Playing Santa Claus

Posted by Sara Coggins, Kids Connection Manager

On Wednesday, most of our office went to Ulan Orphanage to deliver New Year's gifts to each individual child.  These gifts were the ones that they picked out at the store themselves.  It was slightly chaotic, as many of the children had switched groups, but with all the help it went pretty smoothly.  It was really nice to have most of our office involved, since many of them often don't get to see the faces of the children that we work to give hope to.  The pictures below show how much the children enjoyed their gifts.

 

 

  

 

Ulan Birthdays

Posted by Ember Mumaw, Intern

 

The celebration of October birthdays at Ulan happened to fall on Halloween day.  So after helping out at the Youth Impact carnival, Ken, Kiizkhan, and I (still sporting our costumes) took cake and gifts to Ulan to celebrate birthdays.  Birthdays at Ulan have encouraged me that good things are happening here in Kazakhstan for these kids.  For Ulan birthdays the children will sing and perform for each other.  Their music teacher helps them prepare and they sing for us just as they would a huge audience.  The staff make special dishes at home and bring them in for dinner.  It's been a very neat time to connect with a smaller group of kids and staff. Those connections allow us to understand and better meet the needs of both groups. So a birthday is so much more than just cake and games!

 

 

My Thoughts About the Carnival

Posted by Balzhan Agibayevna, Youth Impact Participant 

The concept 'carnival' means entertainment. For a carnival you try all the stations and go through all the difficulties set in front of you. Having participated in the carnival I understand that life is not so difficult.  I helped Kiikzhan and Ken by supporting them in the sponge toss station and tried to do the job I was given.

As I watched the kids playing, I remembered my own childhood, when I lived at Ulan Orphanage. We used to have carnivals with the Americans in the evening, when we enjoyed our time without getting tired.  We were surprised that the carnival didn't take place for any special reason, but just to help us be self-confident, brave and ambitious in our lives.  Life is full of miracles, colors and surprises. There are not only bad patches in life.  You may think it over and take a different view of life, and understand that it is not the end of everything. 

Playing with the kids I thought that now they are the ones who are hurrying to play, trying to know more and doing what they are told.  On the day of the carnival the children hurried, argued with each other, and didn't get in line.   However, I understood that they just wanted to have a good time.  They also wanted to lead a varied life.  In spite of the cool weather they weren't sad and continued playing.  I had good impressions of our time.   I am very grateful for Interlink Resources and the staff for their support, understanding, and the opportunity we had of getting what we didn't have.   

Ulan Carnival

Posted by Asel Orumbayeva, Receptionist

Last Sunday, on the 21 of September (my one year anniversary of working for Interlink), I went to Ulan Orphanage with the Kid’s Connection department.  The event was "Ulan Carnival". It was a wonderful and warm day.  The air was so fresh and the sun was shining. We took a lot of different games to play outside. Also we had helpers from PTL (Polytechnic College were many orphan graduates study) and the Youth House (a home for orphans between the ages of 18 and 25 that are working or studying).

We divided into groups and each group was in charge of one game. We arrived at Ulan orphanage. There is a big yard there and after everybody had found a place for their game we called the children. In my game children had to throw bean bags into a board with holes.  It was a clown and the holes were its eyes and nose. Every kid had three chances to throw the bean bag. If a child hit even one hole, he or she got a prize. 

 It wasn’t my first experience working with these children, but it was the first time I had the chance to work with them without Sara or somebody from the Kid’s Connection department.  The game began!  I am sure that children had a lot of fun!  Children were standing in long lines and everybody wanted to get a prize.  I liked so much when children got a prize.  Their faces became so happy!  Some of them sometimes came, made sad faces and asked for a gift and it was so difficult to say “no”, especially when it was a little 5-6 year old kid.  But then Sara told me that I shouldn’t worry because the youngest children were 9-10 years old!  They know that they look young and the kids sometimes try to take advantage of it.  So interesting.

These children are different, big and little, shy and self-confident, but all of them need love and care. And I am so glad that even sometimes I can contribute a little piece of my heart to this great job that our company does.  

Last Ulan Visit

Posted by Ken Baskette, Project Manager

We visited the children at Ulan orphanage last Thursday for the last time this summer. The children will all go to a summer camp for the next two and a half months. We will also see them when an American delegation comes in July for a week long camp.

It was a great time with the children Thursday, playing games, giving them small gifts, stickers and temporary water based tattoos. We also had a number of letters from American friends to hand out. The children especially love getting letters! We also had the two Knauss boys (Daniel and Caleb) and Theresa helping out with the children.

The children so love and appreciate our visits. All had a very nice time as the children went from station to station for the games, gifts and tattoos. Our friendships are strong there. We have also built a strong rapport with the staff at Ulan. Thanks for all your support back home that makes all this possible.

Posted by Daniel and Caleb Knauss, Sons of President David Knauss

Caleb: On Thursday I went to a Kazakh orphanage. We gave stuff to the kids. After that we went to a different part of the orphanage and did the same thing. Then we went home.

Daniel: On Thursday my mom, me, and Ken went to the orphanage with Sara, Kiikzhan, Caleb, Ember, and Muldir. We drove to the orphanage by car. It was interesting. When we got to the orphanage we passed out toys and stickers to the kids. Ken and I put fake tattoos on the kids. Then we drove home.

