Bishkek

Three years ago I didn't even know that a place called Kyrgyzstan even existed. But then I started the process of adopting from there and noticed the name pop up now and again. Kyrgyzstan won a few medals in this last Olympics, for instance.

Then yesterday things went nuts there.

The nation turned itself inside out. A coup. Killing in the streets. Protests. It's a mess. And it doesn't help that there is pressure from Russia and the US on either side of this small country.

Your prayers are very much appreciated for the people of Kyrgyzstan and the three children we call our own who are still over there.

I'm personally invested in what happens in Kyrgyzstan now. I have their weather forecast location saved on my Wii weather report. I'm interested in what transpires in that area of the world.

Sonlight strives to give you and your students a similar connection with nations around the globe. The people you meet and the places you go in Sonlight's literature-based history programs give you experiences in other lands. You don't just read about a place; you learn about the people within it. People like the three children in orphanages somewhere near a political overthrow taking place right now.

The goal is that our hearts and minds would begin to develop a broader perspective on the world. That we would move beyond our own myopic experience and consider what else we might do with our lives to best impact others, both here and abroad.

Granted, what Sonlight will give you is not even close to the connection you feel when you've got people (your people) over there. But it's a great start and a very easy way to discover the broader world around you.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father