Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year!

I wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year!  In Kazakhstan the New Year's holiday is huge.  We celebrate with Santa coming to give children gifts, a huge meal, a presidential speech, New Year's movies, and fireworks!  There are times that I miss this time that I would spend with my Kazakh family, seeing the joy of their children as they bring in the New Year.  


I have had a wonderful time in Montana with my family.  It has been a chance to rest and relax and spend time with people I love.  I figured I'd list some of the things that have gone on during my time here.  I will head back to Muncie for a few days on January 4th before heading to Lynchburg.  
  • Walks with family in the beautiful scenery here in Montana
  • A quiet Christmas Eve and Christmas with my family
  • The realization that this will be my last Christmas "home" for a few years
  • Getting to talk to and see my Kazakh family on Skype
  • Finished reading The Good and Beautiful God, a really good book
  • Helped mom set up her first Kindle book 
  • Seeing the house that Comfort and Steve have put an offer on
  • Geocaching with my family 
  • Finding out I am allergic to both gluten and dairy
  • Playing games each day
I am so thankful for all the friendships God has given me.  May your New Year be filled with much joy and blessing!

Year-end donations towards the work of Interlink Resources can be made here



Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Quick Note

I was notified that the graph on the side of my blog related to the financial support still needed for my return to Kazakhstan was confusing.  I have fixed it and think it shows more clearly where things are.  Sorry for the confusion.  Have a great day!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

A Busy Fall

I arrived in Montana last Friday and have a few weeks with my family for Christmas.  It has been nice spending time with them.  We have played games, gone shopping, and seen some great views.  I am looking forward to this time with them as I know it will be my last Christmas in the States for a while.

This fall has been a busy one.  I have been updating my blog from many locations doing many different things.  I have been highlighting some of the fun I have been having and relationships that I have been making.  I thought it would also be good to let you know some of the projects I have continued to work on for Interlink.  Although I am traveling around a lot, I have still been accomplishing much in order to prepare to return to Kaz this spring.  Here are some of the highlights that I have been working on since I returned from Kaz at the end of July (in random order).


  • Attended daily training with the new team heading to Kazakhstan next year.  We met each morning for 6 weeks.  We spent time discussing some of the foundations of the work we will be doing in Kaz and making sure we were all on the same page. 
  • Attended our annual board meeting.  During this time I was able to share with our board my journey over the last several years and my sense that this coming year is the right timing for me to return to Kaz long-term.  
  • Moved to Lycnhburg, VA to be part of the training for a new team going to Kaz.  This has also allowed me to be part of a small group of people that are interested in the work taking place in Kaz. 
  • Helped with the set-up of a Kids Connection sponsorship drive that is set to take place in Lynchburg early next year.  
  • Helped train the new staff in our Muncie office for responsibilities related to delegations. 
  • Prepared and took care of many of the details for the delegation that went to Kazakhstan in the fall.  
  • Completed my third class towards a masters degree in Special Education.  I have a total of 10 classes to complete, so I am almost 1/3rd of the way through the program.  My classes are all online, so I can continue them once I return to Kazakhstan.  I am hoping to use what I learn to benefit the children of Kaz.  
  • Worked with my team to help my team leaders prepare their house for our move to Kaz.  
  • Continued communication with my friends and co-workers in Kaz.  
  • Focused on support raising for my return to Kaz.  This included visiting several States and seeing people that I hadn't seen in a while.  
  • Attended an interesting and informational conference in D.C.
  • Read many books to continue my preparation to return.  
  • Helped people process after their delegations to Kaz.  

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Traveling Again

The challenge and joy of being at this place in my life is that I get/have to travel a lot.  I have been back in Lynchburg for a little over a week and am preparing for my next trip.  On Friday morning I will be heading to Muncie.  I get a chance to spend about six days with friends in Muncie.  During my time there I get to be involved in two of my favorite activities, Help Portraits and the Inside Out Christmas Store.  It will be fun to be able to serve among my friends.  I also have my final for the class I cam currently taking.  

On the 16th I will be traveling to Montana to be with my family.  I am looking forward to spending a few weeks with all of them in one place.  I can't wait to see my parent's new house.  I'm sure we will play games and just enjoy visiting and catching up.  

I have had some fun memories with my new friends here.  We picked out a Christmas tree at a local nursery.  This included getting to ride in the back of the pick-up truck and having it cut down with a chainsaw.  I am also getting to go to a Christmas concert tonight.  We have enjoyed singing Christmas carols and laughing together.  I feel blessed to have these new friends and will miss them when I am gone.  However, I also can't wait to be back in Muncie.  I continue to find joy and blessing in all these friendships.  

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Blessed

The last week has been yet another reminder of how blessed I am.  I had a great time with my extended family in Oklahoma.  It was wonderful to see my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  I enjoyed the time I got to spend with each one visiting.  I am thankful for the extended family I have (on both sides) that have helped me become the person I am.  What a joy that many of us could spend time together enjoying each other's company.  My mom and dad even got to Skype into our visit for a while.

I had the unexpected joy of spending some time with my sister and her husbands family when I returned from Oklahoma.  They welcomed me into my second Thanksgiving dinner, which was also extremely yummy.  It was fun to see all of them and reminded me of the blessing that our family has as we have been brought together with Steve's family.

Upon returning to Lynchburg, I was able to celebrate my birthday with my new friends here, while hearing from so many of my friends all over the world.  My birthday was a special day, filled with words of encouragement and fun.  Thank you to all of you that helped make it that way.

