At the end of the day on Friday we finally received permission to deliver our parcels.  They had been in bond until this point and we had been waiting for this permission all week.  Now we are open for business and the work of delivering has begun.  We had people phoning local recipients to come in and pick up their packages if they were able and we had many vehicles starting to make trips to various villages in the area.  There are a lot of documents that need to be accurately completed and signed so our central “office” has been established in the gym at School #1 where the boxes are stored.  Here are Lena, Nina and Natasha (with Andrei) keeping track of everything that leaves the gym.

One of our first customers was Natasha who received a brand new bicycle from Canada! Natasha is the little girl who developed a brain tumour last year.  With the help of our supporters in Canada we raised the money necessary to send her for life saving surgery in Moscow.  Natasha has since recovered and returned to school …  a life saved!

I was helping to organise the deliveries today and did not get out on any runs, but I hope to have pictures and stories to share tomorrow.

A few of us had the honour of being invited to a wedding this evening.  Nastya is a young woman who Dave first met in 2000 while she was living at the Chausy Orphanage.  She has been a great friend and helper to our organisation ever since.  Nastya spent several years at the Chausy Orphanage, came to Canada through our Respite from Radiation program, and studied at University to become a teacher through our Orphan Education program.

Here with Nastya and her husband, Vadime (in front) are from the left, Anya (our driver and local assistant), Jon Schuler, Natasha (interpreter), Dave Shaw and me.

Here is a picture of Jon, Nastya and Dave from 2007 taken at the Chausy Orphanage.

Here is a picture of the family and friends who attended the party.

Here are Vadime and Nastya cutting the cake.

Nastya is a true success story of several of our programs and model for other children.  We wish her and Vadime all the health and happiness that life can bring in their future together.

A life guided, success and happiness achieved.

Eric McKenzie