Thursday, May 8, 2008
Thursday
Well, We are doing much better yesterday and today. Yesterday, we spent the morning in town, exchanging money, getting some supplies and visiting the attorney a couple of times and finding the UNCHR office.
We went to the attroney’s first but he wasn’t in and were told to come back at 1 pm. We then headed out to find the UNCHR office in hopes they could issue a travel document for the kids.
At first we went to the UNOHCR office and met JOY who was helpful to tell us that we were in the wrong place and directed us to the place we should go. She was very friendly and wished us well. We found the other building and went in. We waited a while and then HOPE came out to meet us and talk with us in the outside office. I explained our situation and as she told me “technically we can’t do anything unless the family who came here in 1959 as refugees were registered and given asylum by the Ugandan government. We could start that process for the children but it could take a year. But she took copies of the court rulings and told me she would talk to some other people and see if there were any other possibilities to get the children documents to travel.
So, we left discouraged. The one place I thought could help us also had roadblocks. Hope requested that we get the document stating that the children were refused passports to her as well.
We then headed over to the attorney’s office and got stuck in a “jam” in the city. So we reached there after 1pm. But it was ok because Mr. Nyombi was not there yet. It was after 2 pm before we spoke with Charles, our other attorney. In the meantime while Duane and I were sitting there talking and praying over all this, God impressed upon Duane a remembrance of a story concerning the 2000 US election that reminded him that God sometimes uses the very people who set roadblocks to breakdown those roadblocks which allow God’s will to be accomplished. This greatly encouraged me though I wasn’t sure how that would happen.
We then talked to Charles who was glad to see us. He had some encouraging news. He had been to see the Commissioner of Passports and had talked with him. There seemed to be hope that we could obtain passports as exception cases. Just on Tuesday, 5 kids with similar situations as ours had obtained passports headed to Canada. He was to meet with him today and call us with the results of that meeting. So, maybe God was going to use someone who put up the roadblocks to break them down for us.
This morning, while sitting here thinking about what was going on with all of this, it dawned upon me that God had sort of sent us a message yesterday. First, we met JOY, then HOPE. This is what He has been teaching us these past several weeks. “First, you discover JOY. My Joy is your strength. Do not let circumstances determine your Joy, only Me. When you have my JOY, there is HOPE. I am HOPE. Where there is HOPE, there is Life. That is My will. That all may live life ABUNDANTLY. That you may live life abundantly and your children whom I have chosen for you may live life abundantly.” (For I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly. Jn 10:10) paraphrased by me.
So yesterday, was a reminder not to lose HOPE because My JOY is in God, my Father, not the circumstances that surround me.
As of yet at 2:30pm we have not heard back from the attorney about the meeting.
Oh, I almost forgot something very important.
While sitting waiting on the attorney, God reminded me to ask if the attorney ever received the birth certificate and death certificate of Isaiah.
I had started this process of obtaining these documents with this attorney prior to moving Isaiah to the mission foster home through which we had to use another attorney but after several times of trying to retrieve them and failing, we had decided to just apply for them again. I takes about a week to get them and you have to have them to get the guardianship.
Charles went and got Isaiah’s file (which they still had, surprisingly!) and there they were! Both documents! I was so excited. This cut off a week of waiting for us! God is working on things though sometimes we can’t see it.
Just this morning, Duane and I were sitting and praying and talking, here we are seemingly doing nothing, going stir crazy, wanting to do something, to move things along and really God is saying, YOU do NOTHING, I’LL do EVERYTHING! Like on Tuesday, we just sat around doing NOTHING! NOTHING AT ALL and God accomplished 4 things that needed doing.
NOTE TO DUANE: REMIND HIM THAT BUTT HAS BEEN TOUCHED MORE TIMES THIS DAY THAN HE CAN COUNT)
Here is Duane’s version of what we are doing today,
“We are sitting here looking at the clouds, taking pictures, reading, listening to music, taking naps, playing games on the computer, eating tootsie roll pops, waiting, waiting, waiting, talking to God, and pretending like we are 5 year olds again while God is doing all the work.”
That pretty much sums it up! Sounds like the good life, but in reality, That is very HARD for two people who like to make things move and get it done. God is teaching us to rest and wait on Him. He is teaching us that He is Jehovah-Gabor. (God fights my battles for me.)
After we returned to the village, we drove to the foster home and picked up Isaiah to play with for the afternoon. He was asleep when we arrived but soon woke up and cried when he saw us and wanted his foster dad. He kept eyeing me, like I know her but am not sure. I kept talking with him and after getting fed and by the time we left he was letting me hold him without crying and we had a wonderful afternoon. He took to Duane fairly quickly and we got him laughing a lot and he liked playing with the toys I brought. He is so cute! Isaiah can now scoot very fast across the floor and can stand and walk around a coffee table. He can also pull himself up to a standing position from sitting. He gets so proud of himself and just grins. Of course, he loved dinner and gave the funniest faces when we put carrots or green beans in his mouth. But he ate them! And then would smile.
Yesterday, we had Allenni and Andrew and they were wild! Allenni had a new hairdo that was suitable for a little girl and Andrew’s hair had grown back. They both looked good. They were very happy to see Duane and took to him well. Andrew was very loving and soaked up the hugs. Allenni tested the boundaries quite a few times but thankfully had no meltdowns. I was thankful as my energy level was not up to par.
We had to lock our room as they wanted to rummage through everything in it. Allenni was not happy with the gifts I brought her and wanted more. She ran off down the road three times while she was with us but after she realized I wouldn’t go after her, she came back. We did some “schoolwork” in some booklets I had brought and they enjoyed that. Allenni was mad because we hadn’t gone to America yet with her and I had made a promise to her. I told her we were working on it. She wasn’t that convinced.
We went up to the guest house to eat dinner and they were happy to see Esther again and eat her cooking. (Yes, we have to climb those AWESOME, WONDERFUL, 50 something, 18 inch thick STEPS again if we want to eat!)
Anyway, we enjoyed the afternoon with the kids yesterday. Duane looked at me after they were gone and said, “you were not kidding, she is a wild mustang and there is lots of work to do” how did you do it for 3 months?” I just smiled.
So, we could use your prayers. We need wisdom, patience and strength and miracles while we are here.
The house we are staying in is the same one Jana and I stayed in the first month. There is another missionary couple who recently arrived back on the field and they are here in the house with us.
Allenni and Andrew are here in the village living at a house that houses kids brought to them from traumas while school is on break and Isaiah is with the foster family. We are leaving them there for now until we know for sure that things are a go so as not to disrupt their schedules. We also have lots of running a round to do once the court procedures get going and also there is not a lot of room here in the house for all of us.
So we thought it best to not uproot them just yet. We will probably get them over the weekend to spend the night with us.
Well, I have written plenty for sure.
No comments:
Post a Comment