The latest

I'm sorry. I forgot that there are some who only read here, and not on our blog. Here's what I had written there:

Will titled one of his updates "Light at the end of the tunnel." We keep thinking we see that light, and it keeps staying just a little beyond our reach. On Sunday I thought that we had two big problems: the mysterious email from Kiev and the fact that I'm sitting here breaking the law of Russia with my expired visa. And I thought that we could make progress on both of those problems in the next few days. Well. . . .

Problem #1: The mysterious email is still just that. A mystery. Will called the consulate in Kiev on Monday. They don't know what's going on either. They said they got a letter telling them not to give Will a visa, but it was too late, so all they could think of was sending that email. They don't know why they got the letter. We were worried, because the email said to bring the visa back to be annulled. That could mean five years out of the country! When Will asked about that, the lady said, "Why? You didn't do anything wrong." All they could suggest was having the National Baptist Union (who invited Will) write a letter asking for explanation. The people in Kiev were very sympathetic and didn't give a deadline or really push for anything. It's almost like they feel like they sent the email, so they've done their duty.

Problem #2: We had gotten to the point where we had decided just to get exit visas and leave for the States until our work visas are ready in February. After sending Will around to all the different offices in Vladimir Migration, they decided that they can't gave us exit visas until my case goes through the regional court. The appeal has already been filed, so it has to go through. And of course, no one know when the court date will be.

So, now what? We're still confused and frustrated and scared. We'll wait until for our court date, and then after that, we'll go to the States until February, whether we're deported or given exit visas.

In our dream world, we'd plan our trip around the dates that are convenient for everyone, have a car (and a driver's license), spend time at Siloam Missionary Homes and/or D & D, enjoy visits with all our relatives and friends, and know that we could come home to Russia afterwards. In the real world? We don't even have money for one-way plane tickets!

Please keep praying for us. Pray that God would once again protect us from being deported, and would bless our plans and desires concerning time in the States. We love you all and really appreciate your love and concern for us. Thank you so much for praying!

Will's travels

He let me know that he made it to Ivanovo and stopped there for the night. Now he's on his way to Vladimir, to talk to the regional head of Migration. Please pray that man will be kind, merciful and able to help! Pray for Will as he goes before this influential and intimidating man!

On the road

Please pray for Will as he's on the road today. He had a successful morning in Moscow, getting our passports translated. Now he's on a bus to Ivanovo, hoping to get there before late night, and then maybe on to Vladimir or home. This is a yucky day to travel: wet roads, slushy snow everywhere.

Update

Here is what I posted on our blog:

Will has been home. He left on Friday to go back for the regional meeting that was on Saturday. Soon after he left, I got an email from the Russian Consulate in Kiev, telling Will to bring back his new visa to be annulled. What!?!?! (Please pray!) Also, at home Will found a letter in our mailbox, saying that Kovrov Migration Control is appealing the court decision that was in my favor. What!?!?! (Please pray!) That's the bad news. The good news is that the Baptist Union was approved to invite foreigners with no problem, and they took the initiative on their own to try inviting us on work visas, which is a new and really good option. It sounds like we'll have those in February. (Please pray!)

So, where are we now? In the land of confusion! Will came back from Kovrov/Vladimir last night around midnight. Tomorrow he is going to call Kiev and see if he can clear up anything there. He'll also leave early in the morning to get all of our passports translated and notarized in Moscow and hopefully out to Ivanovo to be turned in right away for those new visas. Then, he'll get ready to be in line early to talk to the regional head of Migration in Vladimir on Tuesday--the only day he receives people--in hope that he can help. (Please pray!)

Now I've told you all I know. Hopefully you're not as confused about it as we are! Just a warning in advance: our answer to all questions is going to be, "We don't know yet."

Thanks for praying

We're safely here. The trip went smoothly the whole way. It was definitely long, though. I don't know if we've ever had all three children sound asleep by 7:00! They're worn out, and so are we.

