UPDATE ON VISA TRIP
MARCH 21, 2010
Dear family, friends, and ministry partners,
We are only a week away from leaving Russia to renew our visas. We thought we might have free housing in Prague through the Christian school there, but it did not work out. Our friends in Czech Republic have made us a reservation with friends of theirs that run a guest house right in Prague. These accommodations will be about $60/night which is very good, but still $60/night. Our friends in Prague already had house guests coming for then and they also live about an hour and a half outside Prague which would make it complicated to complete our visa and stay with them. We are still hoping we will have an opportunity for a visit. Please continue to pray for the Lord’s provision for our trip. It is going to cost us about $2000 that is not in our budget. Pray that He would stretch the resources we have. Pray that all the details would fall into place.
Another concern is for Lois. This past week we spent a few nights at some friends’ apartment watching their daughter while they were in St. Petersburg. She got up during the night and tripped over the dog. She landed square on her tailbone. It hurts to walk or sit and she is in a lot of pain. We have a lot to do to get ready to leave. Our day to day activities involve a lot of walking and when we land in Prague we will have a 12 hour over night wait to deal with. Pray for the Lord’s healing and that she could be functional while we are in Prague. It would be terrible to be there for the first time ever and not be able to do or enjoy anything because of immobility and pain from an injury.
Lastly, please pray for strength and endurance. Our days are so much more full than they have ever been before and it takes its toll on us. This week we are dog sitting at another friends’ apartment while they are out of the country renewing visas. So on top of school and preparing for our upcoming trip, we are not in our own place and traveling further to and from school.
Thank you for your prayers and your participation in the work that the Lord is doing in Moscow. It means a great deal to us. Please share this with your church families and lift us up in prayer this morning during worship.
Yours in Christ,
Tom & Lois
PRAYER REQUEST- UPDATE ON VISA
MARCH 7, 2010
Dear family, friends, and ministry partners,
We’re sorry to have kept you in the dark for so long. We temporarily lost our internet service and were disconnected for the past few days. We didn’t get service restored until very late last night(Saturday). The school had its meeting with officials this past Wednesday about the visa issue and nothing has been immediately resolved. We found out yesterday afternoon that there has been no decision from the government, but it looks like an extension on visa quotas will not be issued. Therefore we are going ahead with plans to leave Russia during spring break (March 26-April 3) to renew our visas. Based on the information we have so far we will be going to either Madrid or possibly to Prague. Both of these would be cheaper than returning to the states because of the large difference in airfare. We have fellow mission associates near Prague. That might be the cheapest way to go but we need to confirm whether or not the Russian Consulate there will issue visas to people holding US passports. Either way we are looking at an un-budgeted expense of at least $1000 – possibly as much as $2000, depending on where we go.
Pray for God’s provision for this trip. We know that He is in control of all things and this is no surprise to Him.
Pray that He will stretch our resources.
Pray that He will guide us as we work out all the details.
Pray for peace if we have to go to Madrid on our own and navigate another foreign city.
Please share this request with your churches this morning, and put it on your prayer chains. We covet your prayers but we are confident that our Lord will provide and sustain us. We pray God’s blessings on you for this Lord’s day. We have beautiful bright sunshine here in Moscow this morning as we start ours.
Blessings,
Tom & Lois
PRAYER REQUEST – VISA NEEDS
MARCH 2, 2010
Dear family, friends, and ministry partners,
We want to thank you for your prayers this past month. They have definitely been felt. This first month has gone surprisingly well and the Lord has blessed us in so many ways, some of which we have already shared. He continues to provide for us at every turn even as He promised that He would. We are writing to ask that you continue to pray for us and for the school concerning the visa issue we mentioned in an earlier email.
