Осенью упал, Зима пошла, и Весна прыгнула.................

Better known as Fall has fell, Winter has gone and Spring has sprung.............

Time just keeps on flying by, which I guess is just part of getting old. We have been here in Kyrgyzstan for 6 years now and things are never just the same which can be both good and bad. So many uncertainties and constant changes in all aspects of life here definitely keep us guessing what will come next. Today we are great but we are never sure about tomorrow which is a great biblical way to live.
We have had many ups and downs already in just the few short months of 2009. Many laws and perceived ways of life are changing here and at this point it will be interesting to see if we will be able to get visas to continue to stay after ours expire this June. In light of this we will be making a trip to Croatia in May while we are visiting family in Switzerland to see if that may be our future destination.
The first week in March we left our house for 1 hour and returned home to a house that had just been broken into. You have probably seen pictures of our 8-9 ft high walls, the bars on our windows and our little guard dog, but none of these detoured the burglar in tough economic times. We were lucky and only seem to have lost a video camera, $50 and a cell phone that we know of. But we are pretty sure that a neighbor interrupted the bad guy while she was trying to get our dog back into our yard. After that we had about a week of strangers hanging out around the house casing the place and I had a plane to catch to Nina's wedding. So different friends offered to stay in our guestroom next door and Gabriela's mom flew in from Switzerland. The bad guys seem to have moved on and we have fortified the property even more with new window bar additions, new spikies on the wall and a new yet small German Shepperd puppy.



The Adams family house or the Mormon temple. One of the two.....


Ian and Nina.


Ian, Jerry, Nina, Val and Gary.


Ian, Jerry and Nina.


Ian and his girlfriend Leslie.


Nina and her flower girls and ring bearers.


Ian, Me, Nina.


Nina & David.


Grandma Alice, David, Nina, and Grandpa Ron.


Ron, Alice, David, Nina, Me, Ian.


Our new security SPIKES.


Our newer window bars.


Our new security guard........


Our old security guard and her master..........


47 yrs old and look at those boys smile............


Helena's first preschool program. She looks excited huh?


Jedi Warriors have slain the alien dog............


Nani and Ash.


Ash, security dog of the future..........


Me & Ty.


Nani and Elisha digging weeds.


Helena rescuing bugs.


Nani and the kids in downtown Bishkek.


Spring bloom in the backyard...........

Christmas Holiday Fun

We were blessed to have a very warm and wonderful Christmas break that allowed us to spend lots of time together as a family. New Years was fun also with lots of fireworks filling the air.
Now we are back in school and back to work.
Just yesterday we were able to give out our second $1,000 loan from the micro loan project we started with Talent Resources to help enable locals to start their own businesses. Today we received a third business plan and gave out an application with possibility of handing out our next loan.
We also have been hosting 2 different groups of young people, one from Bishop CA and another from Honolulu where we spent the 1st 6 months last year. Both are having a great time here meeting people, sharing good news and seeing new things.
2008 was a great year and we are trusting God that 2009 will be even better. We thank everyone who has been supporting us, praying for us and partnering with us.


This is Kapar, the recipient of our second $1,000 loan from the Talent Resources Micro Loan Project. He will be starting a portable laundry business catering to elderly and home bound folks.


Us and the Honolulu Crew having dinner.........


Elisha and Brandon being NORMAL.............


Lano the rescue dog......


On a hill far far away..............


CRASH...........


New Years day fun.........


Ice Princess.........


Lone Trekker...........


Star Wars Lego Fanatic.........


Frosty.........


At the canal behind our house........


Next Rock Star..............


Too many gifts..........


Look like fake smiles to me...........


Elisha's school Christmas Program.........


The Family Christmas photo...............


It's the Ice Princess again.............


Snow Dog...............


One of the Back Woods Boys...........


Trying to get the dog to sit.............


Trying not to hit any trees...............


Never cold...........


The Dog sits for them..........


The Queen and her Princess...........


Like Father, Like Son...............


Stocking Stuffers...............

