Things Are Looking Up in Astana, Kazakhstan!! - 8 March 2009

We feel like Spring is finally coming to Astana because it hasn't been below zero all week!! We have also been able to go out and do more with the better weather.

And that is not the only good news; we were able to get our computer up and going again with the help of Mira's younger brother, Kazbik, who spent several hours working on it.!! He found out that we had 34 viruses which was causing all the problems for us!!! So now we're back in business again!! Also, we hope to get a new computer from Moscow, because we found out that ours is not Church approved. We'll see what happens!!Thursday we went to a closing presentation of a project we did for a handicapped organization who were given sports and exercise equipment. This little boy is playing ping pong on table that was provided by the Church.

Veronica, who has some physical disabilities, is trying out some of the exercise equipment. Her mother is looking on and Elena, the director of the organization is helping her.

This young man has some extreme physical disabilities but was enjoying using the exercise equipment. This equipment will be used by these youth to help strengthen their muscles.

This young mother has two mentally handicapped little boys, one year apart. They were having such fun with their mom on the exercise equipment.

Elena, the director of "Social Adaptation of Children", does a wonderful job helping the handicapped youth in Astana. She is a very kind and loving person and we enjoy working with her so much. We were glad that we were able to do this project for her organization. (She is standing next to Anne and Roy.)

Friday we were invited to a program at the University where we visit and speak English to two classes of translators. They wanted us to come and see the program that they were preforming in. When we got there, we found out that this program was to help recruit high school seniors to come to this University. And the professsor, over English translators, (in the middle) wanted us to speak about the importance of English. We tried to get out of it, but he insisted!!At the end of the program, this professor gave Anne her bouquet of flowers that were given to her for International Women's Day, which is celebrated on Sunday. She told us she gave them because we were foreign guests in their country. We thought that was so kind of her!! Aizhan, on the left, is the teacher of the students whose class we visit each week.

Friday we were invited to a program by Ludmilla, who is the director over a day care center that we just finished a project for. Anne, Ludmilla and Roy

These are some of the children that preformed on the program.

Ludmilla, her assistants and some of the participants dressed like little chicks. The program was to honor mothers for International Women's Day.

Because Mira has gone home to Pavlodar for a week, we had Zarina come and translate for us. She is such a sweetheart and we dearly love her! She has been so willing to help us out when we need her!

On top of everything else this week, Mira started working on getting our visas renewed. By Thursday, we were able to get our papers into the Akimat (Mayor's Office) for approval. If they allow us to stay, we will then take our papers to the Immigration Police who will issue our visas for 3 months, which will allow us to stay until June 23. When Mira gets back next week, we will start that procedure.

We had a wonderful sacrament and sunday school meeting with Zhanna today. We are so glad that she continues to come early each Sunday morning! We don't know what we would do without her!!

Today is International Women's Day in Kazakhstan which honors all women, from little daughters to grandmothers! We have never seen so many people with bouquets of flowers and candy as we have this week. It is a wonderful celebration!!

Love to each of you!! The gospel is true and we are so blessed because of it!

Elder and Sister Welling