Visa Update!

I consider it a great privilege to serve God in Australia.  There is no place in the world I would rather be.  Australia was never in my plans growing up or even well into adulthood, but God had other plans!  He has knit my heart so closely to the people here that I cannot imagine living anywhere else.  Watching God unfold His plan for me and my family has been instrumental in strengthening my faith in His provision, timing, and grace.  The love and support of friends and family from "up above" and "down under" has been such a blessing.

Visas are part of the deal when serving in a foreign field.  We are about a year and a half gone of a two-year visa.  When we obtained the 428 Religious Workers visa through the nomination of Calvary Chapel Sydney, it was a once-renewable path to permanent residency.  When Laura called a couple weeks ago to see when we could begin to submit paperwork for the renewal, I knew something was up.  I could hear from the other room:  "I would like to know when we can renew the 428 visa.  We were told it was a path to residency...it isn't?  Oh.  Ok.  Good to know."  What came out of the call is the 428 is renewable, but no longer a path to residency.  I suppose that was the bad news.  It would have been disappointing had the other news not been so good.  It turns out that 1 July a new immigration began which would allow the church to nominate me as a Minister of Religion right now and with it permanent residency!  "Get it done now," the immigration officer said.  "Why wait?"  I could not agree more with that sentiment!

Immediately I began to investigate the process and initiated our Australian Federal Police checks.  At the moment we are gathering together the necessary documentation for the nomination and application, an involved process to be sure.  We are content in the knowledge that God is in control and want to be faithful to do our part.  Patience is something God has given me many lessons in, and there are more lessons to come.  Please pray for the nomination and application to be sorted in God's time.  Thank you for all the prayers, financial support, and love many have expressed to us.  With this visa process and all things may God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven!