Make a run for the border....
I have mentioned a couple of times about my issue with getting a visa here in Krakow. There has been a lot of complications- finding foreign affairs, getting the right paperwork, and running out of time before my 3 months were up. If you don't get your paperwork in before a certain time, they make you leave the country. Well my 3 months are up tuesday, and my paperwork was late. So I had to leave....
I was told by some of the church members here, that if I just take a train to the Ukraine, go and get my passport stamped and then just turn around- all will be good.
So I asked if my coworker would come with me. The cool thing about her, is that she is originally from the Ukraine but was adopted by Polish missionaries. So she speaks both Russian & Polish. Exactly what I needed to help me cross the border.
Our 4 hour train ride up was calm & for the most part kind of relaxing. Meaning I slept pretty much the whole way. We then had to get in a small bus/ van that was exactly like the "Fergone's" I use to have to take in Albania. They dropped us off about a half mile outside of where Passport Control was. We walked the long winding gravel road up to the building. All the way talking about what exactly they would ask, and the best way to answer there "maybe" questions. Also there was 2 passport controls, the first one was the Polish government and the other one another half mile up the hill, was the Ukrainian government. We were hoping that we could just go through the Polish one and turn around, but they told us that we had to go to the Ukrainian control to get my name in the computer that I actually crossed the border. So we walked up the hill. Went into the shady looking building, got my passport stamped into Ukraine, then went out the door, took two steps to my left then went in the other door to leave the country. They didn't even question why we just a minute ago entered the country and now we are leaving it. When we walked back down the hill, we immediately went grave for what was before us.
About 500 angry Ukrainian and Polish people waiting in the freezing cold wind and rain. They are at a dead stop, no movement. From what we could tell was past the huge crowd there was a big gate and every so often they would let about 30 people out and would have them stand outside the Polish passport control building. On the border they have a big problem with people smuggling things into Poland from the Ukraine, because things are a lot cheeper there. So, the government will only let in about 4 to 5 people at a time to thoroughly check them.
We were told by the Polish government that if we find a Guard, and tell him about our situation he would get us through the crowd. So, we found a guard, told him what the lady said and he began to part the sea of people to let us through. Needless to say, everyone was not very happy with us. They started yelling, and the once angry mob, became irate.
Then we had to hop the gate, to get to the set of 30 people waiting right outside of the doors. While we climbed the gate people started pulling us down, somehow we got over that hurdle and was onto the next. The group of 30 people had smooshed them selves as close as they could get to the door. No lines, no order, just pure chaos. Everyone trying to get themselves through at the same time. At first we were ok, we were on the outside, just patiently waiting. But then, the Guard let another group of 30 come up behind us. They all ran towards us, trying to cram themselves in between us, and get to the door first. We were smooshed completely like pancakes, unable to breathe for 30 minutes. When we eventually got through the doors it took me a complete 2 minutes to get through.
All of that madness for 2 minutes.
The train back home was quiet, but my thoughts were purely praising God for getting us through without too many scars. I have seen a lot of things in my life, but that moment seeing how selfish these people were just to get through was sickening. Sadly most of the people that were squished up against me, I saw them 10 minutes later right outside of the border trying to sell me Vodka & Cigarettes.
Today I will be heading back to Foreign affairs showing them my passport, and hopefully getting clearance to finally get my visa.
Thank you so much for your many prayers, as you can see I needed them :)
I was told by some of the church members here, that if I just take a train to the Ukraine, go and get my passport stamped and then just turn around- all will be good.
So I asked if my coworker would come with me. The cool thing about her, is that she is originally from the Ukraine but was adopted by Polish missionaries. So she speaks both Russian & Polish. Exactly what I needed to help me cross the border.
Our 4 hour train ride up was calm & for the most part kind of relaxing. Meaning I slept pretty much the whole way. We then had to get in a small bus/ van that was exactly like the "Fergone's" I use to have to take in Albania. They dropped us off about a half mile outside of where Passport Control was. We walked the long winding gravel road up to the building. All the way talking about what exactly they would ask, and the best way to answer there "maybe" questions. Also there was 2 passport controls, the first one was the Polish government and the other one another half mile up the hill, was the Ukrainian government. We were hoping that we could just go through the Polish one and turn around, but they told us that we had to go to the Ukrainian control to get my name in the computer that I actually crossed the border. So we walked up the hill. Went into the shady looking building, got my passport stamped into Ukraine, then went out the door, took two steps to my left then went in the other door to leave the country. They didn't even question why we just a minute ago entered the country and now we are leaving it. When we walked back down the hill, we immediately went grave for what was before us.
About 500 angry Ukrainian and Polish people waiting in the freezing cold wind and rain. They are at a dead stop, no movement. From what we could tell was past the huge crowd there was a big gate and every so often they would let about 30 people out and would have them stand outside the Polish passport control building. On the border they have a big problem with people smuggling things into Poland from the Ukraine, because things are a lot cheeper there. So, the government will only let in about 4 to 5 people at a time to thoroughly check them.
We were told by the Polish government that if we find a Guard, and tell him about our situation he would get us through the crowd. So, we found a guard, told him what the lady said and he began to part the sea of people to let us through. Needless to say, everyone was not very happy with us. They started yelling, and the once angry mob, became irate.
Then we had to hop the gate, to get to the set of 30 people waiting right outside of the doors. While we climbed the gate people started pulling us down, somehow we got over that hurdle and was onto the next. The group of 30 people had smooshed them selves as close as they could get to the door. No lines, no order, just pure chaos. Everyone trying to get themselves through at the same time. At first we were ok, we were on the outside, just patiently waiting. But then, the Guard let another group of 30 come up behind us. They all ran towards us, trying to cram themselves in between us, and get to the door first. We were smooshed completely like pancakes, unable to breathe for 30 minutes. When we eventually got through the doors it took me a complete 2 minutes to get through.
All of that madness for 2 minutes.
The train back home was quiet, but my thoughts were purely praising God for getting us through without too many scars. I have seen a lot of things in my life, but that moment seeing how selfish these people were just to get through was sickening. Sadly most of the people that were squished up against me, I saw them 10 minutes later right outside of the border trying to sell me Vodka & Cigarettes.
Today I will be heading back to Foreign affairs showing them my passport, and hopefully getting clearance to finally get my visa.
Thank you so much for your many prayers, as you can see I needed them :)
Comments
Please be careful. We love you and miss you!
God bless