[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] I’m just an ordinary person but I’ve
I’m just an ordinary person but I’ve
I’m just an ordinary person but I’ve been able to see the amazing power of
been able to see the amazing power of
been able to see the amazing power of love changed the lives of special-needs
love changed the lives of special-needs
love changed the lives of special-needs orphans and Uzbekistan it’s been a
orphans and Uzbekistan it’s been a
orphans and Uzbekistan it’s been a journey a 23 years and I am so grateful
journey a 23 years and I am so grateful
journey a 23 years and I am so grateful for the partnership the kindness and the
for the partnership the kindness and the
for the partnership the kindness and the hospitality of the Uzbek people where my
hospitality of the Uzbek people where my
hospitality of the Uzbek people where my husband and I started to work in the
husband and I started to work in the
husband and I started to work in the western region of Uzbekistan caracal
western region of Uzbekistan caracal
western region of Uzbekistan caracal Pakistan together with local I hospital
Pakistan together with local I hospital
Pakistan together with local I hospital to bring preventive I care to the people
to bring preventive I care to the people
to bring preventive I care to the people there it was a very beautiful experience
there it was a very beautiful experience
there it was a very beautiful experience and you know the really cool thing that
and you know the really cool thing that
and you know the really cool thing that I learned from these people is
I learned from these people is
I learned from these people is hospitality who is becca stan is a land
hospitality who is becca stan is a land
hospitality who is becca stan is a land of hospitality and you know after a
of hospitality and you know after a
of hospitality and you know after a after a long day of working and
after a long day of working and
after a long day of working and screening children the our friends would
screening children the our friends would
screening children the our friends would invite us to their homes and those
invite us to their homes and those
invite us to their homes and those tables there was like no place to put
tables there was like no place to put
tables there was like no place to put any more food their tables were full
any more food their tables were full
any more food their tables were full full of food and it really touched my
full of food and it really touched my
full of food and it really touched my heart that they would kill their sheep
heart that they would kill their sheep
heart that they would kill their sheep for us and/or their turkey and we would
for us and/or their turkey and we would
for us and/or their turkey and we would have you know these huge cousins of Ash
have you know these huge cousins of Ash
have you know these huge cousins of Ash and beshbarmak it’s beautiful for me
and beshbarmak it’s beautiful for me
and beshbarmak it’s beautiful for me it’s like what I learned from the Uzbek
it’s like what I learned from the Uzbek
it’s like what I learned from the Uzbek people what I receive from the Uzbek
people what I receive from the Uzbek
people what I receive from the Uzbek people was much more than what I gave to
people was much more than what I gave to
people was much more than what I gave to them it was truly beautiful I I was sooo
them it was truly beautiful I I was sooo
them it was truly beautiful I I was sooo Navi know after some time I was invited
Navi know after some time I was invited
Navi know after some time I was invited to a local
to a local
to a local can’t orphanage with children with
can’t orphanage with children with
can’t orphanage with children with special needs and this is just like
special needs and this is just like
special needs and this is just like right up my alley I really love to work
right up my alley I really love to work
right up my alley I really love to work with vulnerable children and I just
with vulnerable children and I just
with vulnerable children and I just think they’re just so beautiful because
think they’re just so beautiful because
think they’re just so beautiful because in them lies this beautiful ability
in them lies this beautiful ability
in them lies this beautiful ability impossibility they’re like these little
impossibility they’re like these little
impossibility they’re like these little flowers that are like tight but when
flowers that are like tight but when
flowers that are like tight but when they’re given that chance to be who they
they’re given that chance to be who they
they’re given that chance to be who they they were meant to be when they’re given
they were meant to be when they’re given
they were meant to be when they’re given a chance to express themselves they
a chance to express themselves they
a chance to express themselves they bloom into these beautiful little
bloom into these beautiful little
bloom into these beautiful little flowers well I was walking down the
flowers well I was walking down the
flowers well I was walking down the hallway of the orphanage and I looked
hallway of the orphanage and I looked
hallway of the orphanage and I looked into one of the play rooms there was the
into one of the play rooms there was the