I sent out a newsletter in November sharing what the next few months looks like.  If you didn't receive it and would like to, please let me know.  There is a financial update on the right side of my blog, for those of you that have been asking.  Thanks again for your encouragement, birthday wishes, and support.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi everyone!  I wanted to take a moment to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!  I have the joy of spending this Thanksgiving with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Oklahoma (where my mom grew up).  I was able to get a free ticket with my frequent flyer miles, so I decided to take this opportunity to visit with my extended family.  I always enjoy my visits with them because they are filled with laughter.  The Champeau side of the family loves to laugh, especially when they all come together.  I have so much to be thankful for, so I thought I'd list just a few of them below.  Hope you have a wonderful holiday!

  • Family
  • The chance to spend Thanksgiving with extended family
  • A new team preparing to go to Kazakhstan
  • The safety of my Kazakh family and friends during the recent shooting/bombing in Taraz
  • Good friends all over the world
  • A faithful God
  • My small group (both in Lynchburg and Muncie)
  • A sense of peace and joy
  • God's provision
  • Laughter
  • Freedom
  • Health

Monday, November 7, 2011

Simple Joys

Over a week ago I had the joy of spending the day at Kings Dominion with three new friends from my small group.  The weather for the day called for showers and a high of around 40 ... not ideal weather for being outside.  However, for us the weather ended up being a blessing.  The weather was bad enough that most people did not make the trip, yet good enough that the rides did not shut down.  We looked like fools as we walked through the park in our ponchos and multiple layers of clothing, but we were happy fools.

The stimulus for the trip was that I know I will be heading back to Kaz next spring and will not get a chance to ride roller coasters for another few years.  Some friends from small group were excited to join me in this adventure.  We were able to ride each roller coaster that we wanted to 2-3 times and only had to wait in two lines all day long.  Due to the weather, I was able to ride more than I had imagined!

I think the best part of the day was the fact that we turned into children when we entered the park.  Memories from years before (my first roller coaster was the Shockwave at the same park) brought back thoughts of friends and laughter.  We found ourselves almost skipping through the park at times (well, I guess that was only some of us).  Stories were told.  Funnel cake and cotton candy were eaten.  Laughter and joy abounded.

We could have been upset that the weather was not perfect.  Instead, we decided to just enjoy the day and find pleasure in the little things.  I find it really amazing what a perspective of joy can bring to a day.  I am thankful for my new friends that were willing to join the adventure!

Upcoming Plans:  Trip to Muncie (Nov 9-13); Thanksgiving in Oklahoma

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Friendships That Don't Change

Last weekend I had the opportunity to see so many good friends from my years at Taylor University.  Although the drive was long, the time with people that I haven't seen since graduating made it worth it. It's funny how friendships can be picked up after 11 years.  I am so thankful for the friendships that God gave me at Taylor and this opportunity to catch up with people.  

One of the highlights of my time was the opportunity to spend time with friends from an organization that I was a part of while at Taylor.  The organization consisted of people that had spent some time growing up overseas.  Now these friends are scattered all over the world.  Since the organization was celebrating it's 25th anniversary, many graduates returned for homecoming.  We had fun visiting, playing soccer, and hearing stories (picture below).  


I also had the opportunity to tour the science center with some of the girls that lived on my floor.  It was fun to catch up, hear what is going on in their lives, and meet family members.  It brought back so many good memories of my time at Taylor with these good friends.  What a happy surprise to get to spend this time with them.  


In all of the recent transitions, I have been thinking a lot about friendship.  I can look back at friendships that have been so important at different stages of my life.  Sometimes, in the midst of transitions or busyness, those friendship no longer are at the forefront of my attention.  This doesn't decrease the importance of these friendships, but it seems that they have shifted to a different role.  Each friendship has built into my life in a different way and I wouldn't be the person I am without them.  True friendships are those that after 10 years, we can begin communication as if nothing ever happened.  I often grieve over the inability to keep up with all my friends from the different phases of my life, but then God reminds me that he wants me to engage fully where He has placed me.  It is hard to engage fully and still maintain strong bonds with those in another place ... this is the balance that I find myself trying to walk.  One in which I engage in the present, but still completely enjoy the past and look forward to the future.

Friday, September 23, 2011

New Life

I have begun my new life in Lynchburg, VA.  I have enjoyed spending time with friends in many States along the way.  What a joy it is to be able to connect with friends as if I had never been gone.  I continually sense God's blessing on this next step in the process of returning to Kazakhstan.  Today marks the first day of a six-week time of training and team building.  I am looking forward to getting to know my team members better and learning how to best communicate with one another.  I know I will learn much during this time.

I have already been blessed with many new friendships.  Last weekend I found myself missing my new friends here in Lynchburg in the midst of the joy of seeing old friends, as I spent the weekend in Muncie to attend a friend's wedding.  I am thankful that I already have a small group here.  Although I have only been a part of the group for two weeks, I feel like I belong.  Everyone has welcomed me into the group.  My small group in Muncie was such a blessing and encouragement.  The thought of leaving that group was one of the things that made the move to Lynchburg most difficult.  However, I see how God has provided a new group here.  This doesn't take away the importance of the old, but adds yet another layer of relationships to my life.  I look forward to seeing how these relationships will cause me to grow.

