Preservings $20 No. 25, December, 2005 - Plett Foundation

We had to sit on the coal. Since it was downstream,
the trip went fairly quickly, about 20 km per hour.
At 11 p.m. we arrived at Krasnojarsk, but certain
maneuvers held us up till 3 a.m. We were able
to lie down on the pier. We stayed on these dirty
gangways till July 2. Once we received bread (750
grams), but the rest of the time we had to fend for
ourselves. Food was expensive. From here I sent
a telegram and two cards to my family.
July 2, 1936: In the evening we boarded the
large ship “Lenin.” We were placed in the lower
deck where there was little room. Each person
had to sleep on his belongings. In Krasnojarsk
we were allowed to go into town [and] also to
the market place. I had to buy a pair of pants here
since mine were completely torn. I had to pay
117 rubles for good pants. Several prisoners drank
away their last money.
July 5, 1936: On July 4 and 5 we waited in
Strelka for a freight ship to take us to Bogutshane,
350 kilometers up the Angara River. At 3 p.m. on
July 5 we boarded the ship “Weinbaum.” Fifty-six
persons took their places on the lower deck. Our
long journey began towards evening....
On our way to Bogutshane we passed four
or five small villages, close to the water. Several
passengers embarked. The banks were beautiful
– steep rocky cliffs, 20 to 30 meters high. Then
[we passed] flats with lovely green meadows. The
water was crystal clear – one could see several
meters below the surface to the riverbed.
July 8, 1936: Finally at about 10 a.m. we arrived
at Bogutshane. After [approximately] two
hours, our belongings were taken to the local
N.K.V.D. We were billeted near the prison. We
were to receive our papers here [and then] be
[billeted in] the villages. The prison was [infested
with] bedbugs and lice which I already had..... K.
Wiese, a Caucasian prince, a Russian couple and
I were assigned to Goltjavino.
July 11, 1936: On August 2nd we arrived
in the village Saimka. It was a difficult trip with
many rocky cliffs and rapids. We had to walk
long stretches. I had to walk the last four or five
kilometers, but it was dreadful, so many fleas and
towards evening, mosquitoes. Even my net was of
no use. I was tired and hungry. [Then] I noticed a
woman who had bought two sacks of flour. She
asked me [and a man named] Radianov to carry
them to her house. [For this] she sold us eggs at
half price. I paid her three rubles and ran to the
riverbank to make a fire, cook the eggs and smoke
out the mosquitoes. Half a liter of clabbar milk,
an egg and a piece of bread [made] a good supper.
Then I was tired and wanted to sleep but, alas,
the mosquitoes bit [me] through the shoe-string
holes. I wrapped my feet with newspaper and put
my shoes on again. Then I tied up my pantlegs,
covered my head with a shawl and a net and slept
for a few hours. Early next morning there was tea
again, two eggs and a piece of bread, after which
we took to the boat for the last 30 kilometers to
Goltjavino.
July 12, 1936: We arrived at Goljavino on the
12th at 4 p.m. This village has 68 residences. We
went to the village council [to ask for] lodging.
The chairman wasn’t there. His helper told me
that they [had] no accommodation. “Go and look
for yourselves,” he said. We were allowed to leave
78 - Preservings No. 25, December 2005
our things there for the time being.
[After I had] done this, a Russian clergyman
beckoned me....and said to me: “Come with me
Petrovitch.” He led me to a room to be shared with
another man. I accepted and made arrangements
for one month – four rubles for each [of us]. But
the Russian clergyman wanted his reward – some
brandy. He was thirsty and since there was no
vodka available, he wanted some “spiritus.” [However],
we found it too expensive. These Russian
clergymen are all alike. What the Lord says of the
Pharisees in Mark 7: 6 applies also to them.
We moved in with Karl Wiese. [Our] first
discovery – bedbugs; the second – lice; the third
– filth, filth and more filth. We bathed, changed
clothes, went to bed and slept until the sun was
high.
July 13, 1936: On the 13th I cleaned my
blankets and belongings, patched my pants and
tried to find work. Nothing! [Nothing to do but]
wait. “The Father knows.”