into one of the play rooms there was the our eyes met it was a little boy named
our eyes met it was a little boy named
our eyes met it was a little boy named Atilla Antilla was sitting there he was
Atilla Antilla was sitting there he was
Atilla Antilla was sitting there he was looking a little bit bored and I was
looking a little bit bored and I was
looking a little bit bored and I was carrying the bag of different toys and
carrying the bag of different toys and
carrying the bag of different toys and things to distribute at the orphanage
things to distribute at the orphanage
things to distribute at the orphanage and so I thought well I’ll get him a big
and so I thought well I’ll get him a big
and so I thought well I’ll get him a big string and some large beads so that he
string and some large beads so that he
string and some large beads so that he can string them but then I as he
can string them but then I as he
can string them but then I as he unfolded his arms and he kind of pressed
unfolded his arms and he kind of pressed
unfolded his arms and he kind of pressed towards me to look at me I could see
towards me to look at me I could see
towards me to look at me I could see that he didn’t have full hands he didn’t
that he didn’t have full hands he didn’t
that he didn’t have full hands he didn’t have any he didn’t have any fingers
have any he didn’t have any fingers
have any he didn’t have any fingers except for one thumb and then one side
except for one thumb and then one side
except for one thumb and then one side of his body was kind of less developed
of his body was kind of less developed
of his body was kind of less developed than the other and he didn’t have full
than the other and he didn’t have full
than the other and he didn’t have full feet all of a sudden I had this
feet all of a sudden I had this
feet all of a sudden I had this misconception that Tillich wouldn’t put
misconception that Tillich wouldn’t put
misconception that Tillich wouldn’t put the bead on the string I thought well
the bead on the string I thought well
the bead on the string I thought well what good is that gonna do if I give him
what good is that gonna do if I give him
what good is that gonna do if I give him a bead in a string he’s so wrong so
a bead in a string he’s so wrong so
a bead in a string he’s so wrong so wrong to give these misconceptions about
wrong to give these misconceptions about
wrong to give these misconceptions about persons with disabilities but I guess so
persons with disabilities but I guess so
persons with disabilities but I guess so I gave him you I gave him the bead with
I gave him you I gave him the bead with
I gave him you I gave him the bead with the string and he started to he was
the string and he started to he was
the string and he started to he was trying to
trying to
trying to put it together and he just he couldn’t
put it together and he just he couldn’t
put it together and he just he couldn’t do it and he was trying and trying so I
do it and he was trying and trying so I
do it and he was trying and trying so I sat with him and it’s like a couple
sat with him and it’s like a couple
sat with him and it’s like a couple hours passed and he finally did it
hours passed and he finally did it
hours passed and he finally did it he finally accomplished it he put this
he finally accomplished it he put this
he finally accomplished it he put this his beads on the string and just to see
his beads on the string and just to see
his beads on the string and just to see his face in the expression on his face
his face in the expression on his face
his face in the expression on his face of joy and just being content and that
of joy and just being content and that
of joy and just being content and that he was able to do something that he had
he was able to do something that he had
he was able to do something that he had never done before in his life never had
never done before in his life never had
never done before in his life never had the opportunity to do before in his life
the opportunity to do before in his life
the opportunity to do before in his life there was such joy on his face we
there was such joy on his face we
there was such joy on his face we continued to work and we continued to by
continued to work and we continued to by
continued to work and we continued to by invitation we continued to work in that
invitation we continued to work in that
invitation we continued to work in that orphanage and open several different
orphanage and open several different
orphanage and open several different classrooms a music classroom a special
classrooms a music classroom a special
classrooms a music classroom a special education classroom sewing a sewing
education classroom sewing a sewing
education classroom sewing a sewing Center and at first you know people were
Center and at first you know people were
Center and at first you know people were just saying are you crazy or what you
just saying are you crazy or what you
just saying are you crazy or what you know what are they gonna do with what
know what are they gonna do with what
know what are they gonna do with what are they going to do with all this but
are they going to do with all this but
are they going to do with all this but you know what it’s so awesome is that
you know what it’s so awesome is that
you know what it’s so awesome is that these kids from the orphanage there’s
