FROHNA COUPLE VISITS KAZAKHSTAN ON HUMANITARIAN MISSION

Bill Bock poses with one of the children about to enter the clinic. Part of Bill and Miriam's responsibilities was to help the children feel more at ease about seeing the doctor at the medical clinic.

Gifts such as the American flag were given to some of the people in Kazakhstan.

It's not every day an invitation is extended to visit a far-away foreign country. So when Bill and Miriam Bock of Frohna got the chance to go to Kazakhstan as part of an humanitarian aid effort, they jumped at the opportunity.

The Bocks, with two other couples, spent 18 days in Kazakhstan, which is south of Siberia in the former Soviet Republic.

The six of them went to help with a medical clinic that provides much-needed medical attention to the people there.

Dentist Dr. Gloria Hoben of Witchitaw, Kan., offered her services to the clinic. Pastor Bert Schirmer and his wife handed out Christian literature. And the Bocks went, as Bill Bock puts it, "to show kindness and friendliness to the people.

"We spent time with the children to ease their minds about going to see a dentist," Bock said. "That way it would be easier for them to go, and they might not get the chance otherwise."

The clinic was located just outside of Almaty, the capital of the ninth largest country in the world. The clinic sits at the base of majestic mountains with snow-capped peaks.

"And the people are very friendly," Bock said. "If you wanted to see them smile, all you needed to do was show them your camera."

And they met some interesting characters.

Gnade was a man they met who wanted to arm wrestle everyone.

"He was a character," Bock said. "He challenged Jack (Hoben, Dr. Hoben's husband), and he didn't want to do it.

"I finally said 'OK, let's go.'"

Bock said that he held Gnade as long as he could, but Gnade finally won.

Bock and his wife met another interesting person when they stayed in Almaty. They stayed with a 71-year-old woman of German decent who had spent time in the Nazi labor camps.

"The Nazis put the Russians of German decent in those camps with the Jews," Bock said. "She was a very interesting lady."

While the sights were lovely there, Bock said the 18 days made he and his wife realize how nice the U.S. is.

"Kazakhstan is a Third-World country," Bock said. "It really made us appreciate the U.S. much more."

They saw many people driving donkeys on two-wheel carts and none of the homes had inside running water.

"The people are very behind and the economic situation is not good."

Bock said the pension there for the woman they stayed with was $20 a month. And $20 there won't buy any more than it would here.

And despite the country's independence, he said the people still aren't as free as Americans.

There are still military personnel guarding the airport and Visas are only given to those who are invited for "security reasons."

"They're very tightly controlled yet," Bock said.

But the Bocks had a very good time.

"We learned a lot -- it really opened our eyes."