It’s complicated, but we will explain it to you as best we can, being new to this we are not completely understanding of it ourselves. At the end of December, the school was informed that a new interpretation of an existing Russian law put Hinkson under a fixed quota for teacher visas. That quota was set at a lower number from the previous school year. Prior to this, they had been able to issue visas for as many teachers as they needed. To increase their visa quota for 2010 they needed to have applied by September or October of 2009. This was 2-3 months BEFORE the government informed them in late December. This ruling affects every educational institution in Russia that has non-Russian teachers on its staff. This new interpretation meant that many teachers who came last year with Hinkson visas could now not renew their one year visas when they expired. The school was informed of this AFTER they issued our Letter of Invitation and while our work visa was being processed. We arrived on a 3 month work visa from the school that was to be converted to a one year upon our arrival. That may not be possible right now.
Jeff, our director, said that whenever there is a new ruling or new interpretation, schools and businesses everywhere are left scrambling during the interim. Eventually it gets sorted out. Several teachers left school during February to make “visa trips” to renew their visas. The school has petitioned for a one time exemption to convert all the visas it currently has in light of the fact that the ruling was handed down too late to apply for a quota increase. They will be meeting with officials,tomorrow, Wednesday, March 3rd.
PLEASE PRAY THAT OUR EXEMPTION WOULD BE GRANTED ON MARCH 3RD so that OUR visas and others could be converted for remainder of the school year. PLEASE PRAY THAT THE LORD WOULD GRANT THE SCHOOL FAVOR IN THE EYES OF THE OFFICIALS.
If an exemption is not granted this week, we will have to make plans to leave during spring break (March 26 – April 4) and go to Madrid to renew our visas before they expire on March 31. The Russian Consulate in Spain will issue visas for non-Spaniards. This is the only country where the Consulate will do that and it is cheaper than flying back to the states. If we have to go this route it will cost us about $1500-2000 that is not accounted for in our budget. Teachers at Hinkson raise their own support so many are in the same boat as we are.
WE KNOW THAT THE LORD IS IN CONTROL OF THIS SITUATION. However, He asks that we bring all things to Him in prayer. The school and every teacher and student here has seen the Lord work in wonderful ways to provide for His own and He will do so again. We know that the Lord is faithful. If the exemption is granted and we can convert our visas, WE WILL PRAISE THE LORD THAT WE CAN SAVE THE EXPENSE AND DISRUPTION OF A VISA TRIP TO RENEW THEM. If the exemption is not granted, WE WILL GO TO MADRID AND PRAISE THE LORD FOR HAVING A REASON TO SEE SOMEPLACE WE HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. Either way the Lord is in control and our response is to pray. We will give you an update Tomorrow or Thursday after the meeting is over. Please share this prayer request with your church prayer lines.
Our adjustment to life in Moscow is going well. We looked at our expenses for the first 30 days here and we have come in within what we budgeted (which is a praise). Lois is learning to cook Russian which saves on our food budget. She is doing quite well at that. We have saved a lot on transportation costs because we don’t have to travel back and forth to school every day. That’s a big praise for us. Lois along with her regular responsibilities at the school has gotten her first English student here at the apartment. She is an 11 year old girl named Yana who lives on the 16th floor of our building. Our concierge downstairs told her mom to contact us. Lois will be meeting with her 1 hour a week and they did their first meeting Friday after school. Also, she has been working with the English club associated with the summer camp we have attended. They meet on Wednesday evenings and they are thrilled to have another native English speaker working with them. Elvira, the leader is going to be out this Wednesday and has asked Lois to teach the lesson! Lois has only been once so far to observe so please keep her in your prayers as well. It makes for a really long day on Wednesday, but Lois is excited about being a part of this ministry. Many people have come to know Christ through this English club that meets throughout the year.
Tom is feeling more at ease with his classes and has been able to do experiments in each of the 3 science classes. The students have really enjoyed them and Tom has really enjoyed doing them. He is really getting a kick out of working with his students. Several missionary parents have already personally expressed their gratitude for our being here. It really ministers to the Missionary and Christian and Business community at Hinkson. It is still taking Tom a good part of the evening to prepare for his classes for the next day so please keep him in your prayers as well.
Thank you again for your prayers and financial support of the ministry God has given us. We could not be here without you.
Blessings,
Tom & Lois
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