Our trip out to train other missionaries went well. It was actually quite fun. The people group that they were among was related to ours so some of them could understand when I spoke our people group's language. It was instant love. They couldn't believe I would take the time to learn a local language. Theirs was dying out and they were trying to fight hard to make sure it stayed around. The missionaries, who were fluent in Russian, were amazed at how we were received and said, as we were leaving, "We have decided to learn their native language. We can't believe what a difference it makes!".
We went to a conference in Poland and onto the States. As we were preparing to fly back out, our passports returned with our new visas. On them was stamped the new law: only allowed to stay 3 months out of every 6. We were so sure that we would fly under the radar. What were we going to do now? How can you only live in a country 6 months out of the year? Where would you go the rest of the time?
We didn't have time to worry about it. We were flying out the next day. So, we flew to a country in Central Asia for a training we had. Some of our supervisors were there and we hadn't connected with them for quite some time. We all got to sit down, catch up and enjoy our time together. Then they dropped the bomb. Campus Crusade for Christ was uncomfortable with our placement. We were so far out that their liability structures couldn't cover us if something did happen. They gave us 3 more months to stay in the country. We began facing the question: should we stay with Crusade or join another organization that would allow us to stay?
We traveled back to Russia. We were exhausted and just wanted to crash. We had been traveling for almost 2 months in 4 countries. We flew into Siberia and as planned our friend from our region arrived with our car. He was one of the national believers from the city. We all drove back down together. It was a wonderful drive where our friend, G, began sharing about the difficulties they were having of working with some groups of believers in villages that were so far out. We talked about it a lot and began to wonder if God was planning something for us in this.
We dropped him off at his house in the city, picked up our cat and drove the last 3 hours home. We arrived and the house was still standing although there was an extra car parked in our yard that looked like it was there permanently. We entered the house and found S's (the owner's sister) husband asleep and drunk in our bed. The whole house was different. All of S's stuff (new furniture, kitchen things, etc.) were all moved into the house. Our stuff was pushed out of the way. Our office room was now a bedroom. Our living room was packed with their things and all the stuff we left in there was gone. We went and forced S's husband out of the bed and demanded to know what was going on. He just stumbled out.
We panicked. Why was all their stuff here? S was in the hospital and just gave birth to a baby 2 days before. How long were they planning to stay?
Finally, S's husband stumbled back in and explained they lived there now and we had to move out. Excuse me? I just flew all the way back from America to find I don't have a place to live? I was livid and told him that he was wrong. He would have to find someone else to live. He left. He returned with A's dad, who was actually sober. He also explained that they lived here now and they had a baby to take care of and that was that. We had to move. We were crushed. All this work that we put into this place. Our home. Where were we going to go?
We called A. She said there had been a big fight and she didn't want them living there but there was nothing she could do. She was in the city for the summer studying and her family wasn't talking to her. Sorry.
Sorry? We now had no advocate. The whole family wanted us out. We had no contract or documents to go to the administration with. And they were asking how long it would take us to leave. S's husband didn't want to work and this house was free. They were moving to the very place they promised they would never want, mainly because there was no work to be had in our village.
The emotions are indescribable. Exhaustion. Panic. Dread thinking of the amount of work it would take to move us. We had appliances like a stove and refrigerator. We had just ordered all of our wood for the winter that was sitting in our yard. Plus all of our stuff. And we still had the question, "Where were we to go?".