Sometimes the idea of making new friends overwhelms me, especially when I know that I will be leaving them soon.  I think back on the friends that I have had throughout my life (Kenya, CA, MD, IN, Taylor University, CO, Kazakhstan, and now VA) and realize how blessed I am.  However, as I realize this, I also realize how hard it is to leave.  My natural reaction is to want to protect myself from this by not adding more relationships to my life.  However, when I look back, I also realize that there is not one friend that has failed to make my life richer.  The pain of making new friends that I will have to leave becomes worth it when I dwell on the richness of my life.  As the next transition draws closer I hope to be able to hold onto this reminder and not allow the sorrow overwhelm me.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Another Round of Goodbyes

Hi everyone!  I just realized how long it has been since I last posted.  Sorry for the lack of communication.  It has been a crazy couple months.  Some of the highlights/lowlights included:

  • Four delegations in four months (definitely a highlight)
  • Getting a chance to have several of the youth that I worked with in Muncie come to Kaz
  • Seeing my kids in Kaz and helping them interact with my kids from Muncie
  • Saying goodbye to everyone in Kaz
  • Becoming an accidental illegal immigrant in Kaz (thankfully worked this out legally)
  • Three weeks in Muncie to see friends 
  • Many games of Settler's of Catan with friends in Muncie
  • Processing with delegates about their trips before leaving Muncie
  • Saying goodbye to everyone in Muncie
  • Spending a few days with my parents playing games
I had a wonderful time in Kazakhstan and then in Muncie.  I am now in the midst of my next big transition ... a move to Lynchburg, VA.  I will be spending the fall and some of the spring in Lynchburg as we train together as a new team to go back to Kazakhstan.  Right now it is looking like I will be returning to Kaz with this new team sometime in April.  I am excited to see this team come together and look forward to being in Lynchburg for this time.  I will be stopping in MD/PA on my way to Lynchburg later this week and look forward to seeing my Grandpa Coggins and many friends.  

It is always difficult to say goodbye, but I continue to see how each step down the path of life has a specific purpose and continues to grow me in a way that would be impossible otherwise.  I'll have to share some of the ways the last few months have impacted me in a future post.  I hope you have a wonderful week!  


Thursday, July 7, 2011

My Russian Chiropractor

Although I just wrote a post a couple days ago, I couldn't resist telling you the funny experience I had today.  It is a bit of a long story, but should make you laugh.  The short version is that I went to a chiropractor and am hoping it will help my head.  The long version is ... 

After one week of having a headache caused by my back and neck being out of alignment I started asking around to see if there was somewhere here I could get adjusted.  Living in Kazakhstan definitely makes me miss my chiropractor in Indiana.  A couple years ago I tried to find someone that would operate in a similar way to a chiropractor and the only person I could find was one that required me to come 10 days in a row and with waiting usually took about 1-2 hours a day.  As a result, I needed a better option. 

Today, my director told me about a place that one of her friends had been to before.  Basically, I knew that my alignment was off and I needed my back and neck cracked.  This morning we went to check it out.  I met a somewhat older Russian man in charge of the Massage Room.  He understood a little Kazakh, but mostly spoke Russian.  I was told that he doesn't make appointments so you just have to come and wait.  Marina arranged for me to come at 1:30 in the afternoon and pay about $10.  Later I found out that it would take 1 1/2 hours and that the room had "machines" in it.  That made me a little nervous, but I clearly had no idea what I was getting into, or I might have decided the pain was worth it.  

I knocked on the door and entered when told to.  There were 3 other people in the room and a bunch of different apparatuses.  He took my bag with my sheet and towel from me and put it off to the side telling me we didn't need it yet.  Thankfully, I understand enough Russian to follow directions.  He turned me away from him and then started twisting my neck in different directions, informing me that it wasn't moving like it should (which I definitely knew).  Then he told me to sit in a chair that would be too small for a 5th grader.  I sat down and he hooked me up to one of these.  As I sat there he used another woman that was there for exercises to talk with me.  They were extremely interested and asked me all sorts of questions.  Meanwhile everyone around me kept doing their exercises.  After about 5 minutes he told me to put my hands behind my head.  I innocently followed his instructions as he stepped behind me.  The next thing I knew I felt the bones crack all the way up my neck starting about mid-way down my back.  It actually felt really good because I knew that was what I needed ... but it was a pretty impressive sound.  The cracking wasn't done yet.  He hadn't gotten my lower back, so he made me bend over a table while he VERY forcefully caused my lower back to crack (this was not fun and is the part I probably would want to skip if I ever go back - thankfully it was short).  

He then proceeded to take me over to this contraption. I was chilling upside down (and enjoying it) for about 5 minutes.  During this time I was being asked questions about where I live in town, where I learned Kazakh, how much I paid for lessons, and what kind of salary I receive.  All the while, Anatoly (my Russian chiropractor) was giving someone else a massage.  While he did this, she screamed out in pain.  Then, in the midst of the crying out, one of the braces holding my feet opened and I was hanging there by one foot.  He proceeded to put me into a horizontal position, to rest, and then after a couple minutes of rest and an adjustment to my foot braces, hung me back upside down again.  It was hard to keep my hands behind my head instead of holding onto the frame.  It was also hard to relax with the reality that if both of my feet came out of the braces at once, I would land on my head, which would cause it to hurt more than it already did.  Thankfully, after 10 minutes total, this was over and I could move on to my next "exercise."  

This one at least did not include any dangling by my feet or neck.  I laid down on a table and large rollers went up and down my back (below me) from my knees to my head.  Although it was painful, it was a really good hurt as it loosened some of the muscles that had tightened up over the last week.  

