The day has not gone well for containing the ‘separatist’ attempts in eastern Ukraine. There are lots of headlines to skim, mostly with bad news.
In Crimea, confusion remains about a lot of things, prices climb, employment declines, tourist agencies are reducing staff in anticipation of a dead season, streets are being renamed, friends and family are separated, border crossing becomes more restrictive, and good news is isolated.
Right now it does not look good for me to even get a tourist visa, but much can change before I apply the end of May, first of June.
Response to my appeal for emergency and travel funds is off to a good start.

LaVerne’s shingles has just about dried up. We still wait for the culture to confirm it was shingles.
 
Georges

Not good news from one missionarysource about visas for Americans

 

Okay…. Russian Embassy here in Odessa told Bob that there is no way to get a visa because Crimea has no infra-structure for accepting or registering foreigners. They said we should try a travel agency but the travel agency here also said that they have no clue how to go about this. So we are back to ground zero.

 

[It is not surprising that the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing in times like these, and in general that can be true. There may still be a way – but less likely any time soon if there is a full scale invasion of mainland Ukraine. But some consulates somewhere will give the visa …. gc]

 

Excerpts from letter from foster family in Crimea:

 

 

Dear brothers and sisters,
… This Easter is going to be very special for our family and our friends here.

There is no peace in our country, not only in the Crimea but in eastern and central parts the situation is tense, there are armed people in the streets, now and again we hear reports about shooting and someone being hurt or killed. The economy of the country is fallen apart. Several banks are being closed. There are no job opportunities for many. People are divided, even in one family people may be divided – some support Russia’s intrusion and the others are against it. Some are happy with what is going on and see Russia’s actions of taking over the lands as the return of the Soviet Union and its power, the others suffer because they see in Russia’s actions the return of totalitarian regime which lead to ruined lives and destinies.

When you see how easily and straightforwardly Putin took over the Crimea, sent his troops to Donetsk and other regions, ignored international agreements and treaties, Russia appears to be an evil power which cannot be stopped by anyone.

In Russia, there have been recently quite a few of media projects about Stalin, they attempt to justify his policy and his rule. Many compare Putin to Stalin.

The time of Stalin was “when darkness reigns” (Luke 22:53).

In the Soviet times Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote that Stalin killed thousands of priests in prisons. Thousands and thousands of Christians of different denominations were tortured and killed in labor camps in the North. One of prisoners who survived such a camp wrote a book about his experience “A Candle Which Is Not to Be Blown.” In the book the author writes, “Many say that serious temptations and tests make one’s faith stronger and develop the soul, yet at the camp I saw the something different – serious tests destroyed the faith and turned the soul into burnt desert. Maybe, that the Apostles had the same feelings when the One they loved had died on the Cross? With His death their hope to the victory of peace, good and justice in the world had died as well. The Apostles sat in the room, depressed and hopeless, their despair did not go away even with the news from the women that Jesus rose from the dead. It was only the personal meeting with Christ that changed everything.”

Amazing how many similarities we see in the current events here and in the events in Jerusalem over 2000 years ago! We see a powerful and cynical empire, believers who feel lost, those who stay faithful, those who betray… Like 2000 years ago it is only the unity with brothers in spirit and the real relationships with Alive God can give us power to move on.

May your Easter season be blessed with peace and joy, with fellowship with faithful friends and may the temptations which come from the Lord never burn the soul but make it stronger!

Sincerely yours,
A. and A.