The situation:
We sent in our visa applications months ago for the family along with our passports which they affix the visas to. The process is the entity where we will be GOING writes a letter to the government in PNG and they then write a letter to the embassy in the United States. Originally the letter from the entity didn't mention we had kids (somehow they were unaware), so the PNG gov't sent our approval the the United States and we received 2 visas and 2 passports. To fix the mistake, we had to reapply for our kids visas. A situation which hasn't happened apparently, and people have been scrambling graciously to help us out. Currently we're still waiting on the PNG gov't. to send approval to the United States. Once this happens we're told a rush on it would get it done in two weeks. Tomorrow is the two week point from when we leave. We are now considering formulating a plan B.
The history:
We know last minute visa stories are very common and so we submitted ours well in advanced, scanned every signed paper we submitted and put it on multiple hard drives in case we should be asked again to submit, which we were. We have prayed over the visas and the submission prior to submitting. We have recruited many people to pray through the process, and we have pretty much done every bit of urging we can do. When we originally booked our flights we considered travel insurance, but the price nearly doubled our tickets, so we figured a cancellation fee would be more acceptable should something come up. We also prayed carefully over the date on which we'd depart because of many variables, God answered some huge prayers and moved obstacles and indicated this was the right date to us.
So now we sit, two weeks away with no visas for our children. It is a daily struggle to avoid worry and stress.
Here is the struggle.
It seems that God definitely made this date, March 17, the one we were to target. We prayed over it and large doors had to be opened for this date to work, so we prayed and the doors opened. As is our practice we step through the doors when we see them open and we bought the tickets.
The tickets cost around $5,000 for all of us, one way.
We're unsure of the cancellation policy/rescheduling but we are investigating that now.
How much do we have faith that March 17th is the day and that God will supply the visas in time, and how much do we acknowledge the God is sovereign and whatever He is doing He's doing for His glory?
Completely.
We have faith that God has guided us properly. We have faith that God is sovereign. Our chief aim is that God is glorified in whatever we're doing. If we're waiting at the bus stop, God be glorified. If we're riding on the bus, God be glorified.
This is no mistake. There is a possibility that the enemy is holding the paperwork up, and so we pray against that. But if his purpose was to get us to blame God or doubt God, he made a huge strategical error.
We trust God completely that He is doing His will here. And we look with anticipation to what glory He might be getting through it.
So, if you will, join us in prayer, pray:
-that the enemy would not have power in this situation
-that God would be glorified in our response when people ask about our Visas
-that God would be glorified should a plan B be put in place, that we recognize every opportunity to glorify Him that comes our way.
We're excited about it, and we use that to choke down the stress and the worry. If we stay in California for few more weeks, sure the kids will be out of school for a long time, but on the flip side, we may run into people that God wants us to meet and share with. Or He simply may be glorified in the fact that we are taking captive the thoughts that lead to doubt, and acknowledging that God is in control.
He is!
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," Jer. 29:11-14a
We know that God can deliver those visas today and it would be a miracle. We know that they might not come for a very long time. God has proven to be faithful to us in so many ways, this is simply another opportunity for us to put aside worry, put aside our desire and passion to arrive in PNG according to our schedule, and wait on God.
The biggest part of the challenge is that we are so enthusiastic about getting to PNG. All the preparation, all the work, all the training, all the prayer, all the study, coming to fruition when we arrive, and yet, as we see, coming to fruition wherever we are, whatever we're doing.