The entire time I was following one word instructions from Anatoly ), such as sit, stand, etc followed by hand motions to help me understand if I looked confused.  Now it was time to lay out my sheet on the massage table and disrobe from the waist up.  I was in a room filled with equipment and three people other than Anatoly.  However, there was a nice privacy curtain between the massage table and the rest of the room, with about three feet of space between it and the wall.  It was in this space that my "translator" sat and visited with me while I prepared my self.  I laid down on the massage table while Anatoly worked on my back.  Just when I thought it was hurting enough to say something, he would switch to something else.  It was actually a really good (yet extremely hard) massage that loosened up my back really well.  In the midst of it he grabbed my foot and cracked all my toes, ankle, and knee.  That was a bit of a shock.  After about 10 minutes of all sorts of different massage tactics from my head to my feet he told me I could get up.  

He then proceeded to ask me if I wanted to try out any of the other equipment ... my answer was a quick no.  Walking out, my back actually felt really good.  My neck still hurts some (but it always does for about a day after going to the chiropractor).  We'll see how my body recovers in the next couple days and if I am able to sleep well tonight.  If it works, I might go back to my friend Anatoly again one day ... but I still think it was a good thing I didn't look into his massage room when we went to set up the appointment.  At the very least my chiropractor visit over here was a lot less expensive than it is in the States and I got to try out all sorts of new "old" contraptions.  

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Already July - WOW!

Hi everyone!  I can't believe it's July already. Hope you all had a great 4th!  My 4th was quiet, with a nice dinner at a friend's house.  It is hard to believe that I have already been here for more than two months and will be headed back to the States in less than one.  I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by all the transitions in the next couple months, but also really looking forward to them.  

The last delegation of the summer will arrive in about a week.  It is a group of youth from Muncie, IN that I had the joy of helping with over the last couple years.  Of the 13 that will be here, 6 of them are returning.  Instead of just coordinating logistics for them, I will actually be able to participate in the time that they spend at the House of Hope, a small, private orphanage in the city of Vannovka.  We will be spending four nights at a camp near the mountains with a pool, soccer field, volleyball court, etc.  

I really look forward to being able to spend time with the youth from both the USA and Kaz.  This summer my responsibilities have entailed helping to care for the delegations, which has meant that I have not had as much opportunity to actually spend time with kids.  I have loved my responsibilities, but at times have missed just getting to interact with the kids in the orphanages.  It will be fun to have a few days to do that before returning.  

Here are my tentative plans for my return:  I leave Kaz and arrive in the USA on the 27th of July.  I will spend July 27th-August 19th in Indiana.  August 19th - 22nd, I will be in Ohio visiting my folks.  From there I will drive through PA (to see my grandfather and others) and will end up in MD until the end of August.  At the end of August I will head down to Lynchburg, VA ... my home until mid-November when I will likely become a bit transient again for the holidays.  Feel free to start letting me know when you can get together if I will be near you. I look forward to seeing many of you in the coming months as I prepare to return to Kaz full-time.  


Saturday, June 4, 2011

Ulan Delegation

Hi everyone!  It's been a really busy week as the Ulan delegation has arrived and prepared for camp.  They have been a joy to be around.  I enjoy the sense of humour that each one has and have been blessed by their servant hearts.  

On June 1st (Children's Day), I had the chance to go to Ulan for the first time since being back.  It was good and hard at the same time.  We came after the concert had started, and due to the hot sun we stood at the back watching.  Many of the children did not notice our entrance.  It was fun to see the heads turn as they realized we were there.  I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the news spread through the crowd.  One person would turn, then their neighbor would turn, then someone in the row in front of them, until everyone had noticed us.  Since my hair has grown out some since I left, it took people (kids and caregivers alike) a little while to realize who I was.  It has been fun to see the look of friendship and joy when they recognize me and I get to say hello.  These kids (and staff) mean so much to me and it has been fun to see that although I have been gone for two years, I still have a special place in their hearts (as they do mine).  

The hard parts are when staff or children say things like "you have forgotten us" to me related to my having returned to the States.  It is hard to explain why I have been in the States for so long.  It has been touching that many of the kids have asked about my health.  One of the reasons that I needed to remain in the States, at first, was that I needed some time to take care of myself (emotionally, physically, etc).  I have been a little surprised at the concern of some of the kids related to my health.  

Overall, it has been such a blessing to be back.  I still love this country and even more the people here.  I look forward to returning next spring to live.  

  

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Differences

I have noticed several things recently that are different from what I grew up with.  Since they have struck me as funny, I thought I'd pass them along to you.  Hope you enjoy!  

Russian Phrase:  "Don't just lie on your back spitting at the ceiling"  I think it basically means, don't be lazy ... but the image of lying on your back spitting at the ceiling isn't necessarily a pleasant one.  Guess that might be the point.  

Planting Flowers:  Our front lawn at the office has recently changed, due to the desire of several of our staff.  Instead of a huge rose garden, we now have grass (which I love), a small rock mountain, and a path leading to a patio.  The staff originally decided it would be good to get some small flowers and line the edge of the grass with them ... the only problem with this idea is that it made it impossible to mow.  They decided they needed to put the flowers in pots in order to make mowing easier.  Since the staff were working on this project with a minimal budget, they got very creative with their flower pots.  Imagine my surprise when I showed up at the office to find pigs, ladybugs, and even a turtle in the yard.  They really enjoyed the chance to be creative.  

