The Hunsucker Document-ary Continues

In this installment, I would like to turn your attention to the following word:

document
c.1450, "teaching, instruction," from Medieval French document "lesson, written evidence," from Latin documentum "example, proof, lesson," in Medieval Latin "official written instrument,"
from docere "to show, teach". Meaning "something written that provides proof or evidence" is from 1727; the verb meaning "to support by documentary evidence" is from 1711.


Note that in this etymological definition, both the concept of 'proof' and of a 'lesson/instruction' are given as origins of the modern word.

I must say that for me, both concepts have been an integral part of my experience over the past two weeks. I have been learning and studying. I have been being taught, have learned many good lessons, and have most definitely received much instruction!
This being instructed and receiving instruction was all related to my giving proof that I want to live in Russia, reciting examples showing that I have not broken the laws out of evil intent, and demonstrating evidence that, having been given the chance to learn and change my ways, I have completely and fully complied with my local authorities.


So, what's going on? Enough etymology, right?

I have indeed re-entered Russia, with completely legal documents.
That is to say the following is now true:
1) The stated purpose of my being in Russia, written on my visa, does indeed correspond 150% with my actual activities here in Kovrov.
2) No less importantly, the inviting organization does actually have a corresponding branch in Kovrov which will take full responsibility for me as a foreign citizen here upon their behalf.

That being true of myself and my personal documents which give evidence of my desire to lawfully sojourn within the Russian Federation, I am now able to be registered at my 'point of arrival', that is, Kovrov! (HooRAH!)

This is the first time this has been possible for us. Therefore, I am indeed learning, and receiving much instruction! This has been a constant process since re-entering Russia last Thursday, as a matter of fact. My current status is that I have turned in my documents in time to be registered, so I am in safe. However, I haven't been registered yet, not due to any lack of effort on my part, but simply due to the fact that I am the first foreigner in Kovrov who has desired to be registered on a religious visa as working with the local Russian Baptist church. The migration control decided they needed a few more... yes, documents!
They would like to have copies of documents showing proof of the following: that Pavel Korneichuk has the right to sign documents as the head of the local Russian Baptist church; and that the Kovrov Church of Evangelical-Christian Baptists is indeed a branch of the Russian Union of Evangelical-Christian Baptists. We do have these, and I have been asked to bring them in to the local Migration Control office this Tuesday. Then I will be officially registered. (Assuming that they find no need for further documentation!)

Praise God for bureaucrats who are striving to see the law enforced and yet are willing to go to the trouble of working through our family's circumstances and reasons for being in the position we are.
Please believe me, I am not being sarcastic in the least - praise and thank God with us!! After all, we know that God is the One who is truly in control, and we have truly seen that 'the heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord - like a river of water, He turns it wherever He so desires'.

About Phyllis -
Please keep praying for us as we try to complete this same document process for Phyllis and the children. Our problem up until now has been that she was refused an invitation in Moscow, and the Russian Baptist Union headquarters in Moscow doesn't contest any refusals, or intercede for those they are attempting to invite.

At this point, we have begun the process of applying for invitations through the Vladimir-Ivanovo branch of the Russian Baptist Union. They are a branch of the national union, yet they are also a separate legal entity in and of themselves. They have the right to invite foreigners to Russia, but have not done so previously through the Vladimir region migration control. Therefore, first we had to begin the process of applying for/registering as a local organization inviting foreigners into Vladimir region. This involves a whole pile of... yes, you guessed it - documents!
Please pray for Sergei Burdachov, the Vladimir-Ivanovo Baptist Union's lawyer, as he gathers these documents and submits them. Pray that he would be able to do so as quickly as possible, he is a very busy man. Also pray that once they have been submitted, that the process of registering the bi-regional union and applying for invitations could be as short as possible. Usually this would entail a couple of months' time - we naturally want to amend our situation in a more timely manner, in fact, as quickly as humanly possible.

Please do keep this step in your prayers. We are taking things one day at a time, which is the only thing we can do. Each step of the way, we have seen God's provision as we have trusted ourselves to Him. Praise God with us for His faithfulness, and keep praying!!

When and if we pass this step in the process, we will leave all together for the Ukraine to apply for visas for Phyllis and the children. Pray with us that God would provide the needed finances for this trip. By my calculations, it should cost roughly twice as much as the amount we presently have left in our bank account!

Assuming God brings us all through this stage with all of our documents in order, we will immediately begin the process of applying for 'temporary residence'. This again, requires a fairly thick pile of documents, medical certificates, etc. However, if granted, we will have a... right you are once again, a DOCUMENT that allows us to live for three years in Russia, and re-register only once a year.
Sounds almost too good to be true. It is definitely something to be praying about even now - there is a quota, after all.

That, in short, is where we are now in the process. I apologize for not being able to give more of a Readers' Digest Condensed Version
...but DOCUMENTaries are usually lengthy, detail-filled, drawn out affairs, are they not? Thanks for reading, and thanks so much for your prayers, notes, love and support!



PS. Please pray specifically for God to soften the hearts of these men: Oleg, the head of the Kovrov migration control office, and Mikhail, the person in Vladimir responsible for approving invitations and registering inviting organizations.