"What's going on with those VISAs???"
We have heard that question a lot lately, and there is a long and complicated answer to that question. Here's why... Two weeks ago we got a call from Slovenia that our Work Visas were declined and I needed to reapply for a Ministry Visa. I now have a pretty good understanding of our visa situation and will do my best to explain...
This spring, as we prepared to submit our Visa Applications, we ran into a situation.
Do you remember Nick? No arms, no legs, sharing Jesus in Slovenia? Well the man in charge of that evangelistic outreach throughout Slovenia (the Minister of Religion) was needed by us to write a "Letter of Exception" for "Family Reunification" (I'll explain what that means later). But he was unavailable. So our missionary leaders in Slovenia decided (after talking with the Slovenian Embassy) to try a new route for our visas that should be much faster and less work. It sounded too good to be true. We turned out to be the guinea pigs for this new way. Instead of me applying for a Ministry Visa, Christena and I both applied for Work Visas.
Here's where the problem arose... Everything seemed to be going well, and then Slovenia changed their Visa Laws. They now require anyone over age 6 to get Biometric fingerprints done at the Slovenian Embassy in Washington DC. But, to get your prints done, your visa application has to already be accepted in Slovenia, (not approved, just accepted). Which was fine for Christena and me because ours were already accepted, but Slovenia won't accept Zack's visa application without the "Family Reunification" letter.
Why that letter? Because legally, I am supposed to go to Slovenia and work for one year, then I can apply for "Family Reunification." BUT, the Minister of Religion has the authority to write a "Letter of Exception" allowing me to immediately apply for "Family Reunification" and bring the whole family at once. It looked like everything was working out, but there was another problem. We applied for Work Visas and the Minister of Religion only had authority to write a "Letter of Exception" for a Ministry Visa.
So two weeks ago we got a call from Slovenia that our Work Visas were declined and I needed to reapply for a Ministry Visa. AND, normally they shred all your documents if you are declined, but, (praise God) they gave ours back saving us a lot of time and money :) That was very good news amidst all the bad! The last missionary family that went to Slovenia was there only 2 months from where we are today. Our leaders are now doing our visas the way they know. They've done it for most everyone else this way and it shouldn't be more than a few months at most. Also, now that summer is over, our visas are a top priority for our leaders in Slovenia and they are doing all they can to get us there as soon as possible. In their words, "We really need you guys here!"
All we have to do before we can resubmit our applications is renew our FBI background checks (I mailed them last week), have our marriage license re-apostiled, and get them translated to Slovenian. Then I will go to D.C. to turn in my application and get my biometric finger prints. Then after I'm approved and get the "Letter of Exception" for "Family Reunification," Christena and Zack will fly to D.C. to turn in the rest of the family's applications (to be mailed to Slovenia) and get their prints done. Then, as soon as they are all approved, Slovenia will mail our visas back to the Embassy in D.C. and we can all pick them up on our way to Slovenia :) Sounds easy enough, right :)
Please Pray for the rest of this visa process to go quickly. And for our remaining support to come in before our visas come through. We only need $145 per month more :)
Currently... As we work through these final visa steps, we are staying with my parents in Independence, OR. And as of August first, we have started drawing from part of our monthly support to cover our travel, visa, and living expences until we go. We have also enrolled Zack and Nathan in public school to help transition them toward entering the Slovenian public school when we get there.
Thank you so much for following along with us on this adventure! Looking back now on this last few months, it has been such a huge blessing to have this extra time with you all as we've travelled, strengthening and investing in our friendships before we go to Slovenia. It hasn't been easy, but we wouldn't trade it for anything!
In His training,
~Shawn (and Christena)
John 20:29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
We know that God is in control of it all. We just need to believe even though we do not see. He is a good/loving God!!! and He knows what's best :)
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josiahventure
“Equipping young leaders in Eastern Europe to fulfill Christ’s Commission”
