A little over a year ago, there was a big, rather mysterious to-do on the Feenstra farm in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, when they began building what they called a “guest house” on their property and wouldn’t tell us who was expected. Almost as soon as it was completed, Arend, Anneesa, and their eight children welcomed the Australian family of Justin and Anita Pulley and their four small children — not as guests, but as tenant farmers.

The Pulleys were not new to Russia; they had emigrated from their native Australia nearly a decade earlier; three of their four children were born in Russia. But, after initially settling in the Altai region, they were — for reasons I have never learned — relocated to Nizhny Novgorod. Arguably a more pleasant environment, it is still difficult to understand why a carpenter by trade would be sent to live on a working farm. But that’s Russia, where no amount of questioning is likely to produce a satisfactory answer.

At any rate, they settled in nicely, and were a great help to the Feenstras, even taking full charge of the farm and the livestock while their hosts were visiting their Canadian homeland for a few months during the winter.

Then the Feenstras returned just at the beginning of the planting season, and were suddenly whisked off to Crimea for two weeks of touring farms in the Russian-occupied war zone. Eldest son Wesley was left in charge of the homestead, and no mention was made of the Pulleys . . . nor have any of Arend Feenstra’s recent videos spoken of them, which seemed very strange.

Indeed, even Arend’s videos have been less frequent and less informative and upbeat than previously; and he has expressed concern about the possible effects of the war in Ukraine upon their family. Yesterday, I did find a YouTube video — actually, just a “short” — of a trip to the St. Petersburg Zoo, which consisted of a few pictures of animals and a single shot of Anneesa and one daughter. There was nothing of the usual fun and togetherness of a typical Feenstra family outing, no pictures of Arend or the other children, and no narrative at all . . . almost as though it had been hastily tossed out there as proof that they’re alive and still in Russia.

I also found a five-minute recap of some of the films from their earlier trip to Crimea, inexplicably re-posted months after the fact.

But no mention of the Pulleys. So I started digging, and found a recent video posted by Justin and Anita on their own website, headed “What Happened / What’s going on with us.” And what it revealed was shocking.

Justin did most of the talking, while Anita stood by him trying not to cry. Very hesitantly — obviously choosing his words carefully — he explained that they were back in Australia, having learned that it would not be possible for them to remain in Russia.

From what I was able to piece together, there had been ongoing complications involving their immigration applications, paperwork delays, and the like — not at all unusual in Russia. But all Justin said by way of explanation was that “certain legal stuff happened,” that it had been a tremendous shock, and that they had had to pack up and leave the life they had built.

While he tried to put the best face on it, they were both clearly devastated. They had been planning a trip home for a wedding and a family visit — presumably similar to the Feenstras’ Canadian trip — which may have been what the paperwork was about. But it was just to be a visit, and they were fully intending to return to their adopted home. Instead, they were saying goodbye to the friends they had made over the years, and probably to their YouTube audience as well.

And that was it: just a fond farewell, a huge “thank you for everything,” and the Pulleys are gone. Even the thanks were sad, because he said their Russian friends had asked that their names not be mentioned.

It is Putin’s Russia, after all.

So, farewell to Justin and Anita Pulley: by all accounts a lovely, devoted couple who wanted nothing more than a quiet, conservative, Christian life for themselves and their children. They just chose the wrong place to search for it. Hopefully, they will find peace and happiness back in their non-authoritarian home down under.

So now the Feenstras are left to run their large farm without their friends and helpers, and with the uncertainty of an ever-changing political landscape hanging over them. If only they had stayed in Canada last winter when they had the chance . . .

But “if only” is meaningless. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/2/26