these kids from the orphanage there’s
these kids from the orphanage there’s 400 special-needs children in this
400 special-needs children in this
400 special-needs children in this orphanage they proved those with the
orphanage they proved those with the
orphanage they proved those with the misconceptions wrong because they can
misconceptions wrong because they can
misconceptions wrong because they can they can do what people when people say
they can do what people when people say
they can do what people when people say no you can’t do that you’ll never do
no you can’t do that you’ll never do
no you can’t do that you’ll never do that you can’t accomplish anything your
that you can’t accomplish anything your
that you can’t accomplish anything your places over here not to be seen but
places over here not to be seen but
places over here not to be seen but these children they prove them wrong
these children they prove them wrong
these children they prove them wrong they prove their misconceptions wrong
they prove their misconceptions wrong
they prove their misconceptions wrong and it’s so beautiful that are the
and it’s so beautiful that are the
and it’s so beautiful that are the children at the orphanage together with
children at the orphanage together with
children at the orphanage together with the government staff we’ve been able
the government staff we’ve been able
the government staff we’ve been able just to see incredible changes in the
just to see incredible changes in the
just to see incredible changes in the lives of these kids and see that they
lives of these kids and see that they
lives of these kids and see that they have a
have a
have a elytis that we didn’t realize before at
elytis that we didn’t realize before at
elytis that we didn’t realize before at one point we had a opportunity to have a
one point we had a opportunity to have a
one point we had a opportunity to have a presentation at the orphanage kind of to
presentation at the orphanage kind of to
presentation at the orphanage kind of to create awareness and of the abilities
create awareness and of the abilities
create awareness and of the abilities and the possibilities of the
and the possibilities of the
and the possibilities of the special-needs children in this
special-needs children in this
special-needs children in this presentation we put all of their
presentation we put all of their
presentation we put all of their classwork out on the tables their
classwork out on the tables their
classwork out on the tables their beautiful pictures on the walls and and
beautiful pictures on the walls and and
beautiful pictures on the walls and and we invited people to come and to see
we invited people to come and to see
we invited people to come and to see what they had done and I remember it was
what they had done and I remember it was
what they had done and I remember it was like such a joy for me to look at the
like such a joy for me to look at the
like such a joy for me to look at the people’s faces who came because there
people’s faces who came because there
people’s faces who came because there was surprise there was shock there was
was surprise there was shock there was
was surprise there was shock there was joy to see what these children had
joy to see what these children had
joy to see what these children had accomplished and one man he came to me
accomplished and one man he came to me
accomplished and one man he came to me he came up close to me and he had like
he came up close to me and he had like
he came up close to me and he had like kind of a stern face and I was thinking
kind of a stern face and I was thinking
kind of a stern face and I was thinking oh no what’s gonna happen what’s he
oh no what’s gonna happen what’s he
oh no what’s gonna happen what’s he gonna say to me but he was just holding
gonna say to me but he was just holding
gonna say to me but he was just holding back until he got to me and then he held
back until he got to me and then he held
back until he got to me and then he held my hand and he’s and with tears in his
my hand and he’s and with tears in his
my hand and he’s and with tears in his eyes he said I didn’t think this was
eyes he said I didn’t think this was
eyes he said I didn’t think this was ever possible I didn’t think it was
ever possible I didn’t think it was
ever possible I didn’t think it was possible for these children to ever
possible for these children to ever
possible for these children to ever learn and to do the same thing that my
learn and to do the same thing that my
learn and to do the same thing that my kids do misconceptions are more
kids do misconceptions are more
kids do misconceptions are more crippling than disabilities
you know watching these kids grow and
you know watching these kids grow and develop it was it has been it continues
develop it was it has been it continues
develop it was it has been it continues to be such a joy in my life and to work
to be such a joy in my life and to work
to be such a joy in my life and to work with such committed loving staff that
with such committed loving staff that
with such committed loving staff that truly want to see these children achieve
truly want to see these children achieve
truly want to see these children achieve their dreams and their hopes and their