Potholes:  It is the time of year where throughout the northern hemisphere people are trying to fill potholes that accumulated through the winter.  Here the process is the same as in many places, cut out the part of road where there is a pothole, line the edges with tar, fill the hole with gr, roll over it with something heavy.  The only big difference here is the lag time between each step of the process.  Often times a road sits with holes in it for a week before the tar is applied.  Then, it is often several days before the gravel is added.  This can add a little more excitement to our driving as we try to avoid holes that can eat our tires and tar that sticks to the car and can only be easily removed with gasoline (a skill I have recently acquired).  




Sunday, May 22, 2011

Trip to Almaty

I just returned from taking the delegation to Almaty.  We had a nice time, both while they were here in Taraz and during our time in Almaty.  After the delegation left, my Kazakh sister and I went to the American Embassy so that she could have her interview to apply for a visa to the States this summer.  She has the opportunity to spend 2 1/2 months in Virginia studying English at Virginia Commonwealth University.  They accepted her application ... and she is thrilled to be able to go. I am excited that she has this opportunity to further her education as well as see another part of the world.  We arrived back in Taraz at 5 am Saturday morning and I have had two relaxing days.  We have about one week before our next delegation arrives from the States!  For those who want to know more about the details of a trip to Almaty ... you can read the details below.  There are also some pictures that were takenwhile the delegation was here for you to enjoy!






A Normal Trip to Almaty:
The trip to Almaty began at 10 pm when we left the house for the train station.  We arrived at the train station at 10:30 pm with plenty of time to spare before our train departed at 11:15 pm.  The train is a night train that arrives in Almaty at 9 am.  We had two coupes (4 people each) and then one extra bed in a separate coupe, where I planned to sleep.  You never know who will be your coupe-mates.  The two on the top bunk of my coupe were asleep before I entered.  The one on the bottom bunk was a grandmother named Shara who thought it was fascinating that I spoke Kazakh.  After settling the delegation into their coupes, giving the tickets to the conductor, and dealing with a slight ticket issue, I went to my coupe and promptly fell asleep.  At about 8 am the conductor roused us to let us know that we were getting close to Almaty and it was time to get our sheets together.  At 8:30 am they close the bathroom doors, so it is the last chance for a trip to the bathroom.  Around this time, you are also required to give your sheets, pillowcase, and small towel to the conductor.  

At 9:00 am we arrived at the train station, where we were met by our two drivers.  We had to walk up a four-story flight of stairs, above the trains, and back down to get to the parking area.  Then we piled into two vehicles and went to our hotel.  Upon arrival at the hotel, our luggage (which had gone up by bus the night before) was brought to us by a friend that we hire in Almaty.  When we checked in, only two rooms were ready (despite having reserved four) so we took all of our things up to the rooms and went down to breakfast (which closed at 10 am).  

The day was spent shopping and riding a cable car to a hill looking over the city.  While on the top of the hill, having dinner on a patio overlooking the city, a storm rolled in.  We made it inside just in time and enjoyed watching the storm while we ate dinner and enjoyed dessert.  By the time we finished the rain had decreased enough for us to ride the cable car back down into Almaty and take a taxi to our hotel.  

That evening we finished our debrief with the delegation and then everyone headed to bed for an early morning trip to the airport.  I met the delegation in the airport at 4:45 am to check out and take them to the airport.  Once they were checked into their flight, I headed back to the hotel to get another hour of sleep before heading to the American Embassy for my Kazakh sister's visa appointment.  We arrived just before another storm.  Thankfully, when the rain started blowing I was able to go inside and read a book while waiting for her.  Her visa was approved and we headed to her relative's house for some rest before our evening train.  

Our train in the evening left at 7:30 pm and arrived back in Taraz at 4:45 am.  One of our coupe-mates had ridden with me the last time I took the train to Almaty, so she asked me specific questions based on our previous conversation.  I felt kind of bad that I really didn't remember much about her.  It was nice to be in a coupe where she already knew me and I didn't have to answer the normal questions about myself (Who are you, Where do you work, Are you married, Why not, How old are you, What kind of work do you do, Do you have any children, What year were you born, Why do you speak Kazakh, Where did you learn Kazakh, Can you teach my child English, Do you like Kazakhstan, Is Kazakhstan or the USA better, What is your salary, etc).  We arrived home at about 5 am and I went back to sleep for a few more hours and basically relaxed for the rest of the day.  

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Delegation Preparation

Happy Mother's Day to all the mother's reading this.  I am so thankful for my mother and the way that she built into our lives.  I am thankful that she chose to allow us to be adventurous even when it might have scared her a bit.  I wouldn't be in Kazakhstan today if it weren't for her encouraging me to follow God's plan for my life and being willing to let go of me in order to allow me to travel halfway across the world.  I am also extremely grateful for my grandmothers and the blessing they have been in my life as well.  Their support has always been an encouragement to me.  I realized today that this is the first mother's day without my Grandma Coggins.  It is kind of sad to think of not being able to call her and wish her a Happy Mother's Day.  I am blessed to have the mother and grandmothers that I have.  

This week has been one of preparation for our first full delegation.  We have four people arriving on Wednesday, adding to the two already here, to make a total of six delegates.  They will be in-country for one week.  I have been working this week with two of the members of our youth department to set up a schedule for them.  Setting up a schedule includes thinking through activities, translators, transportation, and participants for each activity.  Our entire staff gets to be a part of preparing for the delegation.  The delegates are going to be living at the house with us, so Vicki and I are thinking through meals and other items together.  

