Kelly and Christine have been Displaced

Our dear friends, Kelly and Christine, currently need your help. Due to the ongoing “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine, they find themselves displaced from their home, business, and financial resources in Russia where they have lived and worked for the last 26 years.

Together, they are an Alaskan (Kelly) and a Californian (Christine) who felt called to Russia in the 1990's. They wanted to make a positive contribution during a time of great turmoil there, to build cultural bridges, and to live their faith openly at work as well as in church. They raised two sons in Saint Petersburg, helped build several  businesses, and served in two churches and a school. But the onset of the “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine changed their lives.

There was an urgent need to help an elderly family member recovering from emergency surgery in California. Given the geo-political situation, Kelly and Christine had to choose whether to remain in Russia indefinitely or to leave their home and business behind. They knew it was time to be with family so they left their home in Russia, able to take only what they could carry. 

Like anyone who suddenly finds themselves displaced, Kelly and Christine have been trying to make a plan; however, even the simplest plan requires “set-up” resources. And they’re finding that they don’t have the funds to make even basic choices like getting a car or a place to live.

Here is their story,  a story of God's grace, told beautifully by Christine:

Kelly and Christine’s Story

“We find ourselves in need of a vehicle, a more settled place to live, and the finances to make either of these two things possible. Here is how we ended up in the U.S. - starting from scratch after 26 years of working, creating a home, and raising our children in Russia.

“In February, we learned that an elderly family member had become very ill. This man has been a father to me since my father passed away and I desperately wanted to see him and help where I could. He lives in the United States and recently underwent an emergency surgery. However, the pandemic made travel complicated.

“Kelly tried to book tickets for me to fly to the U.S., but due to COVID restrictions it would not have been possible for me to visit the relative while he remained in the recovery facility. I spoke with him and we decided that I should wait until he was able to return home.

“On February 23rd, Russia began it’s “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine. International flights from Russia were canceled. There were rumors that the border could be completely closed, which had already happened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In spite of the tensions, we decided to remain in Russia. Kelly and I were worried that if we left, we would find ourselves without a home or income from the small business in which we are part-owners. Our financial resources had been severely curtailed due to the pandemic, but we had food, healthcare, and a house of our own. Given the sanctions and travel restrictions, leaving would make it difficult to return.

“However, on the same night that we decided to stay in Russia, we received a phone call from the facility where our family member was recovering from surgery. The nurse stated that he was neither eating nor drinking and had refused vital medications.

“With travel options rapidly diminishing, we needed to act fast or we could lose the opportunity to see that person again. But we didn’t have funds to purchase tickets for both of us to the U.S.. Within hours of the nurse’s phone call, a dear colleague called Kelly asking whether we planned to stay in Russia, and if we needed any help. After hearing the news about Christine’s family member, the caller said that their organization would be willing to provide tickets for us to travel to California. Without that support, we would still be in Russia.

“The tickets that we were able to book departed in two days. Packing took on another level of importance as we tried to decide which bits of our lives were important enough to be included in the two checked bags and one carry-on we were each allowed. It was a frantic, adrenaline-based flurry of activity. Emotions rolled over us as we reluctantly gave our beloved cat to a friend, parked the car that had carried our family on long road-trips, and locked the door to our house. We don’t know what the future holds, only that things will never be the same. We have not even begun to process the loss.

“We hadn’t expected the geo-political pressure to intensify so quickly, but it has taken on a life of its own. We began to realize that we might not have the option to return to St. Petersburg. Laws have been passed making it impossible to transfer funds out of Russia. Foreigners are restricted from selling their homes, businesses or properties. The renter that supports our business has given notice that it is departing. And the government is discussing nationalizing foreign owned assets and restricting entry into the country for citizens of “unfriendly” countries.  To complicate things, we purchased our business in Russia using loans taken in the U.S.  So we've been separated from our assets and income, but not our debts.

“Today, we are in California. We are grateful that our elderly family member’s condition has improved and he may be able to return home in April. My brother was kind enough to lend us his car for the past two weeks. And the sister of a missionary we know from St. Petersburg has provided us with a comfortable, temporary place to stay. God is good, all the time.

“We are still in shock. The adrenaline has passed, but the pressure on us personally has increased. We don’t feel that we’re starting over, but we do need to move on. Our world has changed.

 

 

The 7-Step Plan and Cost Breakdown

Together with family and friends, Kelly and Christine have been brainstorming how to create a foundation so they can find stability and safety again.  Here are the steps and solutions they've identified:

Step 1: Get transportation

Issue: They need the ability to help their elderly relative return home, to relocate and commute to a job, and to move between friends and family in different locations until a complete plan comes together.

Considerations: Since Kelly is 6’7” and they may need to travel to relocate to a different area of the country, getting a reliable minivan seems like the best fit. Specifically, a minivan that Kelly can comfortably drive and that would allow them to camp out of to save money when they move for housing or work. We have researched options and found that the minivans he can fit into are $10,000 -$15,000.

