Friends,
For some reason my mind has retrieved two famous lines from American literature. I will start with the one and end with the other.

“But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out.” *

I am not might Casey, but I struck out today. I did not get the visa. I got an ugly black stamp over where the visa was originally stamped and anticipated on June 5.
My saga began on June 2. After being turned away from the consulate and instructed to go to the newly opened visa center, I began the long process of trying to get a Russian visa for Crimea, when people in Warsaw had no experience at this.When they could not help me get an authorized hotel voucher which is needed for the tourist visa (whether or not you will actually stay in that hotel, and whether or not you pay the hotel for the entire period of your visa), I was sent to another authorized agency who could do that. Except that they could not. So, they told me to just get a reservation, and via bookings.com, I got a reservation. The consulate did not accept it – – I needed a voucher authorized by a hotel or travel agency authorized by the Russian government to issue vouchers. So, for $133, the agent could get a Russian tour company to get me a voucher. And, so I am told, they did. But, today, I was told that my visa was denied, but no explanation about why was available. It is in print that the consulate does not have to tell you.
I will fly to Kiev tomorrow. The next four days are holidays for Russians, so Monday I will see if I can find out what I can do about getting a visa. It will not help having been denied one, but maybe it was due to a technicality, or some sort of fear by the consulate of making a mistake in this new Russian Crimea environment. Maybe i am not on a “list.” I would not have made it this long in the process, or so I rationalize. This is the 11th. I paid for express service. My receipt said i would get the visa the afternoon of the 9th. With the voucher that was ill-fated, I paid $500 for this experience. It is good that the Pulaska Street Church gave me free use of a room in its building, for which I will gladly give a donation. There was a cheap hole in the wall restaurant five minutes’ walk from the church – noodle soup and fried rice with beef were my favorites. Well, soup and rice were pretty much the menu, with variations. I liked it.
Where do I go from here, or from Kiev? God knows, but I am still thinking and praying. At some point I will go west (young man!) to visit our scattered staff and friends in Lutsk, Lviv, and such places. I will try again for a visa, but that can take another $500 if I want express service and use the help of an agency to get another voucher! And another week or so. Worse comes to worse, I will arrange to meet my staff somewhere on mainland Ukraine. We will have a retreat. No, we will have an advancement party.
The CIU Center team has been working on reorganizing — well, tweaking the organization, strategy, & roles, and envisioning and creating opportunities. They are depressed about the situation with so many friends and students gone, but optimistic about the ministry. There are some registration hurdles to be overcome by two of them, counting S whose temporary residency will be canceled December 31 and N who is not registered in Crimea but in west Ukraine.
Through another ministry, Russian Outreach, director Scott LaRue and I are working on potentially mutually beneficial alliances and cooperation.
If I cannot get into Crimea this trip, to at least get some of our personal items to take back to the States, it will be a disappointment. If I cannot get to be with my entire staff, it would be a great disappointment. But there is nothing happening against me or the ministry compared to that which is for me and the ministry! Praise be unto the Lord.
Continue to pray for LaVerne. Her shoulder therapy is going really well. But since her knee and leg therapy was interrupted by her shoulder surgery and therapy, and since Medicare does not allow two different therapies to occur at the same time (I think I have that right), LaVerne’s knee is getting more stiff.
Starting the 19th, Tiffany will host a reunion of some of the former Missionary Kids from Pioneer Bible Translators who were in Papua New Guinea when she and Joel were there.
Andrei is still with us. His mother may have cancer. The test results are due this week. He needs to put Milligan on hold though he is fully accepted and partially funded for this fall semester. Pray for him, and for his mother. (Andrei painted our house/Tiffany’s place for us while I have been gone!)

Thanks for praying with me and for our team. I will think and pray and see where the Lord seems to be leading, but now it is going on midnight, and I have a flight to catch in the morning.

“After all … tomorrow is another day.”**
 
Georges (with greetings and appreciations from LaVerne)

*  If you click on the link,  mighty Casey has struck out, you can read this famous American poem.
** For those who do not recognize it, this is a famous line from Gone with the Wind:  “Oh, I can’t think about this now! I’ll go crazy if I do! I’ll think about it tomorrow. But I must think about it. I must think about it. What is there to do? What is there that matters? Tara! Home. I’ll go home. And I’ll think of some way to get him back. After all… tomorrow is another day!“