Just email us at info@boneem.org to request a copy.

The center has been born by the work and vision of a woman by the name of Luba. However, the work with addicts in this region has long been the prayer, vision and hard work of one Anatoli Kulagin. Anatoli was the first to seek Boneem's help for his corner of the region and his tireless efforts (often times being the only one in his city of 80K+ who saw the need) paved the way for the later introduction of STC. Luba and "Toli" were first exposed to recovery concepts through Boneem's work in Samara and from there they both sought ways to expland their knowledge. After having participated in a handful of Boneem's workshops over the past 5 years, and after Luba found sponsorship to attend a training center in England to learn more about how to structure a center, she set out to find someplace to start a work. While Luba's focus is at the Center, Toli continues to work closely with recovery groups in his city and in Samara.

After some time, God's grace delivered a farm into Luba's hands. The villagers gave Luba the farm and the buildings to do with what she could. This type of charity is very uncommon in Russia and the results of that kindness have been multiplying ever since. The main building was a barn housing livestock and possessing no heating, electricity, gas---well, it was a barn. After receiving her first few addicts and alcoholics, Luba set out to start transforming this old, run down, socialized farm into a working treatment center---one of the first in the country. She and the addicts who are with her have managed in two short years, all on their own, to transform the barn into a dorm facility for a couple dozen, with a kitchen, meeting room, heat, electricity, gas---and water on the way. They grow their own food, are working to develop their own livestock, and hand dug a 12 meter, underground cellar to store their crops. It is more than amazing.

The material support for the development of this Center has mostly come from Luba's resourcefulness. However, in a country where the average annual wage is only about $2000/yr. or less, finances don't come easily. An agency in England did help with two stoves, a donated vehicle, a freezer and some financial help. However, Boneem supporters have put many thousands of dollars of support into the work and have had several key people stay short term stays with the addicts at the center in an effort to help the program be the best it can be.

A video documentary of the work at the Center is available upon request. The video is
1 hour 5 minutes long and is a delightful view of just how fascinating this work is. Please contact us at info@boneem.org to obtain a copy.

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HOW DOES THE CENTER OPERATE?

The Center is structured as a two phase, six months each phase, program. After the first six months, residents are encouraged to return to their homes (many of them coming from the east of Russia with only the clothes on their backs) to reconcile with their families and friends and to test their new found means of facing life drug and alcohol free. If they choose to do so, they are welcome to return to the center for a second six month phase in which they participate as "leaders" or helpers to the newer folks coming in.

There is NO cost to the residents other than being a contributing member of the facility. The cost to run the facility comes totally from the love of outsiders. Although Luba has managed to find some sources for supplies (i.e. cooking oil from a local sunflower oil plant, flower from a local pasta plant, etc), financial resources are in VERY short supply. The MINIMUM cost to operate the facility is about $2,500/yr. Of course, to continue to improve the facility and to buy needed furnishings, beds, linens, etc, it will take some substantial funding. Even so, where in America could we ever hope to operate a facility for two dozen residents on $2,500/yr?

When most of the residents arrive, they arrive in active addiction. Detox is handled at the center the old fashioned way----cold turkey. Since there is virtually no medical service available for addicts and alcoholics (and virtually no aspirin or Tylenol either) to get clean, this is handled through the loving care and nurturing of the residents. When a new comer begins to go through the painful process of withdrawls, it is only through the affection and commitment of those at the center who have already been through that hell staying by the new person's side, that he/she manages the transition.

The rules at the Center are strict and structured. There is no smoking, cussing, using. . . ANY breach of the rules subjects a resident to expulsion for a week before he/she can return again.

EVERYONE has a job assigned to him/her and each is expected to do that job. All meals are prepared by hand every day---this includes the 9 loaves of bread consumed by the residents. All construction and repairs are done by the residents themselves. They are actually quite an ingenious lot of folks. The video shows just how much of a team environment exists at the center.

