6. S O S !

If I knew Morse’s code, I would still remain unnoticed in the middle of а busy foreign city bustling with life around my shipwreck. If not for the friends and family around the world that were among the first ones to sense our trouble and come to our rescue, I don't know what whould happen to us.

I said “sense” because as able as I am, I was completely petrified with shock and had no idea what to do about our abysmal state. All I could muster was to send signals into space to God Almighty hoping for a miracle. I hesitated to call for help. After all, what could friends in Germany, America, or Russia do for me, stuck in France with four little kids, without a car and with my husband in the ICU?! A vague hope was still feeding my imagination, that Scott would wake up soon enough to tell me what to do.

It would have been so much easier if this had happened close to home. Not an option? Ok, then, it would be more convinient to have an endless supply of money in my account, so I could continue renting the apartment on the seaside and have my sweet family’s support every night I’d come home from the hospital. Well, at least, how about coming across a parking ticket or something that would give me a clue to where my car is parked?

If things were easier, our story would be missing this very chapter. Only when things get uber-complicated can we humbly think that God considers us to be his strong and capable students. I am not talking about myself here; I am talking about all the helpful people that got involved. I was very much mistaken, we were not alone in this, and we were indeed rescued.

Kyle Quist, Scott’s friend in Utah, was tracking Scott’s race online and after mile 19 of his marathon, the signal got cut off. Wondering what that meant, he texted me first thing on Monday. First, he thought I was joking. I suppose, he let Scott’s family know about the accident, and that’s how I got a call from Scott's brother Steven saying that he and his Mom, Kathy, would be flying in Nice Wednesday night. Again, I suppose, that Kyle got hold of Dusty Miner, another training buddy of both Scott and Kyle. Dusty called right away and offered - bless his heart! - to come to France to pick up my family and drive them home. 1000 km from Grafenwoer, where he was stationed, to Nice, and then 800 km from Nice to Garmisch!

My sister Kseniya was making calls to the bishopric of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Nice to find local members who could provide me with any assistance: lodging, transportation, translation, emotional support... I dialed LTC Butler's number to let him know that Scott was not coming back from his leave yet. He was very understanding and the next person on the line was Royanna, his wife. She got on our case and promised me that the family will have all the help they need back in Germany. Mr. Butler notified the American Consulate in Nice. They, in turn, let the French police know to start the search for our vehicle. Mira spent her free time driving around town looking for a car.

The scale of the event was grand, but the outburst of love and help exceeded all my expectations. As if by domino effect, people learned about us, asked what can be done, offered their time, experience, knowledge, prayers, and even money. My Slovac girlfriend and a nurse, Sylvia Metzger, bacame my personal psychologist. I felt many warm embraces from my sister and many friends and family in America, my brother and friends in Russia and Germany through their frequent comforting calls. But the biggest hero in my eyes was my Mother.

The main idea to bring my Mom from Russia was to have her babysit our children for a week in Germany, while Scott and I would take a Mideterranian cruise. Her coming with us to Nice was a way to thank her in advance. This past spring she had suffered serious kidney problems and undergone a surgery which left a hole in her side connecting her right kidney with a bag through a catheter. She had to carry it around for three months until the most of the kidney stone remains have passed through the tube and into the bag. She was feeling ill and uncomfortable during those months, so I really wanted to take her to Nice with us, so she could be warm in the sun and get all better. I remember her worry about that one week that she would have to watch our 4 kids, two of which were under 2 year old. But she wanted to do this, because she knew Scott and I barely had time for each other since the babies were born.

When her favorite son in law got in an accident, she stuck with me and never let me get completely succombed by my grief. She made sure the kids and I were taken care of; she cooked and cleaned. She cried with me and made me smile through tears. She never backed out when presented with the plan of going back to Germany alone with all the kids. This tells something about her character. No matter how tired, or sick, or poor, or uncomfortable she goes and does what is required of her to make things better. So it was true now; speaking neither English nor German, with only 500 euro in her pocket and four children in tow, she was about to travel to the foreign country with an American soldier, who spoke no Russian. It was a whole other trial on her part, the full account of which she shares with me a little at a time. They are painful memories. Instead of a 2-week planned European vacation she got an unexpected 8-week long hard labor in exile, roughly speaking. She never complained; of course, she got upset, even cried sometimes, but she patiently pulled it thorough. The Russian way. She saved my brood from extinction and I am forever in her debt. I hope I can be a super-Grandma like she is, when I grow up.

***

Tuesday night I met with Bishop Lafitte and his wife Karen. They came straight to L’Archet -2 when I was there for the first time with Mira. They brought 2 missionaries with them. I was with Scott when they entered the ICU room. Remember, only one visitor at a time. An English speaking nurse with a Russian name Nadege (French version of Nadia) has arranged it so that Scott could receive a priesthood blessing. After that Frederic and Karen took me to my apartment. When I got out of the car at Lascaris 19, Karen gave me a big hug and said, that tomorrow, when I send my Mom and the kids to Germany and turn in the apartment keys, she will pick me up and I'll be staying with them. My heavy burden has just become lighter. The Lafittes felt like family to me. It felt so good. Plus, they spoke both French and English. I am so thankful they were quick to offer their help and support after knowing me for only a couple of hours. I am so thankful that the Church is really what brought us together.

Wednesday night Scott's brother and Mom flew into Nice. Dusty came from Germany that same night. Dusty had no car seats in his van which meant we either had to find my car by tomorrow, or go purchase the car seats first thing in the morning. Exhausted from their travels, Dusty and Steve still went into the night to look for our vehicle. They returned at 1 am. No luck.

So, it is Thursday, June 30th, the day we must get out of the apartment, by noon. We packed our suitcases, cleaned a bit and waited for Steve and Dusty to come back from their yet another quest for my van. Around 8 am they entered the apartment triumphant - they've found it!!! It turns out they woke up before 6 am, and after saying a prayer they set off to look for the car one more time, before they would go to the store to buy car seats. But they did not have to buy the car seats any longer!!! It happened like this: they walked into the second random parking garage and clicked the button on the car key remote. And there it was, blinking at them, waiting to be picked up. It was like finding the pin in a haystack; in such a busy city, with Mira, police, and Church memebers searching too. Of all the people, it was found by two Americans who were totally unfamiliar with the city, and, most importantly, at the very critical time! Now the babies could go home in their car seats, and I had my van to load up my stuff and Scott's bike right when we
needed to get out of the apartment.

Perhaps, these are small things, but "by small means the Lord can bring about great things." (1 Ne. 16:29)  In fact, we considered finding the car - a great thing, a MIRACLE, if you want. This was a good sign, that God was mindful of us and our needs.

***

Dusty, Steve, Frederick, Karen, Mira, Mr. and Mrs. Butler, my dear Mother and everyone who have promptly picked up our SOS signal, please, know, I am forever grateful for all of you and your service! It seems to me that I was not the only one being tested during this summer. Perhaps, God wanted to make sure, that there are enough wonderful, selfless, willing, worthy people who still walk this earth. And really, life goes on because of the people like you. Thank you!