July 17, 1936: “As the hart longs for flowing
streams, so longs my soul for Thee, O God.” I
can join in this Psalm with my whole heart. In
a strange land, among strange people, in strange
uncultured conditions where there is no appreciation
for higher ideals and interests.... How my soul
[cries] to God, to the living God! No news from
my loved ones, no steady work, no earnings. How
empty life is, how meaningless! In addition one
hears cursing and obscene, abusive talk daily.
When I recall the time [when] I was still with
my loved ones, the time when we could still go
to church, I think of all those wonderful times of
blessing: the choir songs, Bible studies, worship
services, Harvest Festivals. Then I pray verse
3 of Psalm 42: “My tears have been my food
day and night.” And yet I know all this happens
according to the will of God, the Father. What
He does is good, absolutely good, and therefore
I can [also] say with the Psalmist (v. 5): “Why
are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you
disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall
again praise Him, my help and my God.” (Psalm
50: 14, 15, 23)....
July 20, 1936: Today we went out to work,
to pound in posts for a granary. Unfortunately,
local workers had already taken over. We were offered
the work of hauling stones on a boat four or
five kilometers downstream, unloading them and
taking them by wagon another two or three kilometers
farther. We had to make our own shovels
from boards.... By hauling stones you don’t even
earn the salt for your bread.
July 21, 1936: .... We gathered wood on the
riverbank and [piled it up]. There were [some]
large heavy pieces. A hard wearisome task. We
don’t know how much we earned.
July 23, 1936: I didn’t go to work today.
My shoes needed fixing; then I want to write
some letters. My friend, Wiese, [gives me some
sound advice]: “To eat in faith and not starve in
disbelief.”
Longing for Letters:
A letter from home!
What a comfort, what cheer!
But when there is none –
how lonely, how drear.
Far from my loved ones,
from friends so apart,
A greeting from them –
how it blesses my heart.
What joy as I languish
in sorrow and pain;
This treasure, I’ll read it
again and again.
And greetings from friends!
What courage they give;
I’ll never forget them
as long as I live.
My home and my friends,
my loved ones so dear,
My heart cries for longing
for you to be near.
I yearn for your sympathy,
faithfulness, love;
Forsaken, there’s nothing
but help from above.
July 24, 1936: I couldn’t sleep last night
because of the bedbugs. This is a result of the
uncleanness here. The people [here] do nothing
about vermin. I have sent a letter to my dear
wife.
July 25, 1936: Psalm 53: 6: “O that deliverance
for Israel would come from Zion.”
July 27, 1936: We sawed and chopped wood
today: five cubic meters. A very difficult and unpleasant
task, but I am thankful that I can work.
We earned one ruble, 93 kopecks.
July 31 and August 1, 1936: Hauled cables
from the riverbank to the storeroom. Hard and
dirty work. They tell us we have earned well: 10
to 12 rubles per day.
August 2-9, 1936: The third week at Goltjavino.
Sawed and chopped wood on the banks of
the Angara from early Monday till Saturday noon.
It was very difficult and unpleasant work and often
I felt discouraged and disheartened. But the Lord
gave strength beyond measure. At first we barely
finished five cubic meters, but lately we managed
six. Our wages were averaged at two rubles, 34
kopecks per day – not enough for one day’s needs.
Saturday we got a five-ruble coupon to buy bread.
There is no money in the cash account. While
chopping and sawing wood my thoughts were
centered on an old friend. So today I had to think
of “Schönhorst”.... of the many people there, of the
many wonderful blessings I experienced there....
In a lengthy meditation on Psalm 79 he
writes in part:
When we think of the closed churches, we
have to lament with Jeremiah: “O Lord, Thy
altars are broken down.” Oh, why did this have to
happen? Why has the Almighty God allowed His
people, His inheritance, His temple to be broken
down and demolished? Whose fault is it, and what
is the reason for such an event?....
We are to blame, not God the Lord. And we
have to confess: our iniquities are the reason,
our attitude to the God-given inheritance. Our
people have fallen deeply, ethically and morally.
Even during the war, or perhaps a decade earlier,
this decline already existed. “Land, land, money,
money, business and education” were [the] corrupt
catchwords of the time. The old, staunch steadfastness
gave way to a puffed-up enlightenment.