What did you do while you were at Ulan?

C: I gave out stickers and candy to a lot of kids.


What did you think of the children that you were doing things with?

C: I thought it was cool that people go there and give them stuff.

D: The first group I kind of felt bad for because some of them were 12 or so, but acted like little kids - Like they weren’t being taught how to act. I thought the second group was well behaved.

How does it make you feel when you see children that don’t have parents?

C: Sad because I have my own parents and I like it like that.

D: Bad because they don’t have parents and from our parents friends that have adopted children I have heard some things that have happened to them that were kind of scary.

What should people know about children in orphanages?

D: That there are a lot of kids that really need someone to give them attention. They need to know that someone likes and loves them. The living condition isn’t very easy and they don’t have very nice buildings. The inside of the building is pretty good, but the outside is kind of scary.

Men's Day at Ulan

We had a guest with us when we went to visit Ulan Orphanage for Men's day. He and his wife were in town adopting a baby and since he had some free time he wanted to come along and help where he could. We thank him for his help and for sharing his thoughts on the day with us.





Posted by our Guest
While Men’s Day in Kazakhstan is not the spectacle that Women’s Day was back in March, it did provide us with the opportunity to share a small gift with the boys while we shared some time with them as well.

The morning began with the smaller children and the intent of some games, but the kids seemed to enjoy the constant motion of running and after several half-hearted attempts at forming some semblance of organization, the kids won and the running to and fro became the sole activity of all present, kids and adults.

A few offshoot games with short ropes or sticks were quickly discouraged, with a second attempt organized games again thwarted in favor of keeping a balloon aloft. Balloons are always good since they can be used for a variety of games; volleyball, soccer, keep-away and more.

Throughout the games, the simple expressions of touching; carrying kids, shaking hands, and hugs, are obviously more important to the kids than the games that are going on. The joy in their faces when we arrive is clear, the happiness knowing that their desires are important is evident and the delight from a simple hug would warm the coldest morning, but today is certainly not cold as the kids are sweating and the sun has shone brightly on us.

We finished our time with the little ones by giving the boys watches and then with a banana as a snack. A banana may seem pretty simple, but they are expensive here, even by American standards and the kids LOVED them!

Next it was off to visit the older boys and we met with each of the four groups of boys to explain why we were giving them gifts and wishing them a Happy Men’s Day. Greeting the boys is always a formal time as each must shake hands with us as we arrive and they are anxious to see what is up today. We showed the boys how to set their watches and talked briefly, but overall it was a short visit. The scene is played out in each of the boys’ four rooms. Each time as we leave, they respectfully thank us and say good-bye while they continue to push the buttons of their new watch.

Just the fact that someone has come to see them, let alone give them a small gift, is important.

Ulan Visit

Note: Walter and Janet Varvel have remained for an extra week after the departure of the rest of the delegation. Janet had the opportunity to spend time with us on Thursday visiting the youngest children (3-6 year olds) at Ulan Orphanage.

Posted by Janet Varvel, Delegate

What does a jar of coffee and a room full of small excited children when the Interlink team arrives have in common? They are instant! When Sara walks in, the room becomes alive with smiles of anticipation. Some children run for their shoes, some for the tiny chairs lining the wall, some stand clapping with squeals of delight, but in the next instant they all run for the nearest set of outstretched arms, for the ritual time of hugs all around.

The kids at Ulan orphanage are a little scruffy today. We learn later that the water has not worked for two days, so the shabby clothes are also dirty. The room is spotless, like a classroom after cleaning, but this is the room 12 children hang out in. Tidy must be the main goal in life. At the end of the room the cord to the teapot hangs dangerously near the bedroom door where little cots in neat rows about a hands breath apart fill the room.

As outsiders, we try to fit in as fast as possible but the "team" goes right to work. Very quickly Kiikzhan is out the door with a ball, into the dirt covered play yard. Ember and Sara, also with a ball, form mini teams of one, two, or three. Sharing is a hard concept; it's every man for himself, but Sara is diligent in teaching about taking turns. Koolyash and I are at the bubbles corner and that is a hit for a few minutes.

The runt of the group is little Aida, in her dirty pink sweats. She gets held a lot and likes it. The teacher shows me the picture books of the adoptive family that will whisk away the little blond cutie in just a month. The American home looks like the Taj Mahal to them and they all seem excited about the adoption. Some of these children are mentally challenged, but in life they will all be challenged. They have very different leaderships from the orphanage we visited yesterday and it shows everywhere you look. Like little sparrows, his eye watches me, or for me?

Women's Day in Two Acts

Posted by Ember Mumaw, Intern

Act One. Location: Ulan orphanage.Cast: Female staff
With food, music, games, and dancing, the Ulan orphanage staff celebrated Women’s Day. Interlink Director, Beth Turnock, attended to give a small speech of encouragement to the women and hand out gift certificates to thank them for their service to the children. Beth said she certainly had fun participating in singing games and other competitions!

Act Two. Location: Ulan orphanage. Cast: The children
The children had a party of their own that Interlink was not able to attend. Instead, Ember, Kiizhan, and Moldir were able to go room to room delivering words of encouragement and small gifts (nail polish) to each girl. In the smallest group we also gave out Kinder eggs which are chocolate eggs enclosing a toy. The children were happy to celebrate and thankful to have been remembered by their American friends.