking to us - 26 of his humanitarian volunteers - about his vision for us as volunteers in the East Europe Area.



And last, but possibly best of all, was Sharon Eubank, the first counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency and also the Director of LDS Charities.  So, for us women, she is not only our "Humanitarian" boss, she is also a leader of women's concerns in the church.  One evening at dinner, she was at our table, and someone asked her if there were going to be any new directions for Relief Society.  She said that they are trying to aid in the discussion of the Priesthood and of women and how the two are the same/go together/can't work without the other, etc.  She kinda looked at me and said, "what do you think?"  In my normal blunt way I said something like, "I've never thought much about it because it doesn't really matter what I think.  Who is there to tell anyway?'  Looking at me, she said, "Well, I care about what you think.  Tell me."  So around the dinner table, we had a lively discussion.




If you have time, click on the link below and listen to a talk she gave at a forum with FairMormon. This talk has also been edited and used as an article in the August 2016 Ensign. She is a very dynamic and knowledge person.  Since this presentation, she received laser eye surgery and so doesn't have to deal with her glasses.    https://www.mormonwiki.com/Sharon_Eubank

We arrived in Tbilisi Monday afternoon.  Not knowing what to expect, we were very pleasantly surprised at this city and the rest of the country.  Quite a few of the humanitarian couples jokingly said, "we want to be transferred to Tbilisi!"  I would even like to go back for at least a week or two, rent a car, and go exploring.  Along with the Taylors, who are our Kazakhstan compatriots, we spent the afternoon exploring.  The Taylors have been in Kaz for eleven days.  We met them at the airport for the first time in Almaty on our way to Tbilisi.  We explored the old downtown and made arrangements to rent a taxi for the following day to take a daytrip up into the Caucasus Mountains.

Here are downtown and river pictures.  Pres George W Bush visited once and became q good friend to Georgia which then  named one of their main streets after him.
First photo is an concert hall under construction.



Pedestrian bridge













See the gondola on the right side.  More on that later.  We rode the gondola.







 We took a cable car up to the top of a bluff upon which was---yes--an old castle or church or something.  Here it is.  See gondola on the right.
























We walked back down rather than taking the tram again.  It was quite steep.  Dad collected some poppy seed pods and will be mailing them to Warren for propagation.



Right at about dinner time we found a 'back door' cafe called Carpe Diem Cafe at which we stopped. It was a perfect place - cute, a view, outdoor on a steep cobblestone street, good food, pretty cheap, and our new friends the Taylors.



Tuesday we went on our excursion.  Going to the Caucasus has been on my bucket list forever - actually I have wanted to hike in them, but probably won't happen - maybe we'll come back.  We met the Taylors in the lobby and were talking when suddenly Sharon Eubank came up and introduced herself.  We told her about our plans and invited her along.  "No, no she couldn't, needed to be around to help with the conference, and so on".  With a little encouragement - like "you're just going to be hanging out at the hotel while we're in the mountains.  Come with us!"  She agreed.  She went up to her room and emerged ten minutes later dressed in Carhartts and a sweatshirt.

First stop along the road was at Ananuri where there is this very old church.

















Our goal was the little town/village of Stepantsminda from which you can see Mt Kazbegi.  On a high hill above the town there is, of course, a monastery which can be reached in a 4WD vehicle. Ours was not one of those, but we were told that for 15 Lari each we could take a jeep ride up to the monastery.  That was the plan.  So we continued on up the mountain.  The link below is for that monastery.  It is an iconic photo symbolizing a lot about Georgia.

https://www.google.kz/search?q=stepantsminda+kazbegi&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS728US728&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiehZihwv7TAhVmD5oKHa-vCZ0QsAQIOA&biw=694&bih=565&dpr=1.5










There is a ski area  with a few lodges.  It is not very developed.



The part of the highway is carved into the side of the mountain and a concrete frame built around it to prevent snow drifts from closing the road.



Then we came to:  A monument for Georgia - Russia friendship.  I suspect that Russia built this because they want to pretend to be friends.  I don't think the Georgians consider themselves to be friends.  The weather had turned very cold and very windy.  And a lot of rain and clouds in the mountains where we wanted to go.  The taxi driver did not want to continue because of the inclement weather.







If I worried about a profile picture for Facebook, this would be it







Oh joy!  There was a WC!





We turned around and headed back down.  I have a good reason to come back to visit that village.













