Shipping Container

You may have heard about a new project Interlink is working on. We are filling and shipping a large freight container over to our center in Shymkent, Kazakhstan. One of Interlink’s partners on the property called Crossroads specializes in receiving these containers and distributing the items in them to those in need. Interlink is filling a container that will aid our current work in Kazakhstan, but we cannot take on this endeavor alone. We need your help.



This coming Saturday, May 2 we have a workday planned. It will be from 9:00 a.m. – noon. We will be packing the boxes to go into the container. We will be working at 4630 N. Broadway Ave, Muncie, IN in the bus barn. If you need more information about the workday, send an email to kidsconnection@interlinkresources.org or call our office at 765-213-3975.

The second way you can help is by donating items or money to go towards the container. We still have a wish list of items.

Container Wish List:

Large Playground Sets: swings/slides/forts/etc
Sports Equipment
New Shoes for Children: tennis shoes, dress shoes, sandals, slippers
New Shoes for Older Youth: tennis shoes, dress shoes
Craft Supplies
Basic English books: early reading and short chapter books, books about USA, fiction (all newer books)
Educational games/Indoor Toys
Game Room Supplies: ping-pong tables, foosball tables, board games
Camping Supplies: tents, sleeping bags, pillows, camping mats
New Computers or just a few years old (Pentium 4 or better)
Small/Large White Boards: some of the easel types
Exercise Equipment: weights, bicycles, treadmills, etc
Skills Training Supplies : video cameras for orphanage use, digital cameras, hand woodworking tools
New Children's and Youth Clothing: small and medium sizes primarily
Cerebral Palsy Supplies: playground sets for physically handicapped children, wheelchair padding, straps for wheelchairs (luggage straps work well also), large exercise balls, pool noodles, children’s walkers, nice crutches
Winter Jackets: dressy and play jackets for children and youth, primarily extra small, small and medium sizes
Backpacks: children and youth of all ages
Hair Cutting Kits
Posters: (for orphanages and youth to decorate rooms and use as teaching aids)
Toolkits: (for graduates moving out on their own)
Spiral Notebooks
Photo Albums
Paint Supplies
Purses: (or larger nice bags for older girls to carry books in)
Current Magazines : 2008 or newer
220V Tools: Drills, Sanders, Rotary Saws, etc
Multimedia items in English for the Shymkent library: videos, cassettes, CDs, DVDs (for all levels)
Folding Chairs – (for the classrooms in Shymkent
Square folding table and chairs
Coolers
Large Aluminum Extension Ladders
Lawn/Garden: garden tools, shovels
Snow Shovels

If you would prefer to contribute funds toward shipping costs (approximately $8,000 is needed), please email us for options to donate.

Here are some pictures from our first work day:

We would love to see you on Saturday if you can join us!!!

Kids Connection Letters

One of the great joys here is giving out letters written by Kids Connection sponsors. We had a shipment of letters arrive recently so we were able to deliver a lot of letters to Savva, Ulan and Saramoldaeva orphanages. These two pictures were taken at the Saramoldaeva orphanage. Most of the older boys had letters an opened them eagerly. One boy Tolik and one girl Sabina are new to Saramoldaeva so have yet to get a sponsor.

In the second picture, Katiya received with her letter some small gifts and this harmonica. Of course none of these children have ever seen a harmonica before so Kiikzhan instructed her how to play it. She did so and was a bit surprised as to how it makes your lips feel when the notes play. Fortunately it came with a pictorial instruction sheet that she can learn from.

For those of you who have children to write to over here know that letters and pictures are cherished. Some also come with small gifts, stickers and things that can fit in a small envelop. Some Americans send a computer generated letter with a number of photos of family members, animals or when they go on vacation. The children are fascinated by the lives of their American friends.

Thanks for taking time to brighten the lives of Kazakhstan’s orphan children.

Future Heavyweight Champion

We try to give our sponsored children every opportunity we can to experience as much life as possible. Sports, like back home, are good for physical development as well as learning how hard work can help you achieve your goals in life.

Boxing is quite popular here as well and in the last Olympics a Kazakh man won a Gold metal for boxing. One of the first gold metals Kazakhstan has won in these prestigious games.

Sergi loves boxing and has shown some good skills. He has already advanced beyond the first round of tournaments. The Saramoldaeva orphanage, wanting to encourage him, asked us to purchase a new set of boxing gloves. Boxing, as you can imagine, is hard on the hands as well as your head! Good boxing gloves not only protect hands but offer needed support for your wrist.

You never know where these orphans may wind up. We have a couple girls who are excelling in soccer and show promise of making a career in professional soccer. It’s a joy to work for a company who in invested in development of children who other wise would not have these opportunities.

Again, as always, such investments could not be realized if it were not for generous sponsors back home.

Not everyone can be here but everyone can play a part!

Savva March Birthday Celebration

One of the joys of working here in Kazakhstan is to visit each orphanage, once a month, to celebrate the birthdays of our sponsored children.

The Savva orphanage in Merke is about a 2 ½ hour drive so we go on a Saturday, spend the night and leave on Sunday after lunch. We celebrate birthdays, spend time with all the children during free time and also have time with the smaller children’s group on Sunday.

For the birthday celebration we all go to a designated room for snacks, cake, ice cream and soda. We also play various games i.e.: Musical chairs, 4 Corners, Hot potato or Marko-Polo. Now that it is spring, we can also play some outside games. This was the first month, after the winter season, we could do so.

We take a lot of pictures of the children playing, eating and also receiving birthday gifts from sponsors back in the US. When we return next month we give the birthday children a small photo album with their birthday pictures in them.


















We give a toast which usually incorporates asking God for long, happy and healthy life with much success. This weekend we were also able to give out a shipment of letters from their Kids Connection sponsors. The children especially love receiving these letters and share them with friends. Thanks to all of you for supporting these children and giving them love through letters, gifts and making these birthday celebrations possible.

Farewell to the Kazakhs

Posted by Tina Motley, Delegate

What I have learned from my sojourn is probably more than I know at this moment. Having never left the United States before, this was a life altering experience. The Kazakh people are a special kind.

I love my county because it is home but the Kazakhs could teach Americans a lot about hospitality. They treat their guests with the utmost care and concern. Coming from a very fast paced , practical way of thinking, it was a difficult adjustment. I have to admit that one of my weaknesses is building relationships, I am usually satisfied with a good book and the internet. A conversation is typically a means to and end, not the end itself.

While Americans value time efficiency, Kazakhs value relationships and people. They are very polite, always concerned about the comfort of their guests. At one time in their culture, all good tasting food was saved for guests, not to be eaten by them at all.

It is a beautiful country and there were moments that I was moved at the sheer beauty. But one of my main interests in the trip was to visit the orphans, as I am a social worker in the US. Although being an orphan anywhere is sad; I think the orphans in KZ may be better off than the foster children in the US. The staff seemed to h ave the right motivations and love. And there is consistency and predictability.

It is great to be home, to drive my car, relax in my own condo and listen to my favorite music. This journey taught me not to take my country for granted. I just wish more Americans could understand just how fortunate we are and more so, that those very freedoms are at stake.