Craig and Debbie Rayner

March in Kazakhstan, is a bit like waiting for packages from the post office here. There are signs that spring are coming, but there is no certainly about it staying, and like packages there are surprises where something unexpected happens to arrive. Like an early sign of spring here is snow drop flowers appearing through the snow. Other packages you are still stretching out your neck looking for every time someone delivers mail. There have been warm days for walks and enjoying the parks, especially during the spring festival called Nauruz, happens on March 21st and 22nd. Then we have had snowy days that we stay inside and look out at the beauty of the white covering, while sipping tea and finding a good book! So we are on the cusp of spring…

Public transport is a big thing for us as it is a principal method of getting around Almaty, going to work and visiting team. We enjoy a great deal of choice as a major bus stop is found at the end of our building, with many buses terminating and beginning their route. The advantage is that we almost always get a seat, and that we are old enough to not have to surrender a seat to other people. Basically, if you a male and under thirty, you will be standing on the bus. One morning this month we boarded the 135 ready for the trip to Tien Shan (the school we work at.) As is often the case, the bus is running but the driver and conductor are having a cuppa in the rest spot. Imagine our surprise when the driver arrives on the bus with a disposable gas canister with a large blowtorch attachment roaring with an even larger flame. It appears that the hydraulics for the rear door has frozen during the night (we had a 25cm (10in) dump of snow) and this was the solution. So, blowtorch roaring, the panel is removed from the equipment above the door and blowtorch applied to the pipes and rams, while the conductor operated the door release from the drivers seat, until the door would open and close. Result: bus left on time with the lingering smell of burning hydraulic fluid in the air.

“Nauruz”, Persian for “New Year”, is a time for family and friends to celebrate, cherish the past memories, and anticipate a better year. To rejoice in the end of the harsh winter and welcome the spring, relatives gather around a table and exchange gifts. All who join in the festivities, however, must have accomplished the following goals:

• Asked for forgiveness of their sins
• Liquidated their debts
• Revived themselves spiritually
• Physically reconciled (Stepp’en Out; Almaty edition, volume 15, issue 6)

This month we had great fun at a wedding of two lovely people, Raushan and Chris. They had a club wedding, a relatively new thing in Kazakhstan. So they do not have too many traditions, but there are many toasts. In a traditional wedding fest, there is a toast made by every person and to each toast of course you drink. However, we only had a few bowls of the fermented horse’s milk. I toasted with tea ? Craig did the brave thing. We where asked to bring along a tradition from our country for weddings so I brought along a second bouquet for Raushan to throw…they had never done this before. All the girls participated and there was great laughter as Craig explained the tradition using Aussie terms including bloke and sheila getting hitched. The poor translator needed translation from Aussie to simple English. We ask you to join with us in lifting up this couple as they enter into a new life together.

Last week, we had our first run in with a major medical emergency within our community. One of the student's at Tien Shan, Joseph fell off a trampoline and hit his head on the concrete, latter that night his vision went to double vision and his speech slurred and he became disoriented, his parents include the lady I work beside, who is the principle at the school, got him to the international clinic. They needed to admit him to a local hospital and then four days latter were able to have him flown out to Istanbul, Turkey. Joseph received treatment and tests within hours of being at the hospital. His tests have come back fine, except for his EEG. So they will be staying there for the next week, and then doing another set of tests. We are grateful for the international clinic but also aware of it’s limits. The local hospitals are not places you want to be. So in the end we lift our eyes to our Dad and ask him to cover us, and our health. And yes we will stay off the trampoline.

At the same time, Joahna was carrying the directorship of the school as well as both principle positions, while staff were at a conference. So a lady who has previously been principle at the school has stepped in to hold the position, so this week, Craig and I have both been working to support this community. Everything I have learnt in the last three months is all coming into practice as I help the new principle get up to speed, as well as having 5 teachers out of the country. The visa laws changed two weeks ago, and so we also have four other teacher's out next week. And the registrar who would normally be doing report cards was about to go on maternity leave, on her weekly check up she was told to rest because of high blood pressure... clearly we are juggling a lot of roles. Craig has been working on her portfolio! Using the database he has been setting up. The next few weeks will be full, thankfully the school’s director is now back. Please be thinking of us and asking for strength and the ability to be serving those around us.

When we were in Hong Kong, we had the benefit of being in a community that celebrated the sacrifice of our brother and leader. We have now moved to a place that does not have this break, and so our weekend is not long, and Friday is just Friday for the majority of the population. It is also a work day for us as well. Today we trekked up the hill and spent some time with dad, hearing what this time is really all about us. Our debt; our death; our anger; our impatience; our selfishness; our cruelty; which is all met with blood and love on a tree in the person of the beloved, and that no matter how long we seem to want to extend that suffering, the once and for all solution applies to us today. We also were encouraged by a picture. A signet ring on the finger of dad, a symbol of authority. We were reminded that a signet ring was used to seal the orders given, so that those receiving the orders would be assured of the authority that had issued the orders. We are also sealed, sealed by the breath of dad living in our hearts and words. What a great reminder of who we are and with who's authority we work.

Contact Details

Phone:
Australian Phone: +61 (0)2 6100 3637 This phone number connects with my Skype account and has a messaging service.

Our E-Mail Addresses: and

Current (Kazakhstan) Postal Address:
10a Basenova St
Almaty 050060
Republic of Kazakhstan

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Contact details were last updated on the 18^th December, 2009.