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Hawes Family Update--August 1, 2008
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--- God sends an African angel ---

Last month I had the opportunity to go to Chisinau, Moldova to meet with our partners in Bible Mission International. We discussed expanding their very effective correspondence bible school into an online format and talked about using computer outreach programs in Moldova. The meetings were good and I look forward to great things happening in Moldova. When the meetings were over I took the overnight train from Chisinau to Kiev, Ukraine. It was a long 14 hour trip with three border crossings, but I arrived in Kiev just after noon. I had plenty of time before my next train that would take me home to Kharkov. When the time came I went to the platform and showed the conductor my ticket and boarded the train. But then, just as I had found my compartment, I heard the conductor yelling at me. It took a minute to understand what he was saying, but then I understood. My ticket was for a different day. So, off the train I went. I know I double checked the tickets when I bought them a week earlier, but they are not very easy to read and I must have missed the incorrect date. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, I could take a later train, but I had a tight schedule, I needed to get back to Kharkov--a six hour trip at best--that night to stay with the kids, so that Jody could take a train back to Kiev to meet a team coming from America for a two week long English outreach.

It was a weekend and it was summer which meant the trains would likely be full if there even was another train to Kharkov that day. With little hope I made my way to the ticket counters and got in line. I was thinking about how to explain my situation and get this problem resolved with only my basic Russian skills. I called Jody and broke the bad news. She was understanding and said she would pray. I got off the phone and began to wait. Then to my surprise, two people in front of me in line, was a face I recognized. It was the African man I had met just the Sunday before at church in Kharkov. What was he doing here? I didn't remember his name, but I got his attention and learned again that it was Clint. Clint was from Kenya and was part of the worship team at our new church. Clint spoke English well and so I told him my situation and asked if he could help. Clint has been studying as an aerospace engineer for several years and his Russian is much better than mine. Clint gladly offered to help and he told me that he too needed to get tickets back to Kharkov as soon as possible. He had come to Kiev with his girlfriend, Ester, to get a visa for her, as she needed to fly back home in two days and needed the visa for the country she was flying through. If they didn't get back she would not have time to pack and get back to Kiev for her flight out in two days. Clint told me that it didn't look good. The signboard was showing all the trains out today were full and only first-class seats available the next day. Clint also told me Ester's visa had cost them more than they had anticipated due to expediting fees. They didn't have the money for anything but third-class. I was so glad for their help and I felt the lest I could do was offer to pay for whatever tickets we could get to all get home as soon as we could.

When we finally got up to the counter--over an hour later--we were only able to get three first-class tickets ($26 each) on the morning train the next day. It would mean Jody would have to find someone to watch the kids for the night and it meant that we needed to find a place for the night, but we would be able to get home without too much delay. God again was gracious. Missionary friends in Kharkov took the kids for the night and we found a place to stay in Kiev. On the way to Moldova I had spent a short night in Kiev before our 4am train out to Moldova. I stayed at the Bible Mission office in Kiev which had a nice apartment with--you guessed it--three beds and two rooms--just what we needed that night. So, I called up my friends at Bible Mission and arranged for us to spend the night there. I worked out well and the next morning we were on our way back to Kharkov--passing Jody's train as it was coming into Kiev.

Wow! What a clear work of God. To even try and imagine the probability of these "coincidences" without God is mind boggling. The right people, at the right time, in the right place, with the right resources. But, that's just who God is. We just need to learn to believe it, and live like we do, even when the situation looks hopeless.

God, thanks for the angel and for showing me again who you are.

Thank you for your prayers and support. God IS listening.

Andrew Hawes
-- for Jody, Josiah and Elena


Email: GetHooked@Fish4Him.net
Web: http://www.Fish4Him.net

Greater Europe Mission
http://www.gemission.org