KAZPOST

Ever wonder where the packages go when you send them?

Here is the Petropavlovsk post office where Boris must go to pick up the packages. There were none this day. Several did arrive on other days we were here. Thank you wonderful sponsors! It was exciting to see how happy the children are to receive these and know that someone cares!

Please Help Diana!

Diana, is the 13 year old girl from the Regional Orphanage with Diabetes. As Laura mentioned in a previous post, Diana was in the hospital when we arrived in Petropavlovsk. She was taken there in a diabetic coma, and was in intensive care for three days.

A medical program that will allow orphans from this region to go to the US for treatment they cannot receive here, was recently approved. The paperwork is now in motion to transport Diana to the US, where she can be evaluated and receive the proper care and diabetic training she desperately needs. As you can imagine, there are many expenses associated with this and we need to raise the funds quickly. Please help! You can donate through the PayPal button on the Antares Foundation website http://www.antares-orphans.com/ or send a check to Antares Foundation, c/o Laura Rosier, 148 Tanglewood Lane, Sharpsburg, GA 30277.

Diana is out of the hospital and back at the orphanage now. We have been able to spend some time with her.

Hugs and Kisses

I have never had so many hugs and kisses!!!! It is very sweet and at the same time sad. We get to visit the Regional Boarding School almost every day so we get a little closer to these kids. See all the sweet, beautiful faces???? How can you look at them and not want to do something? We try to take little things for as many as possible each day but we run out in minutes. The kids are very good about sharing so when we come back the next day someone else has what another child had the day before.

I have to say it again – I LOVE THESE KIDS!!!! Some are calling me Mama and you can see them pleading with their eyes to take them home with us. Thank goodness our driver is a patient man as he sometimes waits for hours when we return the kids to the RBS.

I will need to get a 3rd job when I return so if anyone in the Atlanta area is hiring please let me know (lol).……..Apryl says she will need one too!!!

We Made History!

For more photos from our trip to Shoptykol see 9/15/07 post

I guess the biggest eye opener was the trip to Shoptykol! We almost didn’t make this trip but due to the urging of sponsors we decided to go and I am so glad we did.

A rough five hour trip to get there over what would barely be considered a cow path in the US. Some parts of the road was so bad we had to ride on roads people had made in the fields. WE MADE HISTORY!!! We were the first Americans to visit the orphanage of Shoptykol! If you think you have ever been in the “middle of nowhere” wait until you see the pictures……you know the part of the song that goes…”I can see for miles and miles”….well, you can literally see for miles across the steppes. I am just thankful the van did not break down.

Shoptokyl is a small village of about 1850 people (the orphange has about 162 children) – I think they said about 241 houses. There is NOTHING nearby – no stores, no movies, no restaurants, nothing!

The orphanage is as nice as one can be in such a remote place – it is very old and run down but they keep things neat and clean. The director is a very nice man who seems to really care about the children – he teared up with our donations and was very grateful. We brought him a very nice camera (he was shocked) so we hope to have more pictures of our kids from there. We also made a donation of scales to weigh the children, medical supplies from Medshare International and several boxes of toys and clothes. A few sponsored children received gifts from their sponsors. We got to meet all the children and they performed a concert for us. Very talented boys and girls and one teacher sang for us. We toured the entire orphanage and they treated us to a very nice dinner (they grow their own vegetables). All of the caretakers and teachers are very nice and really seem to care.

This orphange really needs help and the children need sponsors. Many (but not all) of these children have learning disabilites or are behind in their schooling. There are a few with medical conditions that we hope to be able to help (more on these children later). Yes, it does cost quite a bit to get there – we have to pay for the transportation (van, driver and gas) but when it is split between several sponsors the cost is not so much. We cannot go on outings (where is there to go????) so the only cost is the packages you send or money to buy gifts and the transporation. If you can not or do not want to sponsor a child just an occasional package would make these children happy for a long time – they have no expectations!
This is Sveta’s favorite orphanage and I can see why.

