Greetings from Russia,
the land of the frustrated and home of the bureaucrat!
Hmmm... that sounds a little put out, well, maybe we are, just a little. The Lord is working on our patience and flexibility, not to mention that He is keeping us in complete reliance upon Him!
It's a great experience to live as a foreigner. Makes you much more compassionate toward others in the same position, regardless of the country they happen to live in!
We still have not been able to register Raia's birth with the appropriate governmental office. There HAS been progress, praise God! We still need to 'fix' one document, and then we'll be able to register Raia here in Kovrov. However, that involves contacting a doctor in Moscow, meeting up with her, and going to a Notary with her.
We were waiting until we had a birth certificate and a passport for Raia to renew our own visas, since that usually involves leaving the country.
We were also waiting to register our own visas here as residents of Kovrov until we got our new visas (our old ones expire tomorrow). Our visa expert had told us that there wouldn't be any problems with us waiting like that, as long as we didn't try to leave the country... and as long as we could avoid the fines involved with not having one's documents in order!
Well, as one friend said, our 'time of Grace' ran out and we're under the Law again! That is to say we had an unexpected visit from a local police man, and were fined, warned to register as local residents asap, regardless of what state our visas were in. (The amount of the fine should be around $100, this time. A second offense is more.) However, to register as a resident, you of course have to have a current visa. Hmmm...
And so, we learn. The law is the law is the law, and that is right and good. Only at times, it seems that meeting the requirements of the law are almost impossible to meet... legally! Maybe it's the same in the States, but not to such a degree. The history of corruption here and lack of transparency in business and government affairs is going to take a loooong time to leave behind.
The bottom line of course, would be: PLEASE BE PRAYING FOR US!!!!
Specifically during the next month, and specifically that:
1-The Lord would give us both wisdom in making complicated choices.
2-I would be able to contact the doctor and meet with her tomorrow in Moscow.
3-We would then be able to register Raia's birth here in Kovrov.
4-I would be able to get our visa processing started tomorrow.
5-God would protect us from anyone in the Kovrov police dept. who would want to take advantage of the 'rich Americans.' (We are RIPE for the picking until we get new visas and registration as local residents.)
Thank you all, and I hope to have good results of God's provision to share before long, as a direct result of your prayers!
In the love of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Will =o)
August 13
Updates in the order that Will gave the prayer requests:
1-We have decided that we're just going to pay extra to have our visas processed right away, without us leaving the country.
2 and 3-He wasn't able to meet with any of the six doctors who we know approve of homebirths, so no progress on the birth certificate.
4-Will had no problems with getting the visa process started, so our visas should be ready in less than two weeks.
5-We found out that they have the right to check and fine us every three days until we register, but so far we have not had anything happen. The policeman who came to check us on Monday was quite nice, and said that he woldn't even turn the papers on us in until yesterday, so we are praising the Lord for that. Still, please keep praying.
August 21
So far, we have not had any more problems. We should have our new visas this week. Then we will need prayer as we try to register them here.
August 24
More frustration. Will went to register our visas this morning. According to the law, they have to be registered locally in three days. But, we can't register here! Please pray for us as we look for what to do now.
August 30
Will went to Moscow yesterday to work on registering our visas there. He had hoped to get it done quickly, and then come home the same day, but that didn't happen. He found out that he needed an address to register us, so he called one of the church leaders in Ivanovo for advice. Now he's in contact with the head of the Russian Baptist Union, who said he would find us a place to register in Moscow. PTL! Please just pray that Will can get everything worked out quickly in Moscow, so that he can take Dean around to visit the Gospelink missionaries (and come home to us!
).September 1
Hurrah! Will came home last night. He was able to get everything worked out in Moscow, and we should be registered there in a little over a week. Today he'll go with our landlord to see what they can work out with the local police. Pray! Then he'll meet Dean and Co. in Vladimir and take them to Gus-Khrustanii for a few days.
September 3
They were able to meet with the police officer and make an agreement that we'll be left alone for a year, even though we can't get local registration. Praise the Lord for that! We might still have to pay the fine, but it might be less or possibly even canceled completely. It's such a relief to have this taken care of!
