Here is the update in short form:
  • We have our visas in hand: 3 year multiple entry tourist visas
  • We have our tickets in hand: Oct 6-31 (Orlando-Simferopol, via Moscow)
  • We will pack up our personal belongings that we want to eventually get back to the states.
  • We will spend time encouraging the staff, meeting students.
  • We will probably need to keep a low profile.
  • We have the possibility of appealing to the European Human Rights Court if we do not get our raided CIU/IIIC building returned to us or at least some semi-reasonable compensation.
  • We are still house hunting and have become very long-term guests of Tiffany
  • We need your prayers for strength, stamina, and wisdom, 
  • Our staff needs your prayers for their ministry and protection and inner peace
  • Pray that God would lead the right student to our Center at the right time for the sake of ministry.
  • Pray that Ukraine gets the opportunity that they demonstrated and fought for: freedom to develop, dignity, justice, the demise of corruption, economic opportunity (through justice, fairness, appropriate laws, etc).
  • Pray for Crimea and those who are not rejoicing over their new government.
  • Pray for Putin and world leaders that they might avert a cold war but not at the expense of truth and justice, goodness and mercy, freedom and fraternity.
  • Pray for our partners in ministry, such as the Christian Center for Science and Apologetics, and several ministries to orphans in the Simferopol area.
  • Thank you so much for your prayers and finances!
 
Now, the back story!
 
The future of Crimea and Ukraine does not look good. Ukraine was moving in the right direction, though awkwardly, before the ‘war’ started. Ukraine was reclaiming towns and cities taken by the ‘rebels/terrorists during the ‘war’/rebellion and still moving toward a new Ukraine, albeit awkwardly. Then reinforcements came. Not for Ukraine’s weak and under-equipped army, but for the ‘rebels.’ Ukraine could not complete against the imported military equipment and well-trained units from the Russian military (active duty, retired, off duty or on vacation!). What had begun in East Ukraine as a local protest against some of the rumored and real policies of Ukraine’s government lost steam only to be hijacked by mercenaries and reinforced by Russia. Ukraine’s president determined that there could be no victory against Russia and only more loss of life, especially Ukrainian lives. He sued for peace, but a peace that has led to concessions to the rebels and Putin which in turn have led to accusations of treason and complicity, feelings of disappointment and humiliation, and a sense that Maidan was for nothing, thousands of deaths in the undeclared war were for nothing, and talk of reducing corruption and restoring justice was for nothing (if Russia and the rebels have their way, and if the EU does not provide monitors and assistance to Ukraine to insure that they move toward transparency and justice, old ways will dominate — especially with most of the same people in power). 
 
Ukraine constantly teeters on the brink of economic collapse. The war has drained the country till it is deathly pale. The West talk a lot, give some money, but Ukraine is basically on its own.
 
Crimea is to be a model republic, thanks to Russian financing and to economically beneficial policies. Meanwhile, electricity has begun to be rationed here and there. Moscow instructs Simferopol to not have blackouts; Simferopol has to deal with the reality that sometimes there is insufficient power, but it tries to make the blackouts as painless as possible. There are still long lines for this and that, but some things are more or less back to normal. But everyday there is something abnormal affecting someone. It may be that they no longer can communicate with family via their usual telephone provider, such as happened today. It may be that their church is raided because the building is needed by someone more powerful, such as happened a few days ago. It may be that the POA that was provided someone before the annexation is now no longer considered valid because it is Ukrainian and not Russian notarized, such as happened last week to someone I know. It might be that they took a trip across the border into Ukraine to take their daughter to a university and had to endure 17 hours at the border on the return trip.
 
This is not to mention many having lost huge sums of money when the banks were kicked out of Crimea. Or the lady who went see what was happening on her land. When she protested to the builders that it was her land, she was taken to the police station, beaten and told that it was no longer her land. Her Ukrainian documents were not recognized — she was told that she was in Russia now [and the implication? — Get over it.]. Or the people who have had their cars taken from them at the border, presumably to be sold in Russia. Or the impounding/arresting of the Crimean Tatar parliament building just some days ago.  Shall I go on?
 
What shall I say about our own situation in Crimea? When the masked men took over the CIU/IIIC building, they said that the head of the government of Crimea sent them. When asked for their authorization, a court order, something to show that they had authority other than their paramilitary might, there was nothing — and they did not need to provide anything either. The only explanation that leaked out: ‘This is a sect [literally, ‘Baptists’!] who are deceiving our children with their illegal activities. The building now belongs to a Saint Petersburg University.’
 