their dreams and their hopes and their
their dreams and their hopes and their goals it’s just been my privilege one of
goals it’s just been my privilege one of
goals it’s just been my privilege one of the sad things for me is that when the
the sad things for me is that when the
the sad things for me is that when the children when they reached the age 17
children when they reached the age 17
children when they reached the age 17 they were gonna be moved to an adult
they were gonna be moved to an adult
they were gonna be moved to an adult institution because they aged out of the
institution because they aged out of the
institution because they aged out of the children’s institution so this was this
children’s institution so this was this
children’s institution so this was this is really hard for me because I really
is really hard for me because I really
is really hard for me because I really love these guys I love watching them
love these guys I love watching them
love these guys I love watching them grow I love being with them and I didn’t
grow I love being with them and I didn’t
grow I love being with them and I didn’t know what their future was gonna be I
know what their future was gonna be I
know what their future was gonna be I didn’t know and it was a little bit it
didn’t know and it was a little bit it
didn’t know and it was a little bit it was really hard for me and I cried and I
was really hard for me and I cried and I
was really hard for me and I cried and I remember I would come home and I would
remember I would come home and I would
remember I would come home and I would just cry and my husband’s lap and think
just cry and my husband’s lap and think
just cry and my husband’s lap and think what can we do and you know what the
what can we do and you know what the
what can we do and you know what the really wonderful a really wonderful
really wonderful a really wonderful
really wonderful a really wonderful thing happened that the government
thing happened that the government
thing happened that the government partnered with us to open a transition
partnered with us to open a transition
partnered with us to open a transition center that would give these young
center that would give these young
center that would give these young people the possibility to continue to
people the possibility to continue to
people the possibility to continue to grow to learn social skills social
grow to learn social skills social
grow to learn social skills social independent and vocational skills and
independent and vocational skills and
independent and vocational skills and that they would have a chance at
that they would have a chance at
that they would have a chance at achieving that dream of integrating into
achieving that dream of integrating into
achieving that dream of integrating into society you know all our kids they have
society you know all our kids they have
society you know all our kids they have dreams they have dreams of integration
dreams they have dreams of integration
dreams they have dreams of integration of being with everybody else having a
of being with everybody else having a
of being with everybody else having a job like everybody else having a fam
job like everybody else having a fam
job like everybody else having a fam like everybody else because they’re
like everybody else because they’re
like everybody else because they’re because they’re disabled they don’t even
because they’re disabled they don’t even
because they’re disabled they don’t even look at themselves I can say they don’t
look at themselves I can say they don’t
look at themselves I can say they don’t even look at themselves as persons with
even look at themselves as persons with
even look at themselves as persons with disabilities in fact I was listening to
disabilities in fact I was listening to
disabilities in fact I was listening to one of our young adults well why do
one of our young adults well why do
one of our young adults well why do people you know look at us the way the
people you know look at us the way the
people you know look at us the way the like were disables we can do more than
like were disables we can do more than
like were disables we can do more than they can do and it’s true it’s true
they can do and it’s true it’s true
they can do and it’s true it’s true these kids have at the transition center
these kids have at the transition center
these kids have at the transition center they have grown so much they have
they have grown so much they have
they have grown so much they have learned independent living skills they
learned independent living skills they
learned independent living skills they take care of their own apartments they
take care of their own apartments they
take care of their own apartments they write their own menus of healthy food
write their own menus of healthy food
write their own menus of healthy food they prepare their meals their own meals
they prepare their meals their own meals
they prepare their meals their own meals their self-discipline to do their
their self-discipline to do their
their self-discipline to do their homework and to get their different
homework and to get their different
homework and to get their different duties their jobs done during the day
duties their jobs done during the day
