So, normally I would send this as a text update, but it’s a little long, so I decided to do it in blog form.
(Shameless plug, did you know I have a WhatsApp udapte list? If you want to receive real-time text updates while I’m on the field, send me a message or comment on this blog with your number. You will need to download WhatsApp.)
Anyway.
We’re in Azerbaijan right now, which in case you don’t know, is two countries east of Turkey. They share their southern border with Iran. And… we might be stuck.
Here’s the details. We were supposed to head to Uzbekistan on February 29. Getting visas gave us no end of headache, so, due partly to that and partly to budget complications, we delayed our departure until March 4. This gave us four extra days in Georgia with no real directive of how to spend our time.
But it’s fine. We’re Expedition. Directive-less is kind of what we do.
Four days, however, isn’t really enough time to build relationships in the community, especially when we’ve spent the last week focusing on ministering to our parents at PVT (more coming on that later!) rather than getting to know people at our hostel. We had just started to make friends when we had to leave.
The evening of March 4 we got on a train to Azerbaijan. We had planned to spend one night in the country before (hopefully) getting on a cargo ferry to Kazakhstan, then taking a train to the other side of Uzbekistan to meet our host.
(This was already a complicated arrangement because we didn’t have set times or dates for the ferry. It picks up 40 miles south of the city, could leave at any time, and could take between 22 hours and 3 days to reach the other side, weather depending. To make matters more complicated, the train we have to catch afterward doesn’t leave every day, crosses another international border (Kazakhstan/Uzbek) and could take between 3 and 5 days depending on stops. Add the coronavirus quarantines into that and we basically have absolutely no idea what will happen when we cross any international border. We’ve aleady seen full hazmat officials and had our temperatures taken (via laser gun) at the Georgia/Azerbaijan border.)
We arrive the morning of March 5 to a text from our host. Travelers coming from Georgia will be limited to their place of residence (soft quarantine) on arrival to Uzbekistan, and gathering in large groups is discouraged.
In short, he’s sorry, but he won’t be able to host us.
Meanwhile, Dylan and Aspen head to the hospital. Back in Georgia we’d lived in a little mountain town for 8 days. During this time, Dylan sprained his ankle and Aspen got frostbite on her toes. They’ve both sought medical care since, but they need a check up.
Dylan comes back with four days of mandatory rest and then PT.
Aspen comes back with antibiotics and a strict bandage-change regimen, including a mandatory check-up, since her toes have become infected.
In light of this, we decide to stay in Azerbaijan until Aspen’s follow-up appointment (at least).
The next morning, we discuss our options. Uzbekistan is not really affordable on our current budget; we’ve been looking for a few days but can’t find lodging. We can’t camp because foreigners have to register with the government every three days (and it’s cold).
To make matters more complicated, Julia, Jake’s fiancee, is supposed to be meeting us in Uzbekistan. Arrivals from the US are even stricter than those from Azerbaijan. Julia will be under house-arrest quarantine for 14 days after she arrives. Will Jake even be able to see her?
We’re not sure about soft quarantine measures for those coming from Azerbaijan, either. Will they stop us the moment we cross the border, or allow us to get to our final destination? If we go ahead with our original plan, Jake and Julia could potentially get stuck on opposite ends of the country. Even if we do make it to our final destination, we’ll have to undergo medical monitoring by a dedicated professional at our hostel for 14 days. If any of us show signs of respiratory anything we’ll immediately be quarantined in a separate medical facility.
And then there’s the interim country: Kazakhstan. Right now, arrivals from Azerbaijan have 24 days of medical monitoring by phone. How are they going to complete this when none of us will have SIM cards? Will they mandate this even though we only plan to pass through the country?
We’re trying to figure all this out when Dylan speaks up. Apparently, the port city where we’d planned to enter Kazakhstan has closed its borders to car ferries. Luckily, we had planned to take a cargo ferry, not a car ferry, but the news is concerning. How many more closures will come in the next few days?
And if the timing of all of this wasn’t juicy enough, as it turns out, Stephanie, our squad mentor and point of contact at the home office, is on holiday. (We don’t blame her; she’s been out traveling for the past five weeks. Go take a holiday, Steph, and enjoy it!)
So… yeah. At the moment we are in limbo in Azerbaijan, and are racking up quite the number of prayer requests. Here are a few ways you can be praying for our team/squad:
- Healing for Dylan: the doctor needs him to stay until the 19th to do in-person PT. After that he can do at-home exercises and is free to travel. Before getting injured, Dylan was training to do pararescue with the Navy (quite the exercise regimen!). In order to launch when he gets home, he needs to heal fast and build up his stamina again!
- Healing for Aspen: not being able to walk is pretty hard on her, and if her toes don’t get better, she could lose them. Luckily she’s got some antibiotics now, but pray that they work! Her toes look pretty bad….
- Julia’s Flights: Julia is in the process of researching how she might change/rebook flights. We have discussed going to a different, nearby city in Kazakhstan instead of heading to Uzbek. If this is the case, Julia might be able to reroute her flight to meet us in Kazakhstan. Please pray that this is possible, and that the Lord would guide her!
- Open Borders! We are not the only ones trying to cross the Caspian sea into Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan; the rest of our squad is coming after us. Things are changing so quickly that there is a high chance the borders could be closed by the time they reach the ferry! Please pray that we would be able to continue our race to the very end, along the planned route.
- Wisdom for leadership: We don’t want to act in fear, and we want to go where God is calling us. We are not afraid of infection, but the logistical issues the coronavirus has caused is a headache for all involved, especially for WR back in Atlanta. Borders and restrictions are changing by the day.
- Impact here in the city. Again, we are good at being directive-less, but a state of limbo (are we going, are we not?) doesn’t always lend itself to impact. Pray that we would keep eyes focused on where God is leading regardless of our situation.
- That WR is able to book flights home. We had planned to fly out of Beijing (yeah, that’s not happening), so WR had waited to book our flights. Now they are trying to book a flight to come home from Mongolia and having trouble finding one! Please pray that this works out!
No matter where we go we’ll face some measure of quarantine or medical monitoring, but we’re not afraid! Not only will it be a great story, but I would also be willing to bet that there are tons of poeple there who need to hear about Jesus.
Only God knows where we need to go, and he knows the clear path ahead of us. Pray, ultimately, that we would be open to God’s leading, and that he would clear the way!
What a time to be on the field!
Love from Azerbaijan,
Sarah
