World Racers in Uzhgorod

Back in 2009 when I lived in Kiev all year I helped with 3 different World Race Squads.  But this month I did more than provide introductions and a little logistical help; this time I hosted a Team in my apartment for most of the month.

Team Sound of Strength is beginning their 9th month with Z Squad.  That's meaningful to me...I was Squad Leader for A Squad back in 2007.  Crazy huh?

I had a blast hosting them and they were well received all over town (and it was fun being "daddy" for a few weeks!)

It was important to me that they weren't just doing "busy work" while here in Uzhgorod.  Maybe it felt that way at times but maybe it's always like that.  I really wanted to use them in a very strategic way, particularly in terms of launching a ministry to college students at a local university.  However, I wasn't able to get everything in place in time for them to begin what will (Lord willing) become a "BSU/BCM" type ministry among International Students when the university starts back in the Fall.

But they definitely extended my "presence" here in Uzhgorod.  Because of them I was able to begin a relationship with a handful of other ministries in town.  The girls (Sound of Strength is an all girl team!) helped teach English classes and Bible Studies with an existing ministry in town where they made friends that resulted in invitations to hang-out socially which opened the door to really share about what they are doing  (and why) on The World Race.

They held abandoned babies at a local hospital.  Check that.  They did more than hold abandoned babies.  They caressed and cared for abandoned babies.  They prayed and prophesied and sang over and cried over those babies.

They made friends with and helped minister to the teenagers at my church.

From their own meager financial resources they sponsored a couple of weekly feeding programs for street kids.

I stole some of these pictures from World Racer Jessica Fischbach.  Check out here photo-blog.

And they aren't finished yet:  After debriefing in Budapest, Hungary for a couple days they will go to Guatemala and spend 3 months in Central America before going home.  Remember them in your prayers and follow them at www.theworldrace.org.

Run to the Border: Part 2

I have a VISA.

I returned to the Ukrainian Embassy this morning and getting my VISA took all of 5 minutes.

I now have 45 days to Register with local authorities in Uzhgorod.  I'm not sure yet what that entails.  I know some friends in the Kyiv region and further East have experienced lots of hassles getting registered.  I think it will involve getting letters from landlords, more letters from my "inviting" parties, maybe proof of health coverage?, and of course getting everything "stamped" by the right person before going to the next person.  You would think after paying the big bucks and getting the VISA from the Embassy that everything else is just a technicality.  We shall see.

Run to the Border Part 1: My quest for a VISA

US Citizens can visit Ukraine for 90 days within a 180 day period without a VISA.  Of course, I want to stay a little longer so I need a long-term VISA.  You must apply at a Consulate/Embassy outside of Ukraine so I'm in Budapest, Hungary to do the deed!

I probably could have picked a better week to come to Budapest (but it's a beautiful city and I have friends here...so really?  Is there any such thing as a "bad time"?)  Anyway, it takes three days to get an expedited VISA and yesterday (Monday) was a holiday for the Ukrainian Embassy...so here I am on Tuesday morning (and did I mention that Ukrainian Consulate is closed on Thursdays?)  Nevertheless, I successfully turned in my paperwork (a letter of Invitation from my Pastor/Church in Uzhgorod, along with an official letter from the Zacarpattia Region Administration- again, my Pastor took care of that, 2 passport photo's, the application from the Embassy website and a copy of my Passport).  I then paid the expedited fee (about $150) and they told me to return between 9-12 (their regular office hours) on Friday!

Here's some details for those who will follow!

My application was in order except for 2 small details which the girl at the window in the Embassy changed for me on the spot.  I had checked off that I had an "Official" Passport and that I wanted a VISA for multiple entries.  Apparently an "Official" Passport is more like a "Diplomatic" Passport and I was told I have an "Ordinary" Passport.  She changed the entry to "Single Entry" and told me I have 45 days from the time I enter Ukraine again to secure Registration with the local government, at which time  I'll be able to come and go unlimited times within the 3-5 year life of my VISA.

