Well, since our I-600 paperwork expired before we got their passports, we had asked for an extension for renewal of the paperwork instead of having to start over. Our Senator Jeff Sessions and staff offered to help us. At this point nothing can happen with visas until the approval from homeland security comes through, so we are on a wait again. We are hoping it will only take a couple of weeks or less. As I was pretty sick during this time, I did not keep up my journal as well except by email, so through them I will try to recount the events to the best of my ability. During this time, All three kids were exposed to Chicken pox. Allenni and Andrew had had the varicella vaccine but Isaiah had not. I wrote Duane and asked him if they broke out, how long would they be contagious. I knew they probably wouldn't let us on a plane with kids that had it. That would mean that if we did get visas we would have to wait it out some more.
I think the best way for you to understand the emotions going on in us both at this time to just to let you read our correspondence with one another.
Duane wrote back : "I swear, I am getting sick of these stupid roadblocks. He would be contagious for about a week. I'm praying right now he doesn't get it, but it is the most contagious disease on the planet. It would take a miracle of God for him not to get it."
Below is an excerpt of my response to Duane dated around this time:
Well, we will just wait and see what happens with the chicken pox.
You are not going to like what you hear next. I have cried today on and off and spent time in prayer. I know God is going to work all this out.
In the end satan will lose!
When Brenda talked to me last night, she had told me that our attorney was asking for 500 thousand. John came by this morning before going into town to pick the passports and had MILLION shillings. which is approx. $2500. He won't release the passports to us until we pay. IT IS TOTALLY UNFAIR ....... I couldn't believe .....
I did all I could to keep it together but the tears still came.
S. was supposed to talk to him today and ask what is up. I haven't heard from S. who is out of town today so I figure he did not get hold of L.
YES, I AM MAD and I have asked God to be our defender. I had a good crying spell today and have been in the bed most of the day not feeling well.
so I will let you know what transpires.
We gotta give it all to God. He wasn't surprised.
Injustice is being done but our God is bigger than L.
...... He never had any clearance to do such a thing.
S. asked me if he is able to negotiate with L, can we make payment installments. because I told him I wasn't sure we had that kind of money.
B. suggested we go to the police, but they are as corrupt as the attorneys and so are their bosses. So we either want the passports or not. I don't know what L. is thinking.
It is blackmail and criminal. If they try to prosecute, it has the major possibility of dragging the mission through the mud . There is no signed agreement so therefore it is his word against ours and they are not going to believe us.
It looks like we are cornered in this situation but God is fighting for us. He is the defender of the weak.
Well, I didn't want to ruin your day and I had hoped to have had more info by this time but I don't.
I love you. Keep in prayer about it... Don't curse but Bless. Who can be against us if God be for us?
Love, Me"
Well, of course Duane did go a little ballistic. He was not happy to hear this news.
Here is a little of what he wrote back:
"The good news is I went ballistic with the Holy Spirit beside me and basically roared as loud as I could right in front of the throne of God. Everything in me wanted to curse Mr. Lawrence, but I went out to swim and pray and God gave me some insights. Your comment on "bless and don't curse" was quite powerful. I remember when I read I Cor. 4 and one of the characteristics of the apostolic is blessing and not cursing. So I slapped the biggest blessing I could think of on Mr. L. If God chooses not to solve this situation without paying this money, then pay him the money only AFTER you have the passports in hand. We will NOT pay and then have him say "I'll get you the passports tomorrow" ..... It must be clear that he won't receive anything until you have the passports. So you will probably have to meet with him. And when you get the passports, and give him the money, then pray a blessing over him before you go and I mean a good one. ... know, the good ole' blessing from your head to toes releasing all the riches of the kingdom of God kind of blessing. I think this is what God wants us to do. I find it hilarious we pray for justice and then this happens. It is simply proof to me that our prayers for justice are being heard because God is going to come through for us. He will show Himself to be good in every way. I love you. Keep your chin up and your eyes on His smile because He is smiling at you even now. I can feel it."
I had also written our SW in the States at this time asking if she had heard anything about our home study being sent to ATL from DHR in Montgomery and she wrote back saying that the only thing that had happened was that she forwarded our medicals that were missing from our file at DHR.
From Duane:
Hey love!
Thanks for the message yesterday. I took it upon myself to look up A. H. 's info and I just sent her an e-mail asking her to please expedite the home study approval and get it to Atlanta as quickly as possible. Right now I think that everything that can be done has been done, and I am basically acting as an "encourager" to get things moving and keep them moving. I was really hoping and praying you all would be home by this next Monday, but it seems Montgomery has once again decided to take it's sweet time. That's why I wrote the e-mail to Ms. H. Our SW seemed to act like we shouldn't push it too much, but... I asked Anne to get this paperwork done ASAP in as nice a possible way as I could ask. So I'm trying as hard as I can on this side to get things going. I'm sorry you are so sick. You sounded like your grandmother on the phone yesterday with all the wheezing and coughing. I'm praying for you to be healed completely. Well, nothing really new here. I love you and miss you!!!
I guess since we were in a war, Allenni and Andrew decided to put on war paint. They dicscovered Baby powder. Allenni, told me that she wanted to be a Muzungu. So she painted herself white.
Isaiah got in on the act.
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