Yuri, our long-time former orphan graduate from the Harbor, turned up again after a few months absence. We have always had an open-door policy with him, and he usually comes once a week for mentoring and dinner. The kids were thrilled to see him. We were happy too, but we had to understand what was really going on.
His reason: life has been hard lately - no job, and a difficult living situation, and when things go poorly for him, he feels ashamed to be in the presence of "successful" people like us. He had told Natasha (the other Harbor graduate who comes here weekly for mentoring) that he felt bad about showing up until he could accomplish something to show for himself. He compared it to wanting to show his father that he was worthy. Wow. We have plenty to talk about. On the one hand, it's a bad theology and understanding of God and our own unconditional love. On the other, I am honored that he wants to please us and treat us well.
Yuri's living situation played a role in his disappearance last year for a few months. Lydia had been given some money to spend for ministry purposes as she wished, and she gave a lot of it to Yuri for fixing his wood stove. Long story short, it was fixed, but the neighbors complained of smoke, so the authorities forbid him from using it. So without heat, electricity, or water at home, he had to leave.
He's been working on getting electricity, water, and fix up his unlivable home that had been abandoned by his mother 10 years ago. The biggest task has been the electricity, which now after numerous attempts at pleading with the local bureaucrats has only gotten worse:
Since they don't have proof from him that the place was abandoned, even though no power was used, he has to pay back-due bills for that 10 years of about $1000, plus another $1000 for water, gas, and other utilities. To re-open an account and install a meter, he needs another $1000. Then he can begin the process of installing wiring to hook up a new electrical system. No matter that the authorities saw with their own eyes that there is no electricity flowing to the place, the bill continues to grow.
Oh, and if you want the process to take 2 weeks instead of 2 months, pay another $1000.
I can't stand this, and I'm on it.
His reason: life has been hard lately - no job, and a difficult living situation, and when things go poorly for him, he feels ashamed to be in the presence of "successful" people like us. He had told Natasha (the other Harbor graduate who comes here weekly for mentoring) that he felt bad about showing up until he could accomplish something to show for himself. He compared it to wanting to show his father that he was worthy. Wow. We have plenty to talk about. On the one hand, it's a bad theology and understanding of God and our own unconditional love. On the other, I am honored that he wants to please us and treat us well.
Yuri's living situation played a role in his disappearance last year for a few months. Lydia had been given some money to spend for ministry purposes as she wished, and she gave a lot of it to Yuri for fixing his wood stove. Long story short, it was fixed, but the neighbors complained of smoke, so the authorities forbid him from using it. So without heat, electricity, or water at home, he had to leave.
He's been working on getting electricity, water, and fix up his unlivable home that had been abandoned by his mother 10 years ago. The biggest task has been the electricity, which now after numerous attempts at pleading with the local bureaucrats has only gotten worse:
Since they don't have proof from him that the place was abandoned, even though no power was used, he has to pay back-due bills for that 10 years of about $1000, plus another $1000 for water, gas, and other utilities. To re-open an account and install a meter, he needs another $1000. Then he can begin the process of installing wiring to hook up a new electrical system. No matter that the authorities saw with their own eyes that there is no electricity flowing to the place, the bill continues to grow.
Oh, and if you want the process to take 2 weeks instead of 2 months, pay another $1000.
I can't stand this, and I'm on it.
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