A police report was filed; a response was due in ten days. No written response, no one to talk to. Just like nothing had even happened. Letters have been written to the head of the Crimean government and to the mayor. Now we wait to see if there is any response. Tell us on what basis it was stolen from us, or will there be compensation? Was this really authorized by the state government? To whom shall we appeal if we get no response or an unsatisfactory response? How can one go over the head of the head of the government? What laws can be appealed to? Ah, there are laws in the Russian Federation that protect property rights. But those laws are not yet in effect in Crimea. Crimea has a lot of freedom to ‘take control’ for the sake of Russia, even doing things that are not commonly done in Russia. Crimea is … special. 
 
We appeal to God for some justice, at least for something salvaged from this takeover. We finally won on the right to register the land, but now it is a moot point. 
 
I have the right to appeal to the European Human Rights Court since Russia is (in theory, officially) subject to it. But who could afford that? God of course. I have received an offer by an agency that defends religious freedom to file a complaint in that court, but at no cost to me. But should I?
 
First of all, we need to see what Crimea or Simferopol governments will respond to our request for the protection of our rights etc. 
 
Secondly, but more importantly, I have to think about the safety of my staff, and maybe even the safety of their parents. They were already fearful since it is not clear what actual rights we have in Crimea to minister Christ to students. We know what is allowed by law in the Russian Federation, but Crimea has routinely violated those laws since the annexation. The Cossacks and other men in various kinds of uniforms can act like vigilantes and no law and no person will stop them … at least, not until it is too late. (BTW, there are those in Crimea that have no fear and only joy over being part of Russia ‘once again.’ They have not had anything negative happen to them, except for some things that they blame on Ukraine.)
 
I would wrap up our ministry in Crimea if it were not for the eagerness of our remaining staff to continuing reaching out to students. As long as they feel God’s calling to serve together in this ministry, I will support them and ask you to support them with your prayers and finances. 
 
I will not take ‘the Russian Federation’ to court as long as there is ministry and God’s servants that would be jeopardized. It may put at risk people and property through retaliation. Homes and apartments have been broken into, people – – including women — have been beaten.  
 
Pray for strength and courage for our staff; pray for students to be attracted to what we have to offer; pray that our remaining property and staff will be protected by the Lord; pray for wisdom for me and our CIU trustees. 
 
Pray for our travels. This will be hard on LaVerne. The journey will be longer than usual because of traveling through Moscow and due to a 12 hour layover in Moscow on our return.
 
Pray for us to be able to get all done that really needs to be done — we want to pack up everything that we want to bring back to the States, store the stuff at the Center, and prepare the apartment for eventual sale. (The laws that allow buying and selling of property are not really worked out yet, though some people do it.) We want to spend time with our staff, too. I do not know if it is wise for me to try to visit the authorities about the raid, but probably an American faces certain prejudices immediately and I would be more of a hindrance than a help. But boy to I want to visit some people!
 
We do not know how we will get our things back to the US. Most shipping services no longer ship out of Crimea to the States or even to Ukraine. There is one company in the US that may still ship out of Crimea, but at $200 a medium size box, that is not really an option. (Also, they only allow you to ship a few boxes at a time, spreading out the period, and via Russia it takes three months.) Probably I/we will take some things out with us each time I/we go to Crimea. I thought that I could have some things shipped to Ukraine and then take some things out each trip to Ukraine, but one of the main companies no longer works in Crimea.  Maybe I can get up a small group of our supporters to minister with students next year and then together we can take out some of our belongings. Lots of maybes these days!  Things can change quickly!
 
When we return to the US, I hope we can set up a date, before or after the holidays, for LaVerne to get her ankle fused. It is so bad now, and it affects other parts of her body since she limps so. When we have a date for that, I can work on my dates to teach in Ukraine and combine that with visits to Crimea and my staff. Two seminaries would like me to teach modular courses, as often as I can. 
 
I have reached some milestones. Yesterday I was fitted for distance glasses. My astigmatism turns tail lights into starbursts and glasses will help make it safer for me to drive at night. Otherwise, I do well enough without glasses — though typing late at night like this my vision starts to blur. Also yesterday, I filed for Social Security. LaVerne started at age 62 and I held off till age three-score and ten. 
 
We have been house hunting but the houses that we decided were worth a second worth came under contract about the same time. We have been ‘a day late and a dollar short.’ Counting looking on line at the houses that met our search criteria, using a realtor too, we have viewed over 70 houses. I counted our print outs of them today.
 
We are so grateful, as is our staff, for your prayers and gifts. 
 
May God bless you abundantly,
Georges and LaVerne
 
 
PS Please excuse any typos. I feel i am typing in a visual fog. The eye test did indicate I would benefit from reading classes, but I say — Not yet.I just need more sleep! gpc