Getting there was easier than I thought it would be.

I took the Red Metro line to it's last stop: Deli Palyaudvar.  I had read elsewhere on the interwebz that I should take Bus 21 or 21A to the Ukrainian Embassy at Istengeti 83.  When I ascended from the Metro I went to the street that runs parallel to all the train tracks (Deli Palyaoudvar is a railway station also.)  I'll confess that I took the 21A in the wrong direction (going to my right as I faced the street and facing these two buildings below).

No worries though, Deli is the 2nd to last stop for the 21A so I just rode it back around.  Next time I'll know to cross the street here and take the 21 or the 21A going left.  Knowing where to get off for the Ukrainian Embassy is easy.  It's about 7 stops up the hill and the addresses along the way are well marked so you'll know when you're getting close to the Lorant Ut stop and 83 Istengeti.  The Embassy is on the left and has a Blue Gate in front.  You may have to press the button near the door for the bus to stop at Lorant.

I mentioned already the regular hours are 9-12, M-W and Friday.  Closed during Ukrainian Holidays (and likely Hungarian Holidays too!).  I was the first person inside.  The girl at the window spoke English and was very nice.  After accepting my paperwork she then gave me a MKB Bank Deposit Slip and I was instructed to go to the bank to pay for my VISA and then return with the receipt.  She was very helpful in telling me where to go and how to get there.  It was very easy.

I walked back to the Lorant Ut bus stop (only 30 meters uphill from the Embassy) and caught the 212 Bus to Csorsz Ut (it's right in front of MOM Park Mall and the MKB Bank and about 9 stops).

The MKB Bank is in MOM Park Mall and you're practically looking at it when you step off the 212.

You have to punch in a few answers on a touch screen thing inside the bank to get a "number" to be seen by a teller.  As soon as the machine printed my number the appropriate teller opened up.  There's an ATM in the bank (it wasn't working) but there are several inside the Mall.  I paid Cash (in Hungarian Florint) and she gave me a receipt.  I then retraced my steps and caught the 212 going back the other way.  This time, for some reason the bus stop was called the Ora Ut stop.  Still, you can follow along with the addresses going uphill and know when to get off the bus.

So there ya go.  From the time I first presented my paperwork (right at 9 am) until I returned with my receipt from the bank took about 50 minutes!!  Praise the Lord.  And the girl in the window didn't tell me a time to return on Friday, she just said between 9 and 12...regular office hours so I assume my VISA will be ready to be inserted into my Passport when I return at 9 am on Friday!

Happy Easter

It's an odd sensation, in a way.  Facebook friends are all posting about the resurrection.  And our church definitely observed Easter this morning...but for most of "this" world...here in Ukraine, the Orthodox Calendar rules and according to the Orthodox Calendar, next Sunday is Easter.

No matter.  Just means we get to focus our attention especially on the empty tomb for two weekends.

It was interesting going to church this morning with "Easter" on my mind but the people we were seeing on the street were carrying "greenery" in recognition of Palm Sunday.

Speaking of Easter...of Easter Eggs anyway...Yesterday, we took a tour of 3-4 local castles.  One of them is occupied by a couple of Ukrainian National Artist.  We were privileged to visit their studio and observe (the wife) making her own patented Pysanka-type Eggs.

Here's a really BAD picture of one of them:

Ah, but here's the kicker.  Even with the bad picture quality, you can tell it's extremely detailed, right?

She dyes the eggs for 3 hours somehow using Onion Skins.  I'm guessing there must be some sort of strange chemical reaction that causes the color to be added in layers, like eletroplating.  Here's why I think that:

That cool image is created by her scraping the red color off with shards of razor blades.  The image is created entirely by shading...she can scrape all the way down to the white egg shell...or stop somewhere in between.  That's it.  I guess she might sketch out what she wants to create ahead of time, but I didn't see any drawing on the eggs she was creating in the studio.  

It takes one whole month to create one of these eggs.  Now that's an Easter Egg!