I realized the other day that you might enjoy hearing the story of how we make lasagna, since it is a bit more complicated than in the States.  Vicki and I went to the bazaar the other day and purchased some of the items needed, included cheese, ground beef, curds and cream.  

The cheese is purchased by the kilo (or portion of the kilo).  In this case we purchased 2 kilos (4 pounds) of cheese.  They cut the cheese from large blocks of cheese and then weigh it to make sure it is the amount that we request.  The sellers are really good at estimating the exact quantity of cheese to cut.  We then shred the cheese and use it in the appropriate layer of lasagna.  

We don't have ricotta cheese here, so we have to make our own.  We purchase the curds (what would be our cottage cheese with the liquid drained off and dried some).  Then we combine this with a thick cream that we purchase.  As we purchase this and the cheese, we are encouraged to taste them to make sure they are good quality.  

The other day as we were walking out of the meat house in the bazaar, we noticed some exceptionally good ground beef.  Sometimes we choose not to buy ground beef at the bazaar, but this looked like some of the best ground beef that both Vicki and I had seen.  I find it kind of funny that ground beef would catch my eye and I would be excited.  We decided to go ahead and purchase 4 kilos (8 pounds) in order to make spaghetti, lasagna, and hamburgers for next week.  The seller had to run across the way and get some more ground beef (which looked as good as the first).  This was cooked and put aside to be combined with tomato paste and juice and some spices in order to make the sauce for the lasagna.  

Lasagna noodles can now be purchased here, so this makes our job a lot easier.  Due to the busy schedule when the delegation is here, we will probably put the lasagna's together a couple days early and either refrigerate or freeze it until it is needed.  

It was fun to go to the bazaar and see the cheese seller that still remembers me and others that I have bought items from before.  With those that I knew, I had to explain why they hadn't seen me in a while.  With those that I didn't know, we had to convince them to speak Kazakh (not Russian) and then explain why we know Kazakh, how long we have been here and all the other info they wanted to know.  Despite the fun of seeing those I knew and meeting new sellers, about an hour at the bazaar is enough for me and I was glad to return home.  

I hope you all have a wonderful week!  We are hoping for some sunshine since we have had an unusual amount of rain here these last few days and we need the sunshine to dry the clothes and bedding hanging on the line and around our house.  


Thursday, April 28, 2011

Partying in Kazakhstan

Well, it seems like I've already started living a life full of festivities here in Kazakhstan.  I have participated in one goodbye tea, a remembrance dinner, and two birthdays since being here.  Last night one of my neighbors sounded like they were having a wedding party ... maybe I should have invited myself over in order to round out my party experiences during the 14 days I have been here.  

At work I have enjoyed meeting with members of the staff here in order to begin planning delegations.  They are excited about the delegations we have coming and will do a great job facilitating them.  None of them have ever facilitated a delegation before, so I get the joy of training them and walking them through the process.  They are so capable that my job will be very easy.  

At home I have been working with my roommate to do some spring cleaning and preparation for delegations as well as basic yard work.  It has been good to get outside and do some manual labor.  I have also spent come time cleaning the car and working to get it repaired and back in running order since it has had some problems recently.  

The temps have risen to 90 degrees in the shade on some days.  This is definitely not the spring I was anticipating.  Thankfully, we have not had any snow since my arrival!  I am not looking forward to the summer temps of 100-110 degrees, but am thankful for the lack of humidity.  Today is a cooler, breezy day.  I am enjoying typing this sitting at my desk with my window open.  

Funny Story:  I learned the trick of trimming grape vines.  Apparently there are parts of the vine that are men (longer, bigger, stronger) and those that are women (shorter, thinner, weaker).  Well, the trick to trimming grape vines is to cut off the women and leave the men.  The men enjoyed my comparing this to life and the fact that women weren't important.  We enjoyed a good laugh together about this since the men I was with don't really think this way, but enjoy joking about it, especially when initiated by me.  

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

A Week Since My Departure

I left the States a week ago today.  It has been great being back in Taraz and seeing friends.  I had a chance to spend some quality time with my Kazakh family over the weekend, which was very special.  In some ways, it feels like I never left.  I thought I'd share some random things from all areas of life that have taken place this week as I've been getting settled.  


  • I used an ancient push mower (the kind with a rotating blade powered by pushing the mower) to mow the lawn, which consisted of some grass and shin-high weeds.  One part was covered in duct tape, which made me laugh. However, it certainly beat the previous method of burning the yard (minus the fun of a fire), since it left some grass behind to enjoy.  
  • I watched out my window (from my desk at work) as my Kazakh father replaced the radiator in my car and was periodically called out to help hold something.   
  • I went to a lunch remembering the one-year anniversary of the death of the wife of one of our security guards with the rest of the staff at the office.  
  • I watched as my Kazakh family enjoyed playing the EA Active 2 game I brought for them to use on their wii.  The strength band was a bit too strong for the kids, but they enjoyed it anyway.    
  • I have had the fun surprise of seeing several graduates from the orphanages around town and catching up with them.  
  • I was finally able to sleep in until 7am - beating my previous nights of 5:30 and 6:30.  For those of you that know me, you know that morning is not my favorite time.  I also went to bed at 9pm last night, which is unheard of.  So, I got almost 11 hours of sleep.  
  • The cracked front screen on the cell phone that I use here was replaced for $7.  
  • I am starting to learn where the new potholes are in the city as I drive around town.  
  • I am enjoying Korean salad again.  
  • My grandmother passed away.  The memorial service is today.  Although there are times when I feel sadness, I am mostly filled with joy knowing that she is much happier now.  
  • I've been playing Rummikub with the staff at lunch time.  
  • I purchased an adapter in order to set up the wii that is at the house. 
  • I had a two hour conversation with my new housemate sharing about life.  This was definitely a bit of a challenge for my Kazakh (especially while jet-lagging and after two years of speaking English) but it was really good.   


