+ 8 - 8 | § ¶THE "GOOD NEWS" Car Update
Well, Well, Well...what do we have here?
Yes, it could be nothing short of a miracle, I suppose. My friend Lloyd Hanebury (an America missionary) actually, physically went down and got my papers, took them to the police and made an update on my Car papers...so that I can drive my car until the end of January. And the other "helpers" said they can get the more permanent papers done in that time...of course, they could have done it all along, but without someone giving them "daily talks" like Lloyd did for the past 2 weeks before I got here...nothing would be done. And it took those two weeks just to get the papers back in order to do the update. All-in-all, it is ironically funny to me that only an American could get this done...in the midst of asking several Ukrainians to help, paying them, and begging for 5 months for action. Anyway, I don't mean to be negative towards Ukraine in a way that seems derogatory to the people, (more mad at the system they created) but the facts are the facts. Things just "can't be done" until the they are actaully DONE here. And everyone knows how to do everything and nothing at the same time, if you know what I mean. I too, found that I had to do most of the work, if not all, but simply "handing a cop" some money...in order to get the first 3 months papers. It took me 10 days of work, $130 in gas, $150 in "extra giving" and more headaches than imaginable. Thank God, Lloyd spared me this headache this time:) It's good to have someone else step up to the plate when you are tired of something and don't even know how to proceed.
So, now we move into phase 12, where I try to get permanent papers again. So, you can keep praying about that...
blessings and thanks for your prayers...thanks for your support and Praise GOD!!!! I can drive again for a while in Ukraine!
+ 10 - 8 | § ¶Latest English Club - "welcome back party"
Hey - well...it was a long but great day, this Saturday, December 16th...after my return.
First, out of the 4 nights I have been here, I have only slept two of them...one for about 6 hours and one for 10. The other two nights, my mind has not shut off and I have stayed up the entire night...on my bed, dreaming of sleep, but getting none. My eyes are burning and black looking...someone asked if I started wearing make-up on my eyes...honestly! Quite sad, actually...pray that my mind will shut down and my body will adjust...for some reason, I have no problem adjusting when I go back to the States but when I fly to Ukraine...the first week is almost always very little real sleep.
As to the English Club...I got my first real "surprise party" of all time...I was totally shocked. Lloyd and Natasha successfully used my Tanya to get me out Saturday morning/early afternoon for lunch downtown Kiev. There was traffic on the way back and I called Lloyd and asked if he was near my house and if he could buy some snacks for the Club...because I wouldn't have time. Anyway, The tricky guy and his wife Natasha planned it perfectly. He said, "Sure...I will get some snacks, don't worry about it" - And little did I know that everyone was in my house already for a long time, waiting for me...with lots of food prepared, and decorations, and people. I got there about 10 minutes before 3pm with Tanya and my lights were off...when I opened the door...12 odd people screamed "surprise, and welcome back, Jackal" - which you can see in the wonderful sign that Natasha made.
It was good...great actually - made me feel quite welcome. Of course, my landlord came around 7pm and a 3 hour converstation and increasing of rent made that feeling fade, but everyone was there praying...and for the most part...their prayers were answered...the meeting could have went much worse. Natasha did an AWESOME job of translating and working in my favor, as well as, Lloyd to get my contract from 12 months to 18 months...probably saving me hunderds in the future.
I really can't say enough good about this English Club...and my friends here...they worked hard and helped me a lot...so, Lord bless them.
Most people left by around 9:30-10:00pm - and so it was a long day...that was the night I never slept either...went on into Sunday from that...got to bed around 1 am on Monday morning. That's thanks in part to having a girl that I wanted to spend time with on Sunday after church, etc.
Alright - guess you can keep praying for my car to get registered...and for my eyes, and sleep. In addition, I will be traveling on Friday with Tanya to her parent's house about 3 hours from Kiev and "meeting the parents"...etc.
blessings...and peace...keep the kid's projects in prayer and all that. Rick