Ready (or not) for Winter

It is Nov 3 and we haven't had snow yet, but it doesn't seem too far off. The mountains are covered and are having lots of rain and cold so it is only a matter of time.
Today seems to be the end of mandatory electricity blackouts that we have been enduring for the past 3 months. Normally they lasted 8 hrs per day and would start at 6am, 12 noon, 6pm or midnight. Praise the Lord for electricity.......... The government officials have already warned of more though especially starting in the Spring if we don't get enough rain & snow so we are praying for a MILD Winter with lots of rain & snow.
The kids have just finished their 1st quarter of school and are already looking forward to Christmas break. As you will see below Helena is studying hard in pre school and Elisha is losing his teeth.
We have been keeping busy with Talent Resources and preparing for 3 teams we will be hosting starting Dec 5 till mid Feb. Please pray for grace for us and fruitful outreaches for the teams. Also you can pray that find them all nice warm housing in the city center near each other. Finding housing for 30+ people will be a challenge but God's got it under control.

Some of us found fun things to do during the blackouts.......


Studying to get ready for kindergarten next year........


Preview of what Elisha will look like as an old man.........


Elisha just built his 1st church.........


New swing.......


Helena spend alot of time just swinging and swaying.......


Party Princess..........


Great hiding place inside of a clothes hamper........


Jenish and his mom Batken after receiving a $1,000 from Talent Resources micro loan project.


Halloween ghoul...........


Elisha in the dark???????????


Elisha & Helena's pumpkins.........


Elisha and Sammy singing a Hawaiin son on International day at school..........


Elisha's 2nd grade class singing Jesus Loves me in 8 languages. There kids from 8 countries in his class...................


Party princess is back..............

Back in Bishkek

After a great 6 months in California and Hawaii followed by 3 weeks in Switzerland we are finally settled back into life here in Kyrgyzstan. Lots of crazy and interesting happenings along the way including 2 full days of Jerry being detained by police and deportation proceedings being brought against him in court two weeks after arriving in Bishkek. This was all the result of corrupt officials looking for bribes to begin with but when no bribe offered they had to go through it with the result being a $30 fine and 3 days of my time lost in interrogation and court.
Times are getting harder here for both the locals and us as food prices and inflation in general skyrocket. This gives every person here especially those in postions of power to fall deeper into corruption which they justify as needing to happen to feed thier families.
The government yesterday started cutting off our electricity for 6 hrs each day and that will supposedly go up to 8 hrs per day by Winter. This is supposed go on through April 2009.
Elisha has just started 2nd grade and Helena starts pre-school today so that means lots of extra running around the city with street lights out because of electricitry rationing for me...........

Helena's Eyes......


Elisha, Helena, Brent & Trevor in Grandma's pool...........


Elisha on a Swiss Mountain..........


At the Deer Park...........


Real Mountain Goats............


Bambi talking to Elisha & Helena................


On Lake Luzern...........


Gilligan & Ginger................


Alpers...................


Speed Racer................


The Swiss Family Van Meeteren..............


The house Gabriela & Jerry stayed in while in Switzerland............


Future Model...............


They are not always this loving..................


Auslanders...................


Sonja & Gabriela...............


Indiana Jones...................


Indianka Jonesa.................


Alien.................


Predator................


This one you have to click on to enlage and read what Elisha about his Dad for Father's Day.....


New Scooter.............


1st Bike...................


New Swing.............


Helena's 4th Birthday Party..................


Elisha's 1st day of Second Grade..............


Helena's 1st day of Pre-School...............


Heading off to Pre-School..................

Almost Done In Hawaii

Alot has happened again in the past 2 months. The most important being that Gabriela is now a passport holding citizen of the USA. It only took 5 months from application to oath and we thank God it is done.
Ian and Nina were just here for a visit and we also had a great time with them. We won't see them again until June of next year when we will all go on a cruise to Alaska for Mom & Dad's 50th wedding anniversary.
Hawaii has been great but now we are focused on returning to Kyrgyzstan and picking up where we left off.
We will be starting a new project with Talent Resources, our Non Profit company in Bishkek. We will be hading out micro loans to people hoping to start small businesses. Some friends here in Hawaii will be backing us in the project so pray that it goes well.


