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Our Stories

Olga

Olga came to Caring Heart towards the end of 2023 seeking employment. Mother to 5 boys, she found herself in a difficult place unable to find work in the village.  She traveled over two hours each day to work in the kitchen. Olga doesn’t receive much support and is the sole provider for her family. Olga decided to move to Taraz and work within a two minute walk. Having a stable job allows her to save for a permanent home for her and her children.  For her three youngest, Caring Heart has been a place to be cared for, challenged, and given an opportunity to see a different way of life. Caring Heart was also able to help her get a full grant for her oldest son to study at college.

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Laura and John

Laura Eisses and her husband John live in Greenville, North Carolina. They have a son Tyler, daughters Anna and Ellie and a previous Chinese international student who is a daughter to their family as well. Laura has an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Masters degrees in Child Development and School Psychology. Laura worked as a School Psychologist in the public schools in Portland, Oregon for several years. Laura became connected with Caring Heart after she and John adopted their daughter Anna from Almaty Kazakhstan and their daughter Ellie from Kemerovo Russia. A mutual friend connected John and Laura to Caring Heart and the ministry in Kazakhstan.

Madina

Madina was born in Merke, Kazakhstan, and raised by a single mother, which gave her a deep understanding of the challenges of growing up without one parent. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work but has dedicated over 14 years to working with children in a Kindergarten setting. Her passion for nurturing and guiding young minds has been at the heart of her professional journey.

As someone who values the well-being of children and families, Madina strongly believes that young mothers—especially those who grew up in orphanages or face difficult circumstances—need psychological and practical support. She is passionate about helping them navigate motherhood with the care and encouragement they deserve.

Madina is married and is a loving mother to four boys. She finds joy in family life and continues to embrace opportunities to support and educate children.

Yulia Ldokova

Yulia Ldokova is a native of Almaty, Kazakhstan and has had a heart for orphans since she was a teenager. She volunteered as a mentor for orphans for over 12 years and has influenced the lives of many young people. She has a BA in international relations from the Kazakh-German University in Almaty and a Master’s degree in Educational Policy and Management from KIMEP University. She is a gifted translator and works in the translation department at KIMEP. Because of her desire to help those disadvantaged, she reached out to volunteer for Caring Heart, visiting often and fundraising for special projects. In 2017 she joined formally as one of Caring Heart’s co-founders and is actively involved in the lives of many of the children and staff.

Victoria Charbonneau

Victoria describes herself as a “Jack of all trades, Master of none.” Truthfully, she is a woman of many talents and abilities. Her life experiences are quite diverse. She has lived and worked on dairy farms and has been employed by a livestock dealer and has worked in veterinary clinics. She has worked in construction and taught in the ESL (English as a Second Language) department at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is an especially gifted artist with an uncanny knack and heartbeat for working with children, especially those often overlooked and forgotten by society. Victoria seems to have been uniquely created to connect at a heart level with people and especially so with children. She was a foster parent, has worked with the homeless, and had exchange students living with her while her own children were growing up. In 2000, Victoria took her first trip to an orphanage in Kazakhstan and returned each year thereafter on short-term trips until moving to Kazakhstan on a full-time basis in 2009.

Beth Turnock

Beth would describe herself as one who has so many dreams and passions that it would take 10 lifetimes to fulfill them all. The dream for the Ranch actually began when she was a teen. When asked what she wanted to do when she grew up, she would reply. To have a ranch with horses and underprivileged kids. That dream has been evolving ever since. Beth has a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and worked for 13 years in residential treatment with abused, neglected and delinquent children. Her passion is for administration and small business development. She especially enjoys helping others recognize their full potential. In 2000 Beth went on the same delegation as Victoria to an orphanage in Taraz, Kazakhstan. She too fell in love with the culture and the people of Kazakhstan. Seeing the plight of the orphans, she felt called to the work being done there. In 2003 she moved to Kazakhstan where she worked until January 2011. In January 2012 Beth joined Victoria to pursue the vision for Caring Heart full-time.

Amelia Fox

Amelia is the Ministry Advisory Team Chairwoman. Amelia has a BA in Psychology from Davidson College and an MBA from the Yale University School of Management.  Amelia is a strategic, entrepreneurial, and analytical Executive with a track record of leading organizational transformations in private, non-profit, and public sectors. She lives in Tampa Bay and spends her non-working time at baseball fields and fishing with her teenage son or cooking a wide range of meals for friends and family. Amelia’s passion for Caring Heart and orphaned children stems from her personal experience adopting her son from Astana, Kazakhstan in 2009. She witnessed firsthand life in a baby house and has a heart for maintaining historical culture while ensuring that the children and struggling mothers in Kazakhstan have opportunity and are loved.

Jimmy & Patty Hendren

Jimmy and Patty have been members of the MAT since January of 2020. Jimmy and Patty are life long residents of the state of Missouri, and this coming June will celebrate fifty years of marriage. They are the parents of four children,including their daughter Anastasya whom they adopted from the Umit baby house in Taraz, Kazakhstan, in June of 2007. This coming May, Ana will graduate from both Moberly Senior High School and the Moberly Area Community College receiving her Associates degree. For many years they were active in ministry, serving as pastors, Associate pastor, Prison Ministry Director and youth camp counselor, and currently serve as team leaders in their home church. They are passionate supporters of Caring Heart since it’s founding in 2013 and currently serve as Member Care representatives.

Erin & Keith Martin

Erin and Keith live in the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania where they raised three biological sons and two adopted daughters. Keith worked as a business accountant for many years. After their adoptions Erin became involved with their adoption agency in social media management and advocacy for children who were waiting for families. They now work together as owners of discount grocery stores. When they are not running their businesses or spending time with family, you are likely to find Keith on a hiking trail. Erin will likely have a camera in hand, chasing the perfect shot. They have a personal connection to Kazakhstan because their oldest daughter was adopted from Uralsk in 2008. They strongly believe that caring for the vulnerable is a mission that is very close to God’s heart. So when they recently visited Caring Heart they fell in love with the children there. They formed a strong relationship with Beth and Victoria and  enthusiastically support Caring Heart in caring for at-risk women and children.

Oksana Khliustov

Oksana was born in Shakhtinsk, Kazakhstan. In 1997, she immigrated to the US with her family. She has a BA in Liberal Studies from California State University, Sacramento and a MA in Educational Leadership from Gateway Seminary. Oksana has spent more than two decades in many locations around the world actively involved in the education and non-profit worlds. Her passion for orphaned children and youth brought her from Almaty to us in 2018. She joined the MAT team in January 2020. Oksana, recently married, lives with her husband in Northern California.