Presently the Center can house 25-30 residents in clean but somewhat rustic accommodations. As is shown in the video, they are in the process of "stashing" materials with the hope of developing one of the farm's other buildings into another dormitory very soon. They also have a room in the main building in which they would like to install indoor toilets and shower facilities---they presently have a "his" and "hers" outhouse and bathing is done with a bucket and rag.

To date over 100 addicts and alcoholics have been through the center. With the recent introduction of 12 Step materials into the process we believe the long term affect of the Center's work in the lives of its residents will be greatly enhanced.

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WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

• Request a copy of the video documenting the work at the center.
• Write to us at info@boneem.org
• Commit to give monthly toward this work. $50, $100, or $200/mth
• Commit to give a one time gift of a $100, $500, $1000 or more.
• Encourage your church or 12 Step group to include this project in their annual spending.
  

We would VERY MUCH like to be able to support someone from the west to go and spend six months at the center. However, this requires the cost of air travel, interpreters, insurance and incidentals. We estimate the final cost will be between $10,000 and $15,000.

If you would like to sponsor this project please contact us.

• Medical supplies of various kinds are always a need.
• Endow Boneem International's work through various means.
• Contact us for more information.
  

(Note: Since Boneem is presently an all-volunteer agency [we would like to see that change] there are no salaries to be paid out of the gifts you give. The only "overhead" is the actual cost of getting resources overseas, handling money transfers, etc. Even the majority of Boneem's phone bills are absorbed by individuals who believe in the agency's work.)

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HOW TO SUPPORT BONEEM INTERNATIONAL

In addition to the work at STC, Boneem is seeking donors willing to give undesignated contributions. As always, we are willing to accept designated gifts for any of the projects and programs that we have listed on this site. Presently, over 95% of Boneem's present support comes in designated for specific projects. This is a good thing in some ways. However, it does make it very difficult for Boneem to tend to some of its "incidental" expenses (i.e. annual fees to the State Corporation Commission, maintaining a web site, storage space rental for humanitarian supplies, etc) or to expand its capabilities. Presently, even Boneem's office space is donated, but that may not always be the case.

We welcome your gifts in any form. If you would like to give on-line, please just click on the Helping.org icon on this page. Your credit card donation will be conducted through a secure transaction and your donation will be direct deposited to Boneem's account. If you would like to know more about Helping.org please visit www.guidestar.org (where, by the way, Boneem also has a listing). Guidestar hosts one of the largest available listings of public charities. If you have questions you would like to submit directly to us, please send us an email at info@boneem.org

If you would like to give directly to Boneem, please feel free to forward your check to us at the following address. We thank you for your support and your input.

Boneem International
P. O. Box 36260
Richmond, VA 23235
Phone: 800-475-6963
Fax: 804-897-1160

If you would like to make Boneem the beneficiary of an insurance policy or endowment gift, please contact us directly. We would most certainly welcome such generosity.

If you own your own business and you would like to add an employee to your payroll---an employee for Boneem International---please contact us directly and we will map out how your commitment to a specified period of support (i.e. two years) could greatly help Boneem move toward having a full time staff person. We have a Russian national we would like to hire. We only need now to secure funds to sponsor her position.

If you have unused cemetery property in a NON city-owned, perpetual care park in your area or city, and you would be willing to donate those arrangements to Boneem, please contact us for information.

If you have real estate that you would like to make available to Boneem for use or for re-sale, please contact us directly.

All donations are acknowledged immediately. Additionally, at the end of each year Boneem sends out a year-end summary of donations received during that year. Boneem operates on a calendar year.

One note on Boneem finances---after a year or two of "rest" in an effort to structure Boneem more effectively so the administrative responsibilities of the agency would be better distributed among its volunteers---Boneem is once again operating in an affirmatively upward mode. Just in the past year Boneem's receipts have gone from $9K to over $64K plus tens of thousands of dollars in medical supplies and humanitarian aide. Won't you help in Boneem's efforts to reach a needy world?

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