Visa Renewal, Closing Presentation and Ballet in Astana, Kazakhstan - 22 March 2009

This has been a busy week for us since Mira came back from Pavlodar. Our first assignment was to get all the papers to the Immigration Police so we could finish up our visa renewal. It took us until Wedenesday because some of the information on our papers was incorrect!! But by Wednesday night, we had our visas back and we are again legal for the last three months of our mission!! We always hold our breath, because we never know what additonal information they might ask for!!

Wednesday afternoon, we went to the closing presentation for a project that we did at the Specialized Correctional Boarding School. There are about 243 students at this school that are mentally or physically handicapped. Twenty-three of them are orphans who live there. Many others board there during the week because they live so far out of the city.

Earlier, we visited some homemaking classes where the students practiced their sewing skills.

These are more of the items that the students made. We also saw the shop classes where the students were able to learn to work with wood. They even have cooking classes where the students help make the food for the meals each day. We were impressed with the school because they taught the students life skills which is so important for these handicapped children.

In the gym, the students are getting the physical exercise they need to keep their muscles strong. We were so impressed with the school and the way that it was run that we wanted to do a project for them.These are the beds that the Church donated for those who live at the school. The beds that they had, were metal framed beds and were so rickety that they were dangerous to sleep on the top bunk. These beds have the built in drawers and a shelf inside the bed. We were thrilled with how nice they looked, and the students were so grateful for them, too.

The director of the school is Kusain Katkenov and we found him a wonderful and caring individual. We would definitely like to work with him again!!

After seeing the beds, the director took us into the gym where the students were gathered and applauded as we walked in. He told them that our organization had provided the new beds for them. It was fun being there with them.

They presented a short little skit about a rich man and a poor man. The streamers coming down represent the yurt.The students did a wonderful job and we enjoyed it all very much!! It's gratifying to be able to help out a good organization like this one!!

We spent Thursday out and about picking up invoices for the next project that has been approved.This is a picture of the new suspension bridge which was just finished and crosses the Yesil River. The thing that is unique about this bridge is that the arch suspending the bridge crosses from one side of the road to the other as it crosses the river. It is pretty cool!!

Friday night, Frank invited us to go to the Ballet with him and two other pilots. This is Jean-Pierre Simon, from France, Rosalind Heinemann, from Virginia, and Frank Tetreault, from Virginia, and Anne and Roy from Fielding, Utah. We saw three one act ballets-- classical, comical and traditional Kazakh.

This is the classical ballet,

This is the comical ballet,

and the is the traditional Kazakh ballet. It was all wonderful and we were glad that we went.!! Going to the ballet here is a bargain! It cost all of $3.33 a ticket!!

Today is Nauryz, which is the Kazakh New Year!! So Happy Nauryz to everyone!!Tomorrow is the rest of the Nauryz celebration, so it is also a holiday, so we will probably go out, if the weather is good.

We had our usual Church meetings with just the three of us and we are so grateful that we can meet together each week!!

May the Lord bless each of you!

Love,

Elder and Sister Welling