duties their jobs done during the day and then they study outside and for like
and then they study outside and for like
and then they study outside and for like a person like Atilla he had a dream to
a person like Atilla he had a dream to
a person like Atilla he had a dream to be a jewelry designer this is what
be a jewelry designer this is what
be a jewelry designer this is what Atilla me
Atilla me
Atilla me [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
has made many creative beautiful pieces
has made many creative beautiful pieces of jewelry and that is what lies in the
of jewelry and that is what lies in the
of jewelry and that is what lies in the heart of the person with disabilities
heart of the person with disabilities
heart of the person with disabilities this creativity that is like clamped up
this creativity that is like clamped up
this creativity that is like clamped up but needs to be encouraged by all of us
but needs to be encouraged by all of us
but needs to be encouraged by all of us that they could be who they were meant
that they could be who they were meant
that they could be who they were meant to be that they can have a dream and see
to be that they can have a dream and see
to be that they can have a dream and see it come true another young lady in our
it come true another young lady in our
it come true another young lady in our transition Center her name is Allah and
transition Center her name is Allah and
transition Center her name is Allah and I asked Allah like I we ask each of the
I asked Allah like I we ask each of the
I asked Allah like I we ask each of the young adults we have 15 young adults at
young adults we have 15 young adults at
young adults we have 15 young adults at the transition center and I asked all of
the transition center and I asked all of
the transition center and I asked all of all of what do you want to do with what
all of what do you want to do with what
all of what do you want to do with what you want to do what vocation do you want
you want to do what vocation do you want
you want to do what vocation do you want and she said Cindy I really want to be
and she said Cindy I really want to be
and she said Cindy I really want to be someone that does massage for others and
someone that does massage for others and
someone that does massage for others and I was thinking in my mind again like
I was thinking in my mind again like
I was thinking in my mind again like this kind of misconception like wow that
this kind of misconception like wow that
this kind of misconception like wow that is huge you know that’s huge that’s she
is huge you know that’s huge that’s she
is huge you know that’s huge that’s she has to learn a lot about the body the
has to learn a lot about the body the
has to learn a lot about the body the bones the muscles and that horror that
bones the muscles and that horror that
bones the muscles and that horror that ugly misconception that wants to kind of
ugly misconception that wants to kind of
ugly misconception that wants to kind of come in her mind and say they can’t all
come in her mind and say they can’t all
come in her mind and say they can’t all I did all are completed or Klatte she
I did all are completed or Klatte she
I did all are completed or Klatte she completed her course she was announced
completed her course she was announced
completed her course she was announced the best in her class and she does an
the best in her class and she does an
the best in her class and she does an incredible massage and she achieved her
incredible massage and she achieved her
incredible massage and she achieved her dreams love love is amazing the power of
dreams love love is amazing the power of
dreams love love is amazing the power of love and giving love is amazing and that
love and giving love is amazing and that
love and giving love is amazing and that love that reaches down into the heart
love that reaches down into the heart
love that reaches down into the heart into the lives of others where there’s
into the lives of others where there’s
into the lives of others where there’s despair where there’s misconception
despair where there’s misconception
despair where there’s misconception where there’s hurt in pain
where there’s hurt in pain
where there’s hurt in pain loneliness and that love comes and it
loneliness and that love comes and it
loneliness and that love comes and it breathes life and joy and creativity
breathes life and joy and creativity
breathes life and joy and creativity it’s the most beautiful thing to see
it’s the most beautiful thing to see
it’s the most beautiful thing to see a life that was crushed or seemingly
a life that was crushed or seemingly
a life that was crushed or seemingly crushed and then come into this place
crushed and then come into this place
crushed and then come into this place where they’re happy and functioning as
where they’re happy and functioning as
where they’re happy and functioning as any other person love sees in us what we
any other person love sees in us what we
any other person love sees in us what we can’t see in ourselves love sees in us
can’t see in ourselves love sees in us
can’t see in ourselves love sees in us what we do not see in ourselves thank
what we do not see in ourselves thank
what we do not see in ourselves thank you
”
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