25 May 2008 - Out and About in Astana, Kazakhstan

We had to do some shopping a week ago for a project for a handicapped society and while we were out we visited the Memorial to the Memory of the Political Repression Victims. It is a beautiful monument.In Kazakhstan, during the suppression by the USSR, hundreds of thousands of people were condemned for political reasons and over 25,000 people were shot. According to the estimations of 1927 to 1953 over 40 million people were repressed by the USSR.

Here are Mira and Roy at the base of the stairs leading up to the monument. It was a beautiful day and there were bus loads of children visiting the memorial. Tuesday and Thursday we visited the Museum of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan which is the building with the blue dome. This picture is taken in the "Tree of Life Park". The fountain is the central figure of the park. The figures around the fountain portray the myths of the Turkic people. It is affectionately called "The Lollipop Park". We walk through this park anytime we walk instead of riding the bus.

We wanted to take pictures of the inside of the Museum but were not allowed to. This is the former government office of the President Nursultan Nazarbayev. It was beautiful and Roy loved the inlaid wood floors. All of the doors were beautiful maple with quilted maple panels. Some of the walls had inlaid panels with birds-eye maple. The HUGE desk used by the heads of the government was mostly maple burl. The wood was absolutely outstanding and we have never seen such quality in this country.

The President's memorabilia and gifts from every nation were in there. We couldn't see all we wanted to see the first time so we went again. The second time we had one of Mira's classmates give us the tour in English. She was great and we will get a picture of her next time. We will probably go again! It was definitely worth it!!

This picture is taken in The Central Square near the Presidents Museum. It has beautiful fountains and their is a lot of entertainment that goes on here during each celebration. The panther at this end and the wolf (that you can't see) at the other end are symbols of their ancestry. We walk through this park several times a week.

Thursday was pretty eventful. After the Presidential Museum, we came back to our apartment and worked with Mira. She left at 4:00 and we got ready for the town meeting that was being held at the US Embassy for all American citizens. We were given the wrong information about the bus to take. After a half hour on the wrong bus, the ticket taker stopped another bus in the middle of the road and put us on it. As soon as it got as close to the Embassy as it was going, she put us off the bus and pointed the direction that we were to walk!!

After a hurried walk for 15 minutes, we finally called Gene Wikle, to see if we were getting close. Have we mentioned that we have no idea where we are at or which direction we are going?!! We met a young lady who spoke enough English to let us know that we were going in the right direction! By now, we are late for the 6:00 meeting! Finally after retracing our steps, Gene picked us up and hurried us to the Embassy!

We were 25 minutes late! Oh, well!

The meeting was informative about the impending legislation on restricting religious freedom in this country. We'll just watch and see what happens.

After the meeting, we walked another two and a half miles to the new government mall to catch a bus that we KNEW would get us home!

On the way to the mall, we crossed this large bridge that had these huge sculptors of rams on each side of the bridge. They really looked cool!! We had to take a picture.We also took this picture of the new Presidential Palace while we were crossing the bridge.

When we got to the mall, we waited for a bus that we knew would take us home, remember? When it came by, we got on. But it was going the wrong direction and it took us so far out of town, that we ended up at the airport! They wouldn't let us ride back, or they couldn't understand what we were trying to tell them, so we got off and took a taxi home! It took us almost two hours from the time we left the Embassy to get home, but that's just part of the adventure!! We were so tired, but glad to be home!!

But the best news, when we got home was that the NRT shipment had cleared customs!!!! Happy day!! We are picking it up on Monday.

Friday we visited two orphanages that we might do some projects for. One of the orphanages is strictly for the handicapped from ages 3 to 18. It was pretty emotional. We also went to the baby orphanage and I got to hold one of the babies!! She was so cute and I could have taken her home!! There are 34 of the babies in this orphanage that are handicapped and that was pretty hard to see.

Saturday we went to a Kazakh Benefit Concert which was put on by one of the NGO's that we are working with. They moved us to the front row because they said we were special guests! So we had great seats!!

This was the opening and closing act in the concert. They even have their own CD out! They were very good. Their group is called Bayterick.

This lady had three trained Dalmatian dogs that were fun to watch!

This is another of the many acts that performed. All of the singers sang in Kazakh. It was pretty cool!

But this act was incredible!! If you can figure out which head belongs to which body, you're better than we are!!

Here they are supporting their own body weight by their teeth!!They were amazing!! We had a wonderful time at the concert!

Elder and Sister Welling strolling home at the end of the day. Don't we look like a couple of tired, but fulfilled missionaries?!!

Thanks to all of you for your love and support of us and our family. We do miss you all but we are glad that we are here helping in the Lord's work. We love you all!

Love,

Elder and Sister Welling.