Long day ahead

We could use some extra travel prayers. Tomorrow morning at 5:00 we'll leave with our three little children and one big suitcase on a commuter train to Vladimir. There we'll take a regular train to Moscow, go across Moscow, and get on another commuter train going out the other side of the city. It's a long trip. . . .

God answers

Here's the story.

:-)

Tanya is coming to watch the children tomorrow morning, so that Will can go with me. Thank the Lord for that, and pray for them to do well with her. (Especially Asya! Pray that Asya won't have any sudden hunger pangs. )

Well. . .

I was going to say that all is quiet on the front here. Will and the Baptist Union lawyer turned in the papers on Tuesday to register them to invite me. There were a few more documents necessary, so Will is going to get them in Ivanovo tomorrow, and then turn them in as soon as possible in Vladimir. Pray for all of that to go quickly.

But. . . .
The local law enforcement officers came back again today to fill out charges against me. This is the second time since Will got back from Kiev. Now I'll be going in to talk to them on Friday morning at 10:00 and see what their boss has decided to do about me. (They know I have a nursing baby, so he's not going to take more than an hour.) Please pray for me! Up until now, Will has done all the talking. He's much better at explaining clearly than I am. Pray for mercy again, too.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Will is registered!

The drama continues

We've come up against another obstacle in getting Will registered. Please pray, especially today! Details will follow, when we understand what's going on ourselves.

Today and Tuesday

Well, one prayer answered: the unpleasant man wasn't even there today. Will spent the whole day running back and forth or just sitting and waiting, and he still isn't registered, though. So, keep praying. He's supposed to go back again on Wednesday.

Tomorrow he'll be leaving very early to get a place in line at the Vladimir Regional Migration Control. Hopefully he'll be able to get questions answered and start on invitations for the children and me.

Tomorrow

Will's going to try to register his new visa tomorrow. Please pray that they'll be willing to do that here. The local migration inspector that we've dealt with before was not very pleasant, so pray that he'll be nice. We're also praying that he'll register Will for at least six months; three months is more standard with a religious visa.

What's next?

For those of you who are already asking what's next: that's what we'd like to know! Just kidding. But the main prayer request right now is probably just for us to be able to keep track of all the details.

And there are some specific things to pray about:
1. Pray that Will would be able to register his new visa here in Kovrov on Monday.
2. Pray that we would figure out how to get an invitation for me. We're going to try to do that through the regional Baptist Union and Migration Service in Vladimir. We just found out today that the Baptist Union will have to register to invite foreigners. We tried to do that with a friend's business last year, and it was impossibly complicated. Will and the Union lawyer will probably be going to Vladimir on Tuesday to see what they can do.

Praise the Lord with us for Will's new visa and how smoothly his trip went!

Full of praise

Will's visa process is going very quickly and smoothly. And I was thrilled to find out that the consulate in Kiev doesn't require AIDS tests for small children. That was something I was really dreading. Thank you, Lord!

Thank you for praying!

The summary is that we're not being deported and things are looking up, but we still have a long road ahead of us. Please keep praying! If you want to read all the details, go here.
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Good night!

Will's on his way home and should be here soon. I probably won't post another update until tomorrow, though. He'll have to explain everything to me, which could take a while, and we're both tired. I do know from his phone messages that we're not being deported. But that's all I know. Good night! Thank you so much for your prayers.

A little more

I think Will has already talked to someone in Vladimir by phone, because he said they sound sympathetic. He says that if the director there will have mercy, our case won't go to court, so PRAY FOR MERCY!

Small update

All I've heard so far is a quick message from Will, saying that he's going to Vladimir now to plead our case with the regional authorities.

Urgent prayer request

A man came tonight to deliver a paper calling Will into the office of the local Migration Service tomorrow at 11:00. Migration Service is who we have had problems with this year. We really don't know what this is about, except that he mentioned the documents that we turned in to get Asya's birth certificate. As Will said, "Don't panic, because we don't know what to panic about, and we don't want you getting ahead of us." :-) But please do PRAY!