Morning Kasha and the Stolen Car

The first few days while I am in Tyumen I’m staying with a Russian woman named Bella. Bella opened her home up to me even though she has a full flat with her daughter and mother… And her cat.

Right when I got to her home I washed my face and went to bed. Because of how many people live with her, she sleeps in the living room on a pull out sofa. I slept next to her on the couch. I was out right when my head hit the pillow at 10:30pm.

Bella woke me up at 8:30am and we had kasha (which is a mix of oats, barely and gains), with tomatoes, salt and tea.

I communicated some with Bella and her Mother, teaching each other small words and phrases. It was a special morning to be able to spend time with a family that doesn’t speak English fluently. You learn a lot over kasha.

After breakfast Bella and I walked out of her flat to meet my American Friends (who live in Tyumen). I brought two bags with me oversees and my red backpack was over the weight limited, so I had to check it in at the airport in America.

Since I barely made it onto my flight from Moscow to Tyumen, my bag was not so lucky. So today I had to go get my backpack with one of my American friend’s, Jim Foote.

He and I drove out to the airport which is a ways from the city. We found a nice parking spot right outside the small terminal and headed inside to find my luggage. After 25 minutes of wondering and asking for help, we found my backpack and started our way back to the car. However, once we walked over to the spot where we parked, the car was gone.

Our car was stolen!! And what is worse, I had put my expensive camera, with all my extra equipment and valuables in that car. Jim instantly calls
his friend Sergey and his wife Galina because their names are registered under that car. Right before we called we both noticed that there was a bus sign near where we parked. There are only two things that could have happened: 1. Car was stolen 2. The police had towed the car due it being parked in near the bus stop. I was praying for the second option…

Twenty minutes went by just standing and waiting for a call back from Sergey. My heart sunk at each second that went by. It was hard to fight back tears.
We finally heard back and yes, our car was taken… By the police.

Jim and I took a taxi to Sergey and then we all went on an adventure to find the garage where they place the cars. After an hour we find it! The car was there in one piece, and so was my bag!!

However we couldn’t just pay for it there and take the car like we do in America. We had to drive on the other side of the city to the police station, fill out paperwork and take it back to the garage.

The whole process took 6 hours! We take for granted the relatively smooth process of certain things in America. The Russian bureaucracy system is so complicated. Needing to go to 3 different places in order to take a car out of a garage.

The day ended well though! Dinner with new Russian friends and with my American friends Jeff, Amy (their baby Gideon) and Luke the intern with Jeff and Amy’s ministry. End of the day turned into a lesson well learned and a full thankful heart.

Day two: An epic adventure.