First Impressions

Hi All - this is Laura…I finally get a minute to write and share my thoughts about our trip. We stay busy from morning until night each day.

What can I say??? It has been very emotional!!! I have laughed a million times and I have cried a million tears. I LOVE THESE KIDS!!!!! I want to take them ALL home with me (and several have begged me to). Could I ever choose one??? No, it would be too hard….would it be Katya or Vika or Vanya or Sasha or Regina or ?????.

Several people have tried to tell me how things are here but until you have been here you cannot imagine. We have it so good in the US; we take everything for granted. I know this trip has changed me (for better). I also know this trip has made me even more determined to raise more funds and find more sponsors. These kids need us! They have so little or nothing. It does not take much to make them happy, some just a hug and I have plenty of those. Each orphanage we visit welcomes us with open arms. It is almost like we are celebrities!

We have done a sibling reunion, outings to the park (One Flag over Kaz !) and to the café (McDoner‘s!), shopping outings (at the Mall of Petro !), shopping for orphanage donations, to the bank many times and daily visits to the Regional Boarding School (it is very close and they let us hang out there for hours).

Our hotel room at the Skif is a big laugh - we have stuff all over the room! It is a week later and still not unpacked - it looks like one of the booths at the market (I mean Mall of Petro) from all the boxes we sent. We are still waiting on about eight boxes to show up. The post office called Sveta today while we were gone and they do have something. We will find out in the morning how many….I hope all of them as we need more gifts. We try to take a little something to give several kids when we visit especially to the ones who do not get to go on outings or do not have a sponsor.

Several days when we have visited at the RBS some of our kids are in the hospital. We were very worried at first but found out they go there even with just a cold because they cannot risk the other kids getting sick. Most of the time it has been very minor except for our little Diana who has Diabetes and had been in a coma. She is out now and we met her a few days ago…so cute!!! We are trying to get her to the US on an Emergency Medical Visa and thanks to some very generous sponsors we may be able to make it happen. We are hoping to meet with the Ministry of Education in a few days to see if they will give us permission. The orphanage desperately wants it to happen as they are not equipped to handle her nor do they have the knowledge.

As I am sitting here typing this I hear the “Call to Prayer” for the Muslims at the Muslim Mosque a few miles away. I think Boris said it happens five times a day. First it is like an alarm and then a chant. There is also a beautiful new Russian Orthodox Church very close to the RBS we pass every day.

I have lot’s more to write but need to stop now….I have not been able to make any calls so I do want to say “Hey Mama”, “Happy Birthday Christy” (mya Sistra) and to my husband and daughters “Hello and I love you” - Sarah (my daughter) - I am so proud you made the Recon Team (though I know you cannot read this right now you will know I am thinking of you).
Bye for now!
Laura

It's An Adventure!

Our stay here is halfway through...

and we still have so much more to do!

We have a very full schedule and little time to blog.

We have posted some pictures.

We know that is what you really want to see!

We have so much to tell you and will post when we can.

We love and miss what so many of these children don't have:

OUR FAMILIES!

Laura and Apryl

Visit to Shoptykol Orphanage

A Day and a Trip We Will Never Forget!

We only had time to post a few photos this day.

See 9/19/07 post for more details about this trip.

Outing to Doner Cafe with Group from Children's Village

Outing for One of the Village Children Families
Sponsored by the Taylor Family

Another Outing to the Park

Siblings Reunion

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DAY 3 Siblings' Reunion

The day siblings living at different orphanages (due to their ages) are reunited for a few hours. An emotional day! From excited anticipation of the meeting, to tears of joy at seeing each other,to happiness at spending time together, to tears of saddness at saying good-bye again.

A Visit to the RBS and Children's Village

RBS Classrooms and Students

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Children's Village Houses and Children

Tuesday, Day 2 in Petropavlovsk