We stopped at the Jvari  Monastery.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jvari_(monastery)

This is the very first Christian church in Georgia.  It was established by a female saint who had great healing powers.  She healed the king's wife, and he converted to Christianity and brought his whole kingdom along with him.







This little cross is a replica of the cross that Saint Nino made in the 4th century from two branches which she tied together with  strands of her hair.  She then stuck it into the ground and that is this location.



I liked these bells.



Here we are with Sister Eubank outside.




Tuesday evening the large group of all of us took a funicular up to the top of a different cliff for dinner in a fancy restaurant.  The four nights we were there at the conference, we went out to eat at nice restaurants.  The food was fabulous.  Ethnic.  I ate some of everything.  There was always too much, so the Georgian HVolunteers always collected the leftovers and took it to the YVs.  No doggie bags but YV bags.





Wednesday and Thursday we meet from 8 AM to 5 PM in a conference room at the hotel.  I only have one picture of Sister Eubank during her presentation.  It's kinda boring to take photos of people sitting at a table looking at a presenter.


So what did we learn.  Some Humanitarian Volunteers who have been here for a while reported on some of their projects.  They told what was good about them, what went wrong, what they should have done - all so we can learn and avoid their mistakes.  Some of their projects are worthy of a video to be shown between Gen Conf sessions.

Sister Eubank used the colors of UNO cards to emphasise the steps to a good project.
Black - symbolizes the color of the mayor's suit coat.  He/She is the head of the community.  Let the mayor tell you what the community needs - what is their priority
Red- symbolizes blood, sweat and tears - the recipients of the project need to invest themselves in the project - they need skin in the game.
Blue - symbolizes all the BYU sweatshirts at a football game - they in turn are representing the need to involve many people in making the project successful
Green - stands for green power, or sustainability - is your project sustainable, will it be functional even after you have gone home and are playing with your grandchildren
Yellow - represents the sun shining on everyone -  which helps you realize that the solution needs to be a local solution that everyone wants and will work on.

President Martino emphasized that we all were first called to serve as a missionaries and then given the assignment to be a humanitarian volunteer.  He made five points.  1. It is hard to feel the spirit when one is hungry or afraid or who has been abused or in pain.  2.  What if their story were my story.  3.  How do we help people feel the love of the Savior.  4.  Hearts are healed in service, one by one,  5.  How can we involve more people in serving others.

Sister Eubank ended her remarks saying that we follow Jesus Christ by caring for the poor and needy, of any nationality or religion, and by relieving suffering, develop self reliance, and  by offering opportunities for volunteer services.  "Help me spark someone to feel the love of God".

All in all it was a great two days.  I was inspired,  spiritually fed, and left with renewed determination to do my best.  What could be better than that?

Wednesday evening we went to a restaurant where there was dancing.





Another dinner was at a restaurant specializing in MEAT.  Steaks, shish kabobs, etc.  We had to order weeks ahead of time   Very good.






This is Vlad, on the right, the Area Welfare Manager (the boss).  He is really a nice guy, very funny but also very businesslike. It helps all of of to have a Russian as head of the team because he sees things from his (a Russian's) point of view not from an American's.  And Sister Eubank.  The Georgian interpreter, and Vlad's assistant, Dmitry



Friday was our Cultural Day.  We went to the little town/village of Mtskheta where there is another ancient church.  It is the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral of Twelve Apostles.



Fortress like walls around the church.  Up on the hill in the distance is the 'original' church we visited on Tuesday.





Notice some of the women are on their hands and knees in front of altars praying.





Our very last activity was visiting where  developmentally disabled children receive music therapy. This project was started sometime back by other groups.  They asked our HV for some help by buying some more musical instruments for the children - rhythm instruments.  LDS Charities also donated new kitchen equipment.  The children performed for us, and it was really quite good.  Their most advanced group did something like Georgia's Got Talent, and they advanced several times.  The notoriety they gained caused a large bank (I think a bank) to get involved by totally remodeling one wing of the school building - that was really nice.  Here is their outdoor courtyard



And the group



Some were very animated like the cymbal and tambourine players.  Others were very serious, just waiting for their moments.





We left Tbilisi Friday night at 10:40 pm and arrived back in Astana at 10:00 AM  Pretty much did not sleep all night.  It was kinda weird - it felt good to get home, even though we loved Georgia.

Tomorrow after Branch Conference (Mission Pres will be there) we leave again - going to Almaty for a Maxi Zone Conference.  The Zone Leaders from Turkey are also coming.  Big Doings!