Finally, we were finished doing what we could do with the people at the passport office and had stopped at the bus station to purchase our tickets for today. Then on the way back to the village, we stopped off one more time at the Bravo supermarket and bought some supplies for Elena. We sometimes are able to catch that bus in the picture and get a ride all the way into town. Our timing isn't always correct to catch it so we often hoof it for about 25 minutes. If we have several shopping bags after a trip to the market, there are usually some taxi drivers trading fishing stories and other tales hope for a fare. They will take us back to mama Elena's for a little less than $2. If we don't have heavy bags, we walk like many other people. This area of Slavyansk is near the railroad station which is directly behind us as we took the picture. At the end of the day today, we hope to be in Donetsk getting on the bus for Nikolaev so that we can be back with our dear ones at the Nikolaev Church of Christ. Thank you for the prayers and words of encouragement. We are most thankful for this Internet connection that has speed of a fast dial-up connection. Otherwise we would have no time or opportunity today to send this message.
We thought that we would just have to go one more time to the passport office and solve everything in a short time and then catch the bus to Donetsk and later in the afternoon catch the night bus to Nikolaev. Well, it didn't exactly work out that way. Once again there were so many people that lines were forming outside. Zhenya came early and reserved us a place in line, but even with that we were still there for another 6 hours. All work stopped at 12.00 and the workers went to lunch or to take care of personal business. At one people tried to remember their place in line and some arguments ensued as some people's memories were working to put them at the head of the line. Galina assumed the role of keeping up with which position everyone had in the lines. Howsomever, (excuse the use of one of my humorous Granddaddy's words) the person who is in charge of registering foreigners was able to get through to the person who knows about dealing with Americans, and was told that we are in their records and they have no problems with us and she can extend our stay in Ukraine for 6 months. Furthermore, the person in Donetsk said that if we need to stay longer we can come to the office in Donetsk and they will extend our stay for a year! Yes! Amen and amen! God is good and is surely looking after us even though all this does not come without trying your patience. We had to change our plans to leave today with arrival in Nikolaev Sunday morning in time to clean up a little from the long bus rides and make it to the meeting house in time to preach a favorite sermon that I preached on my first Sunday in Khabarovsk in April 1993. The other side of the shoe is that we will have to return on Wednesday to actually receive our documents extending our stay. As I said, nothing is easy, but Heaven will surely be worth it all!
This is Shishkova Street that is situated in a settlement of privately built houses. As I've been able to determine, most were built in the 1950's and many of those residents like Galina's parents worked in one of the large factories that were close by. As is common in Ukrainian districts such as this, each property owner has a fence that appears to be a little over 5 feet off the ground. The fence along the front is usually made of strong secure looking material whereas the fences along the side and back of the properties are generally not so strong looking. Each property owner has enough land to have a garden that will help feed a family if they work at it on a regular basis. From the sounds of the early morning, you can tell that many other people raise poultry. Some single people even raise enough in their gardens to have something to sell at the market. The fruit trees that are situated in front of the fences as in this photo, are out there for anyone to enjoy even though they are planted and cared for by the property owners. At least that's the way it is on Shishkova. Most of the owners are now on pension except for some of the younger generation who buy up the houses and modernize them according to European standards and resale them or raise their kids in this neighborhood. Some even buy the property and tear the old place down and build much larger two story homes with all the modern conveniences. That has not been happening very much in the last couple of years due to the worldwide slow down in the economy. Ukraine's economy is still precarious but offers great opportunities to those willing to risk everything and work hard.But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. (Genesis 6:8)
Ной же обрел благодать пред очами Господа. (Бытие 6:8 Russian)
Але Ной знайшов милість у Господніх очах. (Битие 6:8 Ukrainian)
Pero Noé contaba con el favor del SEÑOR. (Génesis 6:8 NVI)
Dear LORD, our Heavenly Father ~ Thank you for the fresh blessings on this new day that cause us to pause and marvel at your plans and purposes for all men. Give us wisdom so that, even when it seems like there is little hope, we will live as your obedient and pleasing children and like Noah, not reject your offer of life through your amazing grace that is now available to all people in the world who will accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord by obeying the gospel. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
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