Solutions: Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey, and Dodge Grand Caravan. These will accommodate Kelly’s height, have reasonable gas mileage, can be camped in when necessary, and reliable options can be found in the above price range.

Cost for Car + 1 Year of Insurance: $13,000 -$16,000

Step 2: Gas Money

Issue: Gas prices are very high

Solution: We want to provide them at least 3 months of gas money so that they can easily relocate for housing or employment during these “between times”.

Cost: $2,500

Step 3: Health and Medications

Issue: Due to health related issues, Kelly and Christine need access to medications and may need to visit a doctor or hospital. Kelly is a Type I, insulin dependent diabetic. They did a great job getting 2 months of medications before leaving Russia, but that will go quickly and we all know medical care in the US is complicated.

Solutions: 6 months of medical savings. Additionally, we have been working on ways to get discounted medications and access to sliding fee clinics. However, some money is needed in case of an emergency situation.

Cost: $6,000

Step 4: Living Expenses

Issue: Daily necessities like groceries, clothes, phones, etc.

Assessment: Due to the many complicated parts of Kelly and Christine’s situation (their home in another country, sick family member, need to relocate for work or housing, etc.), they realistically need at least 6 months of financial resources in order to find stability and a home.

Cost: $12,000

Step 5: Potential housing deposit

Issue: Kelly and Christine don’t want to be homeless forever

Solution: They will need first and last month's rent for a lease.

Cost: $4,500


Step 6: Visit Kelly's family in Alaska

Issue:  Due to the pandemic, vaccine restrictions and financial limitations, Kelly and Christine haven't spent time with Kelly's family in Alaska since January 2018.  Although they are focused on getting their lives in order, they feel that this needs to include spending time with those who have always supported them from afar.

Solution: They need airplane tickets to Alaska

Cost: $1,000

Grand Total “Starting Over Cost”: $42,000

If you are like us, you are feeling the sticker shock when you see $42,000. The financial cost of being suddenly displaced is shocking and it feels overwhelming to Kelly and Christine as well. They went from having a home, zero-deductible healthcare and stability to nothing in a matter of 4 days.

As their friends and family who love them very much, we want to help support them in any way we can, including this GoFundMe. We have no idea if we can raise anything close to this for Kelly and Christine, however, we are going to give this our very best shot.  And if we are able to raise more than $42,000, that is where Step 7 comes into play.


Step 7: Pay down loans taken in the U.S. to purchase their Russian small business

Issue:  Kelly and Christine borrowed funds in the U.S. to purchase part ownership of their small business in Russia.  Now, due to the geo-political situation, they aren't allowed to sell that business.  Even if they could, the proceeds from any sale cannot be sent to the U.S. to repay the loan. This is a big stressor for them.

Solution:  Amounts raised that are not used to fund Steps 1-6 described above will help them to pay down these burdensome loans and give them a fresh start.

Cost: The amount owed on these loans is $75,430.  Kelly and Christine were reluctant to share this figure.  It's a big number.   But they are learning that this is a time to ask for help. They are grateful for any contribution toward this amount.


How We Can Help Kelly and Christine

Contribute to this GoFundMe:  If you can donate to this GoFundMe, we would all be greatly appreciative.

Resources and Supplies:  Everyone is open to ideas. Places to stay for a while, jobs, best way to get affordable insulin. etc.

Asking, “How are you doing?" Or "Is there anything I can do to help today?” instead of “What are you going to do now?”:  Kelly and Christine need our support with daily love and encouragement coupled with daily needs. Since they are still in shock, answering the long term questions often feels paralyzing.

 

Share this go fund me with others:  We know that not everyone has the resources to help financially. That’s ok. If you feel comfortable sharing this GoFundMe, please do. It may be the share that helps us meet Kelly and Christine’s needs.


A few Questions & Answers About this GoFundMe

How long will this campaign run?

We have set this campaign at 3 months because donating to GoFundMe is actually the easiest way for those of us who live abroad to keep supporting Kelly and Christine month to month. We plan to give to the campaign a little each month since the money is needed over time as they get settled.

Why aren’t we talking more about the Geo-political climate?

Due to relationships and obligations in Russia, public discussions about geo-political issues can affect Kelly and Christine and those close to them.

What kind of updates should we expect from this GoFundMe?

Updates may be limited but we will do our best to keep everyone current on progress. We know you care and it’s important to share the joys and wins as well as the struggles. We will provide updates as possible. Kelly and Christine may not be able to reply right away due to their need to be emotionally and physically involved with the care of their loved one while also managing the trauma of being displaced.

What about Kelly & Christine’s sons?

Kelly and Christine’s two sons are safe in the US. One continues to attend university and the other started his own company after completing university. Their sons are a great form of emotional and problem solving support. We could not be more proud of how well they have managed during the trials around the pandemic and the loss of access to their home.