A Day of New Experiences

Posted by Sara Coggins, Kids Connection Manager

The highlight for the delegates today was the opportunity they had to meet the youth involved in the Youth Impact program. They were divided into small groups, with about one delegate per group. Each group had two or three students in it and one translator. Their goal was to go throughout the city using public transportation and take pictures of different things (photo scavenger hunt).

At first some of the delegates were a little nervous about going around town on their own instead of with a group of other Americans. When they returned, the youth, translators, and delegates continued to describe how wonderful a time they had. Each one had a story to tell. The only casualty was when Keith stepped on a man hole cover and it actually flipped causing him to fall in. He has some scrapes on his legs and will probably have a beautiful bruise to show off for a few days. The good thing was that one of the pictures they were supposed to get was an open man hole cover. Well, Keith provided the opportunity for his group to get five points. After the hunt, they had dinner together and then got to see some of the pictures of each group's time. The room was filled with laughter and talking as they shared stories of their trip around town. In the end, Ellen's group won, followed by Walter and Janet's group. Chic's group took third.

I thought it would be nice for you to hear about this trip from some of the delegate's perspectives. I hope you enjoy their stories as much as we have enjoyed hearing them.


Posted by Ellen Andrusia, Delegate

I arrived very tired but very excited to be here. The orphanage visit made my day. The children were amazing. The boys were showing off by skateboarding and the girls were playing games. They sang a song to us in Russian, which was beautiful. I gave them pictures of my grandchildren and they loved the pictures more than the toys. They read the letters from the sponsors to each other over and over. I did not want to leave.

The host family that I am staying with have been delightful. The family is Abuil, the father, Oluysa, the mother and Nigreez, sixteen year old daughter and Allawa, fourteen year old daughter. I spent last night watching Kazak MTV with the daughters.


Posted by Mary Doug Enghauser, Delegate

A primary reason for my trip to Kazakhstan was to meet Kaisar, a 13 year old boy at a small orphanage in the village of Vanofka. Our meeting was short but filled with a wide range of emotions; joy at seeing one another, shyness at how to relate, sadness at parting, and a longing on my part to know him more. I asked to see his room and his bunk bed. He pointed upward to the slats on the bunk above him and there were photographs of all my family. With tears, I realized that even with the very limited communications I have had with this little boy, we are important to him far beyond what I had imagined. I also saw the importance of those letters we are asked as sponsors to write. I have vowed to myself that Kaisar will never be without a letter especially when my failure to write him could mean he would be the only one without letter. It was a visit that fulfilled my hopes of what it would be like.