Thank you all for your encouragement and support.  I am looking forward to getting down to making plans for the delegations later this week.  That will likely include some visits to the orphanages, which I am excited about!  


Friday, April 15, 2011

Back Home

I arrived back "home" today.  My flight arrived at 3am - only an hour after its scheduled arrival time.  Each of my three planes had some sort of mechanical issue causing them all to be delayed by approximately an hour.  Thankfully, I had just enough time to make it to my second flight right before the doors closed.  Overall, my trip was pretty uneventful.  The food was good.  I got to watch 1 1/2 movies that I hadn't seen yet, but had wanted to see.  I slept most of the second flight and on the car ride to Taraz.  My taxi driver brought a pillow and a blanket for me and I had the entire back seat to stretch out.  It's funny how luxurious that felt after cramped plane rides.  The car ride was exceptionally quick (which meant a lot of quick avoidance of potholes and other vehicles) which made me thankful for the Dramamine that I had brought along.  

I even got to participate in my first party of my time here.  Katya, our receptionist, had a goodbye tea just as I arrived.  It was fun to spend time with people in the office.  I spent the afternoon at home settling in and meeting the person I will be living with the entire time I am here.  I will probably head to be pretty soon, as I am exhausted, but wanted to let everyone know I arrived safely.  I have the weekend ahead of me without any definite plans and then will begin work on Monday.  

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

A Time of Reflection

I sit here in the midst of an extremely busy week with a deep sense of having a life in which I have been blessed in so many ways.  The sense is so strong that I feel the need to express my gratitude for this blessing.

So far, this week has been filled with a lot of "lasts."  My time has been filled with special times with friends who have impacted my life in ways that I probably won't even begin to truly realize until years down the road.

It seems that my life continues to move in cycles, which I currently think of related to moving away.  This week takes me back to the many times in my life that I have left a core group of friends behind for the next adventure in my life.  In 1996 I left Maryland to move to Indiana and attend Taylor.  In 2000 I left my friends at Taylor.  In 2002 I left my community in Denver.  In 2003 I left behind my family and friends to move to Kazakhstan.  In 2009 I left behind my new family and close friends to return to Muncie.  Now, I leave behind my community here to return to Kazakhstan.

Every time I leave the most recent community, I have this sense of leaving something special behind.  It is easy to look back at the last community and wonder if I will ever have such a sense of belonging and blessing as I did "back there."  Often, it isn't until I am called to leave the new community that I fully realize that I have experienced community in a stronger way than ever before.

That is how I feel now.  Not that my past experiences of community are any less influential ... but more that those experiences allowed me to delve into community at a deeper level here ... which has prepared me for the community that He has for me next.

Sometimes I get tired of this perpetual cycle of leaving those that I love behind and then I am reminded of the way my life is blessed with friends from each community that I have been a part of. I am saddened about leaving my community here in Muncie and at the same time I am reminded of the blessing that is waiting for me around the next corner.  Thank you to all of you for allowing yourselves to be used to bless me and teach me what it is to live in community.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Packing in Everything

I have had a good couple weeks.  Mom and dad came and hung out and helped me pack.  That helped a lot as I try to sort and pack all the items in my house.  This morning I spend another few hours working on this and am getting very close to having the bulk of this project done.  I am hoping to move things to storage on Saturday, since I won't need most of the items until I return to Kazakhstan long-term next spring.

These next few weeks are going to fly by.  I only have 16 days until I leave for Kaz.  Before I leave there are many people to see, good times to be had, and work to get done.  My evenings and weekends are quickly getting booked.  It is kind of funny, because having a busy schedule is something I have always had, but actually putting dates into my calendar for some reason stresses me out.  However, with as many things as I am planning, I have had to start putting things into my calendar.  As a result, life looks a lot busier than it actually is.

So much is coming together and I am getting more excited to head back to Kazakhstan each day.  I am looking forward to seeing my Kazakh family and all my friends over there and the kids I spent so much time with.  I will be traveling over to Kazakhstan with one of our interns and will begin preparations for our first delegation once I arrive.

I look forward to the funny stories that I will be able to share as I transition back into life in Kazakhstan.  :)  Thanks for your encouragement and support as I prepare for this journey.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Starting to Come Together

Plans for my trip to Kazakhstan are coming together.  I have purchased airline tickets!  I leave on April 13th and return on July 26th.  I will be traveling through Amsterdam both directions.  Also, yesterday I sent  my visa application away.  It was my first visa application this year, so I had to remember how to apply correctly.  It is a pretty detailed process.  Thankfully, I had notes from last year and could also access info from the embassy online if needed.

I am starting to sort and pack items.  It is too early to pack for my actual trip, but being gone four months requires a little more thought than just a short trip.  I am also enjoying the times I get to spend with friends.  I am starting to prepare myself emotionally for the sadness of leaving people here and the joy of seeing friends in Kazakhstan that I haven't seen since September.  It's sometimes difficult to have such completely differing emotions related to one thing.

