I was a crime victim last week in Kyiv. Not in any danger, but I am slightly poorer and wiser since the incident. This bad experience also happened at the Metro, but it could have been so much worse. I was going to city called Warzel with Mother’s Care. I wanted to visit my little Zhenya at his orphanage there. His first birthday is the day I leave for home.
The Metro was crowded, full of tired looking Ukrainians, going to their places of business. But alas, alack. On this morning, somebody was giving me the business. At some point during the ride, I was hornswoggled by a pickpocket.
Please understand, I had my wallet in my front right pants pocket, which was underneath my heavy winter coat. I really can’t figure out how he did it. I mean, the Metro was packed and I’m not the most streetwise. But it happened in front of me!
At some point, I felt my pocket and realized the wallet was gone and told the others. All I could do was go back home immediately to cancel my credit cards, ATM, etc with the help of my sister in the States. The downside of calling home is that it’s about 28 numbers to go through a phone card and the directions are in Russian. And it costs about two dollars a minute. But here’s the amazing part. While I was on the phone, one of the staff members, Natasha, walked in and told me, “The Metro station called and they’ve found your wallet. But I don’t know why they called me at home.”
Puzzling, that they’d call that number. I’d never called Natasha at home, never had reason. I could imagine maybe calling the YWAM office on a hunch because the wallet belonged to an American. But how would they have that particular number?
There was good news when I picked up my wallet. My cards were all still there. Praise God for dumb criminals. They didn’t even take the Russian phone card, just the cash (which in my estimation amounted to 200 grivna, or 40 dollars). Lo and behold, in the midst of my credit cards was a post-it note with Natasha’s phone number but no name. Had it not been in there, I wouldn’t have gotten it back. I’m still wondering where it came from.
Anyway, that’s the story. I did say I’m wiser, and this is the application.

1. Wear a money bag around my neck instead of carrying a wallet. Clearly there’s no safe place to keep a wallet.
2. Don’t even bring credit cards along. They’re “emergency only” and I’ve never used them yet. I even ordered my plane tickets by ATM card.
3. Travel with as little money as possible always. (which I do anyway)
4. Whatever you carry your stuff in, have a phone number in it, in case somebody does find it.
5. Memorize emergency phone numbers just in case you do lose your ID and money. This way you can get home. (This one’s from Rachel)

This is probably good travel advice for anyone. In fact, I’ll be traveling home in about 24 hours. Thanks for your prayers, but don’t worry about me. I got me some angels.

¶ 2:14 AM

 Anonymous said...
Mark, our prayers are with you. It was good to read about your experience and that the Lord protected you. But I was also saddened today about hearing that your Dad passed away - he had become a great friend to me. We will miss him, yet have the hope of renewed contact in the Kingdom of the Lord.  

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