PART ONE - Week 28
Central Eurasian Mission - Week 28 - Sept 25 - Oct 1, 2017 PART ONE

This week we went to Kyrgyzstan - to the capital city of Bishkek.  I brought back some great souvenirs, that some of you may not consider as collectible, but they are!!!!!!!  There is simply no powdered sugar in Central Asia, but a new friend in Bishkek who is affiliated with the US Embassy in that city, donated one of her bags - thanks to the "mail pouch".  I think I may have four dessert events in that bag, I must plan wisely.  And brown sugar, I am told, is available in Astana, but I haven't found it yet.  This bag has Korean writing on it, so I will try a little Korean grocery store and might end up being lucky.  Many cookies just aren't the same without brown sugar.  An ex-pat who will be coming back to Astana in October is going to bring me some molasses which I can add to white sugar and almost have brown sugar.  Dessert life is hard here!



So, you may be asking, why Bishkek?  And we say, why not?  Actually, there are two Humanitarian Senior Volunteers (just like us, but they're cuter) in Bishkek, the Carters, Jeff and Karin.  They've been in Central Asia longer than any other humanitarian volunteers.  Four years ago they were in
Almaty (one an a half hours by plane, south of us).  They started out as MLS volunteers (Member, Leader Support).  Then after about a year, they were asked to be humanitarian volunteers too; they then did humanitarian work in the Almaty area and also down south in Bishkek.  After their two years of service, they returned home to Utah, lived in her parent's basement apartment for a year, and realizing they loved humanitarian work, signed up for another 18 months of service in the country of Kyrgyzstan.  They are in our "Zone" so we see them at various conferences.  One time they may have hinted vaguely that we should come to Bishkek and stay a few days - practically the next day we had tickets.  Visualize your friends who are full of fun, intelligent, and hard workers, and that's the Carters.

We flew there on Tuesday afternoon, traveled around on Wed and Thurs, and returned to Astana Friday morning.  We had international dining experiences - one night at a Korean chicken place, one at a Chinese place, and the third evening at a hamburger place- sorry, no photos of plates of food, but the food looked Korean and Chinese, and Hamburger.

The drive from the airport into Bishkek is about 30 minutes and the road is lined with fruit and veggie vendors.  This guy lives at his space - see the bed and tent-





and his colorful piles of peppers



On Wednesday we drove about 50 miles (a 90 minute drive) east of Bishkek to Tokmok which had a a welcome sign with a Russian mig fighter.



We went to this town on "business" as the Carters have a project they are working on.  It is a residential facility which has mentally and physically disabled men, women, and children living there and being cared for.  The facility was a military hospital in the 1930's and since then has seen various uses.  The government gave this place to a woman who started an NGO because she wanted/needed a place to help severely disabled children.   The government pays the salaries of the workers, about $2.00 per day for each patient , and pays for utilities.

There are various buildings which contain dorm rooms and semi kitchens.  All food is prepared at a main kitchen and then is carried in buckets to the various buildings.  The Carters and LDS Charities are helping this NGO by remodeling the three mini kitchens (new cupboards and counters, small refrigerators), providing  carpet in corridors, and new small beds for children and small people.  We met up with two men who took all kinds of measurements and then will custom build whatever is necessary.

The entrance and outside photos




















Notice the white and red flowers on the bushes.  The are actually the top part of pop bottles that have been cut and spray painted.





Entrance to the bathroom





About four years ago, LDS Charities and the Carters helped this place plant many fruit trees.  Remarkably, most are still alive, but some weed control needs to happen soon, and pruning, and some permanent type of irrigation.



The three mini kitchens and hallways and one room getting a remodel





floor



kitchen decoration



another kitchen







Third mini kitchen





Halls and walls and storage closets, etc.  The wall hangings are made by the residents.  There are many of them, and some are quite good.





This one is a laminated poster of the workers.  The words say "In our life"





ceiling in one of the lobbies with plastic grape vines and grape clusters



measuring a room



Clothing and linens





These guys were very proud of their coloring books





Room #10, the door knob, and the nterior







The weather was beautiful this day - warm and sunny.  All patients who could walk or roll or scoot were outside.  Only the bed bound were still inside.  The bed bound might be small children or young adults who appear to be small because their legs had atrophied''.  These guys will get new beds.'










When you go to bed tonight, say a prayer and be thankful for your blessings.  You can be assured that LDS Charities are doing good things.  Make a donation on your tithing slip -fill in the 'humanitarian' section.

After measuring and touring we were served a nice lunch - the table was piled with at least three times what could ever have been served to us.  I suspect that the portions left on the serving dishes were taken to the mini kitchens to be given to the patients.  By custom, the youngest at the table serves everyone and the oldest or most venerated is served first.  The food was good - simple but good!



On our way back to Bishkek we took a couple of short side trips.  One was to the Burana Tower which is ancient 13th century stopping place on the Silk Road (think Marco Polo).  It is now an archaeological and historical site in the middle of many acres of agricultural fields.  There was a museum and a docent, a rebuilt tower from a mosque, and mounds and pits where more stuff might still be buried.













On the way back to Bishkek we stopped at a hotel resort place because it was neat and had nice bathrooms.  It is a destination hotel with beautiful grounds - a pond/lake - a zoo, and all sorts of statuary.  There were bridal parties and all sorts of people dressed up.  And displays of old cars.









Dragons



A stork



A lion from rubber tires



A RABBIT!!!!!!!!!!



And maybe, best of all, in the zoo, two live porcupines!!!!!  In all my years, I have only seen these animals on t.v.  And here, in Kyrgyzstan, I see my first one.  The critter is eating a potato which seems like strange fare for a porcupine.   There was also a boring camel, some lamas, ponies, a goat, ho hum.........



And thus ended our first day in Kyrg.
This ends Part One.  Tomorrow I will do Part Two