I continue to be excited about what this time in Kazakhstan will hold.  I am not looking forward to all the details that need to take place in the coming weeks, but soon they will all be behind me and I will be on a plane to my "home" in Kazakhstan.  Thanks for walking beside me on this journey.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Training Update

Thanks for thinking of me during my training on Saturday.  Although I was exhausted by the end of the evening, I had a great time.  The group that I was training was so much fun.  There were two different delegations, one consisting of youth and the other consisting of adults.  About 2/3rds of them had previously been to Kazakhstan, so I had the challenge of trying to make it interesting enough for those that had already been, without totally overwhelming those that had not been before.  It was also challenging trying to break things up enough that it didn't cause people to tune out due to it being four hours in length.  Periodic breaks to play in the gym or ingest caffeine helped.  Also, a stockpile of candy on each table and random snacks seemed to do the trick.

The most enjoyable parts of the training for me were the times when the delegates were divided into groups and they were able to discuss different aspects of the trips.  It was fun to hear those that have been before answering questions and giving advice to those that are preparing for their first trip.  It was fun to listen to the wisdom that was being passed on at each table.  They did such a great job preparing each other as they built relationships with people they might not have met before.

I am very encouraged by the individuals that we have going to Kazakhstan this year.  It will be fun to be in Kazakhstan and watch them touch the lives of the Kazakh people while their lives are also significantly touched by the Kazakh people.

Quick update on Grandma Coggins:  She is no longer in ICU.  They found out that she has pneumonia which was causing her difficulty breathing.  Once things are under control they will transfer her back to the nursing home under hospice care.  Thanks for all the encouraging notes.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Training

Hi everyone!  I have a few updates that you can be thinking about as this weekend begins.  First, my grandma has been in the hospital for several days.  She was having trouble breathing yesterday, but that seems to have gotten much better.  My parents drove out last night and are there with them, which is good. Thanks for lifting her up.  I have been trying to keep Facebook updated for those of you that know her and want to keep updated.

Second, we have a training scheduled tomorrow for the delegates here in Muncie that will be going to Kazakhstan this summer.  This includes about 20 people.  The training will be four hours of information, including some time for team building.  I am excited, but kind of nervous since it is the first time I will be presenting all of this information at one time.  I am looking forward to the discussions we will have.  About 2/3rds of those going on delegations this year have been before, which is exciting.

Third, I am realizing that my departure for Kazakhstan is only 1 1/2 months away.  I have several things to finish up before I leave, including an English curriculum for our summer camps.  I am excited about how it is starting to come together, but have started to realize the amount of time that it will take in order to complete this.  Thanks for keeping up with me.  I continue to be amazed at the ways that I sense God's blessing on my life.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Reflection

Hi everyone.  This blog is going to be several unrelated paragraphs that each share different aspects of life for me at this time.  I am starting to get pretty busy.  I just sent out an email update related to my trip in April, so if you have not received that and would like to ... please let me know.  

I am starting preparations for my return to Kazakhstan in April.  I will be there for four months as many of you already know.  I am getting near the point of purchasing tickets and starting to apply for my visa.  Between this and delegation planning I am keeping pretty busy at work.  I am working on helping to develop a curriculum that we can use in our English classes at our orphanage camps that encourages life skills and problem solving.  We are wanting to have different material for each grade that can build as the children get older.  I'm excited to see how this comes together.

This has been a week of reflection for me.  Last week a friend of mine passed away and I have been in this state of processing it this week.  The memorial service is scheduled for tomorrow and I look forward to being able to celebrate her life with her friends and family.  It brings back memories of others that I have lost in my life and reminds me to cherish those that are currently in my life.

The weather here has been frigid, as it has been in much of the country.  Thankfully, we missed a lot of the bad weather that other States experienced.   Our storm was much better than expected because we were expecting a lot of ice which would have caused power outages.  Instead we received mostly sleet and a few inches of snow.   I worked at home for two days last week due to poor road conditions, but otherwise things were pretty uneventful.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Tug of War

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  Mine was great!  I was able to spend it with my parents and my sister and brother-in-law.  We relaxed and played games for several days.  We didn't have much of an agenda and just enjoyed visiting with each other.  We were even able to get out to PA to see my grandparents.  I feel so blessed that my time with my family was such a refreshing and encouraging time.

At this time of year I sometimes feel caught in a tug of war between what was and what is to come.  2010 was a great year.  I have enjoyed being in Muncie and have found a place to call home here.  I am thankful that I have been given a way to contribute to the work in Kazakhstan while in the States.  It seems like my experience and my giftings have fit well with the current need here.   I am also extremely thankful for the friends that surround me.

Although I look back at 2010 full of thankfulness and good memories, I am even more excited to see what 2011 will bring.  I know that it will bring the chance to not only train delegates and interns here in the States, but also help care for them while they are in Kazakhstan.  I am excited about the four months I will be able to spend in Taraz (April-July) supporting the work Interlink is doing and the staff there.  I am also excited to see how my place in the community here in Muncie will continue to grow during this coming year.

Although I sometimes feel drawn by both the longings of the past and the anticipation of the future, I have been focusing more on the joy of today.  I am enjoying the moments that each day brings me and trying not to live in anything except the present.  Thank you for being a part of this journey with me.