Good News/Bad News

I cannot believe that it has been over a month since
I last wrote on my blog! I'll try to do better and post
blogs more frequently.

First the good news. I had been concerned that my
application for a visa for permission to remain as a
minister of religion had not been returned to me. I
had submitted it back in late August. In mid-January
I called the Immigration Bureau to enquire about
the status of my application. I was informed that it
had been mailed to my previous address way back
in November. They did acknowledge that my new
address had been received well before they sent
me the packet, but the packet had still been sent
to the old address. No one at the old address re-
membered seeing such a package for me and no
one had any idea what had happened to the pack-
age.

Finally, on the day before Valentine's Day, a good
friend whom I had asked to see what he could do,
found it. It was at a regional post office that served
my old address. He called to tell me he was send-
ing the parcel up to me. It was truly a Valentine's
gift! It is unsettling to be in a foreign country with-
out a passport. I expected my passport to have my
new visa in it as well. It had been over five months
that I was without personal legal documentation.
It was such a relief to have my passport!

But now the bad news: immigration authorities re-
fused to grant me a visa as a minister of religion in
the United Kingdom. I was not allowed to stay here.
Applicants for such a visa were required to have
served in a ministerial capacity for at least one year
in the last five years. I had last been in a ministerial
position six years ago, but not within the last five.
That was the only reason they gave for the refusal.

I have ten working days to appeal the decision. I
can remain in the UK while the appeal is being con-
sidered. I have decided to go ahead and submit an
appeal within the time alotted, ten working days.
If my appeal is refused, I will have to leave the coun-
try.

I have spent these last three days seeking ad-
vice and legal counsel. There have been a lot of
dead ends, but I'm still waiting on one last immi-
gration attorney. If I don't receive any help, I'll
present the appeal myself.

I'm doing ok. This is quite a challenge for me, but
one that I believe can be worked out to my advan-
tage.

If you pray for me, please remember this chal-
lenge to me in your prayers.

Blessings to you and yours,