Russian Refugees

Last April we found a handwritten note in the front door of the church in Joensuu. A sister and her son were trying to make contact with someone in the church. They entered Finland in January and applied for refugee status and then applied for residence. The reason they came was to escape religious persecution. The sister was given a choice between keeping her job or leaving the church. Her son's registration was removed so that he could not longer attend school. And an outbuilding on their property was burned down. So they decided to try and get out of Russia. Their application for residency was recently rejected and now they have appealed. But things don't look so good for them as Finland tries to maintain good relations with Russia. They are amazing. The son speaks English and Dutch quite well. Of course he speaks Russian and now is learning Finnish. He knows a lot about American culture and a lot about American and world politics. He is very considerate of his mother and is dedicated to the church. He is planning on going on a mission even when he doesn't know where he will be by the end of the year. They both are amazingly positive and have created a good life for themselves here even though they are sharing one room in a refugee camp. They have made friends inside and outside of the church because of their open and engaging personalities. Of course we hope the best for them.