Gabriela, Helena & Nina in the mountains.



Helena & Jerry in the Jungle.



Hot Mamma on the Super Bee..............



Nina, Helena, Jerry & Ian on Tantalis above Honolulu.



Ian, Nina & helena overlooking Waikiki.



Elisha has become Jungle Boy tree climber here.




Helena with Diamond Head in the background.




A wild Jackson Chameleon in a tree on Tantalis.




A wild Jackson Chameleon caught on Tantalis in our living room. He is now our pet creature.




More creatures hiding in the woods................



Ian & Nina jumping off the rocks at Waiamea bay.



Jerry watching Elisha roll in the surf at Waiamea Bay........



Jack Johnson & Dave Matthews at the Shell in Waikiki.



Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds.



Jack Johnson.



Sandy's Beach, where Jerry broke his hip & pelvis 7 yrs ago.



The Family.................



The Man..................



The Man's fish.....................



The wife taking her citizenship oath.



Gabriela, Helena & Elisha with Diamond Head in the background.



Jane..............



Pinky...............



Tarzan...................

Two Months To Go...........

Good news.... Gabriela passed her citizenship test and interview in March! We have now received an appointment date of April 23rd for her to go before a judge to take her oath of citizenship. Following that date we will need only to apply for and receive her US passport. It looks as if our 6 month estimation will prove pretty accurate allowing us to return to Bishkek on schedule June 11th. In anticipation of this we have just sent off our passports with hopes of obtaining our Kyrgyz visas prior to departure.
Our time here in Honolulu continues to be a great blessing for both us and the children. We are both working me with transportation and Gabriela and housing. We have many great opportunities to share about Kyrgyzstan. Also we have had a great time building new relationships with people and re building old old ones with friends.
Elisha is continuing on in the 1st grade. He is on a field trip to see a play today and will have another field trip on the 18th. The trip on the 18th will be to go meet Jack Johnson where he will talk with them about the environment and then play a special concert just Elisha's 1st grade class from his school. (Mom & Dad just so happen to have tickets to go see Jack Johnson & Dave Matthews the 2 following days).
Helena is growing fast and enjoying playing and learning. She love to come and sing worship songs and follow us around helping us work.



Elisha and Helena enjoying being a part of the King's Kids.


Elisha's (Hawaii Trees)



Elisha, Elana, Maya and Helena at Elana's 5th birthday party.



The Princess............



The other side of the Princess............



The King of the Jungle..........



Black Sand Beach on the Big Island.



Curious kids, sleeping turtle.



Lave Flow on the Big Island.



Elisha with a head wound being treated by Nurse Katie Johnson.

Contrast

We made our trip from Bishkek to California on Dec 10th where we spent the Christmas holidays with our family. We filed Gabriela's citizenship papers the day after arriving and are awaiting an interview in Hawaii.
We chose to do the immigration process in Hawaii because there are so many fewer people applying here than in So Cal. The office is never crowded and the paperwork moves quicker. Plus we have a chance to re connect with our church and friends here. We are living and working in Honolulu during our time here which is an added bonus with the lifestyle of praise and worship they have here.
We have just posted a bunch of pictures since there is not alot to tell at this point.


Home in Bishkek before we left



Is that a Bigfoot walking off into the background?



Frosty.... It has been below freezing now for more than 2 months.



I guess we picked a good winter to be away?



Watching it snow in the backyard from the office window.



Snow Boy.



Snow Girl.



Trevor, Elisha, Brent, Ty and Helena at Ruby's on the Seal Beach Pier.



Jacob, Kirby, Nina and Ian.




Dumb & Dumber.




The Jerry Van Meeteren Family...........




Monkees.




Hobo Kelly? Does that give away my age?




Ian & Ty




Their new bedroom in Hawaii.




Elisha and his piece of coral at a Diamond Head sunset.




Sittin' in the surf.




Banyan tree hide and seek.




Holding up the palm tree.





Waikiki mama...........




Playin with friends.




Elisha & Helena's room mate.




Elisha's pal.




It's a start.




Happy to be in Hawaii!