My Three Week Trip to Finland

Wednesday the 19^th of August I left Cherepovets to go to Finland to get a new visa. I was not looking forward to this trip since I had done it every month for the last four months. These trips to Finland have become almost second nature. I had sent off all the necessary papers and my passport to the hands of a professional to get my visa. Everything was in order. I was planning on a quick 5 day trip, just like the many times before. I think it is times like these where God likes to mix things up and show how great He really is. It’s when we have gotten used to something and start getting comfortable, deceiving ourselves into thinking that we have things under control, that the Lord needs to come and bring us back to reality. I was not prepared at all for what the Lord was doing.

As I started my journey it seemed to me that all was normal. My first leg of my trip was over and was I waiting in St. Petersburg for my bus. To help make the time go faster I went to a place where I could check my emails and work on my latest news letter. It was then that I received my first message from my visa agent saying that my application was rejected because it was not properly filled out. I thought this strange since I had filled it out the same as the 6 or 7 times before. So I gave him the appropriate information to fill in so that he could try again and then went on with my day calculating that this delay had already cost me three extra days because now I needed to spend the weekend in Finland. When it was finally time to get to my bus I was surprised again to find the bus totally full and the only spot left was the no one wanted. But I thought nothing of it till we reached the border only to meet a huge line of cars waiting because the customs were closed for the next hour or so. Later I was again surprised to see how things have changed at the border control. The customs officers were much more unpleasant than usual, and they made us get all our luggage out of the van making everything a huge hassle. This change in procedure and attitude is just another proof that Russia is starting to tighten up their control on things, especially visas and boarder controls. It was quickly becoming apparent to me that this trip was not going to be a simple one week trip.

Once in Finland I checked into my hostel and was told that they didn’t have room for me to stay there for my whole extended journey. This meant I would have to find other hostels to stay in and jump from hostel to hostel. This trip was taking a sharp turn for the worst. I spent the next week going from hostel to hostel and every day I got a message from my agent saying my application was rejected by the Russian Embassy, because they demanded more information regarding my work. What they didn’t understand is that I have now been living outside the U.S. for one year and therefore have no job in America, or any source of income that they were willing to accept. Every day I was spending more money, adding more days to my trip, and quickly losing optimism. Finally towards the end of the week I was almost lost in despair. I had given my agent all the information I could and now had to pray that this one last time he submitted application my visa would be accepted. If it wasn’t accepeted I would have to give up and fly to the States. Really though neither the prospect of getting my visa and going back to Russia, or flying back to the States was really possible since I had not budgeted for this long of trip and didn’t have enough to wait in Finland for my visa or to fly home. My grandparents had sent me some money, but it still wasn’t quite enough to do it all. All the while I had been sending out emails asking for prayer, but so far it seemed like God was not hearing our prayers.

I then decided to try asking for help from churches in Finland. I did a search online and could only find information on the Lutheran church in Helsinki and a small Calvary Chapel fellowship in a smaller city 140 km from where I was. So I sent an email to the Calvary Chapel and went to ask the Lutheran church if they could give me a place to stay, but they very politely said since I was not a Lutheran missionary there was nothing they could do. Things where looking hopeless. No one seemed able to help, I had almost no money, no visa, and I was stuck in the one of the most expensive countries in all of Europe. Then to my surprise I received an email from someone I had never heard of before. He is an elder in the church my Grandparents and parents go to. He had heard about what I was doing from my dad. He had read my blog and was every excited about what I am doing and said he is trying to get his church to support me. This is a huge answer to prayer, since I have been looking and praying for support for some time now. I was touched when he said, “kid you’ve got faith!!!” This was a great encouragement; however I didn’t feel like I had that much faith as I went to bed asking God what he was doing, and why he had sent me to Russia only to shut me out now. The last thing I remember saying to God that night totally confused and depressed is, “God what are you doing now?”

The next day I got up and went straight to my computer to see if there was any news. And to my surprise there was an email from some great friends of mine who are on my prayer letter list saying that the Lord had just blessed them with some money and they could give me enough to provide for all that I needed. This was a huge encouragement, and I was starting to get optimistic again. But there was still no word about the visa, so I would not let myself get excited. It was as though God was trying to tell me, “Look, I am providing for your current needs and future needs. I can and will get you back to Russia.” Along with the letter from my friends I also received word from the pastor of the Calvary Chapel in Finland saying that I was welcome to come and stay with them as long as I needed, I just had to take a train to their city. I quickly did the math and figured that it would save me over 200 Eros to go there and stay with them, so I said, “Ok, but let me wait till I hear about my visa application because if I have to fly home I will want to be in Helsinki.” I was still refusing to trust the Lord. Two days later I got another email from a pastor I know in Nevada, whom I had asked to support me a while back, saying that they enjoyed my last news letter and that they were going to start supporting me. This was too much; I finally broke down my wall of disbelief and thanked the Lord saying, “Ok, I trust what You are doing.” The very next day I got news that my application was accepted and in four days they would send me my visa. I almost jumped up right there in the hostel’s crowded internet cafeteria, praising the Lord. The next day I was on the train to Turku to meet my new friends. I cannot tell you how blessed I was to be able to spend the rest of my time in Finland with these guys. It is always a pleasure to meet likeminded believers and fellowship in the word. My spirit was refreshed by the fellowship and teaching I received there. It was a great environment to soak up what had just happened in the past two weeks.

I had once again left Russia in my own strength, and the Lord had to teach me to lean on Him. I have lived here in Russia a year witnessing blessings and provision from the Lord again and again. Still I find it hard to simply believe and trust in Him like a child. I still try to do everything in my own power, and forget that, “It is not by strength or might, but My Spirit,” says the Lord. It is funny how patient the Lord is in waiting till I had no hope and no other options before He reveal His plan to provide for my needs and get me back to Russia to do His work. He knows my heart, and I am glad I have a God that will go to that extent to teach and grow me in Him. I only hope that I will learn from this trip, apply what I have learned, and walk in agreement with His amazing wisdom, strength, power, and LOVE! Amos 3:3