Cakes!!

Leaving Bishkek after breakfast, we drove to Naryn, a journey of about seven hours. Firstly, we headed east following the Kyrgyzstan/Kazakstan border, briefly entering the latter for about a quarter of a mile. We then headed into the mountains, climbing steadily and stopping in Kochkor for lunch. Just before we reached the home stay where we were lunching we had a chance to explore the busy market town, a hub for the surrounding countryside. Cakes galore in the small supermarkets and I rued the fact that nobody in the group had a birthday. I did find a small bakery with its tandoor style oven producing delicious flatbread, far to delicious not to buy some to devour just before lunch.

Another three hours of steady climbing brought us to Naryn and Celestial Mountains Guest House, our accommodation for the next three nights while we embark on projects in two homes for disabled children.

Wandering around Naryn it soon became clear that there is not a great deal here beyond a fast flowing river, a few small supermarkets in a row selling identical products with independent fruit and veg stalls outside. We were keen to find a bar but none were apparent. Giving up I went back to the house. Shortly afterwards Chris and Alice came back with the news that they had found one.

Alice’s first ever beer

This proved to be a fairly surreal experience. Entering a yard we were faced by two inflated palm trees. Around the edge of the yard were booths with shower curtains across the doorways. Plastic clothed tables with basic wooden chairs were in each booth. Having been ushered into a booth we had some difficulty getting the message across that we wanted beer. Alice, not being a beer drinker, wanted something else but it was impossible to make ourselves understood, so Alice had to have beer.

As we began to enjoy the drink a microphoned announcement introduced a singer to recorded backing music. Conversation was rendered almost impossible but it all added to the quirkiness of the situation.

The following morning we set about achieving our Naryn objectives by visiting two homes/schools/support centres for disabled children. A van full of items we had funded had followed us from Bishkek. I have to confess that I was a little nervous about what to expect. Was it going to be too upsetting? Were we going to be faced with severely disabled children in dire conditions? I was prepared to withdraw if it turned out to be too distressing.

Unloading the van

The first centre, Aruu Telek, was delightfully decorated but no children. None are resident but there is opportunity for both children and their mothers to stay in times of need. Here we delivered mattresses, a ball pit and a sack of balls, a large rug, a television and a washing machine. During our conversation with the director, she requested that when we returned the next day we might like to tidy up the garden, cut the shrubs and bushes and generally make the place look tidier and more welcoming.

We then moved on to the second centre, Kadan, where we delivered lots of flat packed kitchen units, flat packed shelving units, a huge rug, a music centre, projector, mattresses, and lots of toilet pans.

Playing with the children at Kadan

The children, with varying degrees of disability, and the staff were there to meet us. I immediately felt comfortable. Despite their disabilities the children were a joy, so happy to see us, to play and have fun. The King’s students waded in, got down to their level on the floor and played. It was great to watch.

It was decided that our task for the day was to build all the flat packed units, a mammoth task as the instructions were in Kyrgyz and impossible to understand. Organising themselves into teams they set about it with very limited tools. A Sigg bottle made a very good hammer! Each team planned their approach, laid out all the various components in order and worked superbly well.

Some of the kitchen units

By lunch time they had broken the back of the work. But before we could go for lunch the director wanted to thank us for everything. Part of the thanks included an eighteen year old boy with cerebral palsy singing a song for us. He sang beautifully. This was followed by another boy, again with cerebral palsy but more severely so, performing a sitting dance. It was really enjoyable, yet very moving, to hear and see their appreciation.

When we returned after lunch many of the children had gone home and it was not long before all the units were completed and put in place. They had done a fantastic job. I was really very proud of their achievements and the wholehearted way of their approach, a real credit.

Tomorrow, gardening.