Rejected, Illegal, Imprisionment, Deportation

This week has been crazy stressful!

On the Cynergy side of things, I've been taking on a lot more responsibility. Over the past few weeks, I have been teaching classes by myself as well as training Dezzi and Elano. I've also taken on Legends training at RSS and overseeing roll out at RPP. As I get more and more involved in Cynergy, I become more and more involved in the lives of my kids. No longer are they "Cynergy's kids" but my kids; I've been feeling a lot more responsibility for them. This week was also spent planning and presenting the Legends' Communication Workshop, including preparing the tuck shop (snack shop). Laura and I took on the tuck shop on our own.

This week has also been moving week. Though I'm excited to be living with Laura and having more space, including our own kitchen, it's time and energy consuming as well as yet another transition. We've also had several unexpected surprises in our new house, including an electrifying shower complete with exploding shower head, as well as uninvited little visitors. Thankfully, we're all settled in now (mostly anyway), Reagan took care of the mice problem, and one of Laura's friends is going to come fix the shower sometime this week.

The most stressful part of this week has been trying to sort out my visa. I recieved a phone call Wednesday morning asking that I return to home affairs once more (this was my ninth time). I was praying that this would be my last time at home affairs. It was, but not at all how I had hoped. I had hoped that I would meet with the home affairs director, explain that I already had a ticket home and ask that he dismiss the repetuation fee (the last time that I was at home affairs I was told that I had to pay this in order to get my visa and that only the director had power to write off the fee in special circumstances), receive the precious little stamp, and finally be done with it all. Sadly, this isn't at all what happened.

When I entered home affairs, the director was very cross with me. He asked me how I had the audacity to try to have my application approved without including all of the proper documentation, including a police clearance form. I was then presented with a paper that I had to sign stating that I had been informed that I was now an illigal immigrant, and that I had the choice of leaving the country or being imprisoned. He told me that he would graciously allow me seven days to leave; if I was found in the country after seven days I would be arrested. Needless to say, all of this talk of being illigal and imprisioned and deported freaked me out. Praise the LORD Reagan was there! He began speaking to the director in Afrikaans, knowing that the man was more comfortable with this language and that it would remind him that he was dealing with a local (the director admited that he did not like foreigners and thought that they only reason that they came to South Africa was to murder their people, rape their women, and steal their jobs. He said he particularly did not like Americans because they thought that they were too good for the system and do as they please). In hindsight, I'm glad that Reagan did this, but at the time it only freaked me out further. I had no idea what was going on, only that I had been presented with imprisionment and deportation. During their lengthly conversation, I fought the tears that filled my eyes. Eventually, the director noticed this and asked if I was crying. I simply responded, "yes", the first word that I had spoken to him the entire time we were there. Later, I discovered that this worked in my favor.

After much conversation, the director told Reagan and I that I could either leave the country within seven days or write an appeal to have my application looked at again, though there wasn't much chance in that since my application did not contain the proper documentation. Thankfully, Reagan had anticipated something like this and had brought his laptop. We immidiately began writting the appeal, explaining what I've been doing in South Africa, that I planning on leaving in a month, etc. After we finished, Reagan took the appeal to the director's office to wait until he was ready to see us again while I sat trying to compose myself (we wrote the letter in an office connected to the director's office).

Shortly after, Reagan spoke with the director again in Afrikaans (which he latter explained to me). The director asked Reagan if I cried easily, and Reagan responded that I was tender hearted, that I loved being in South Africa, loved my school kids, and that I wasn't like the other foreigners who wanted distruction for the country; I was here to help without seeking self-gain. This along with Reagan's calm, respectful demeanor, began to soften the director. He looked over our appeal, even adding a few things to help our case, then Reagan called me in to sign it. He read through the appeal again, and told me that he still could not approve my visa because I still did not have the proper documentation. He could, however, sign a paper that said that I was an illegal in the country but had permission to be in South Africa until June 30. However, I would only be allowed to be in the area where I work and the area where I stay; if I'm found outside of these two areas, I will be arrested.

Although these conditions are not ideal, I'm thankful that I am able to complete my mission in coming to South Africa. Yes, I'm disappointed that I can't do some of the touristy stuff, but that wasn't my intention in coming here. I can still finish that which I set out to do. I'm thankful that I am still in South Africa working with my kids rather than on a plane or in prison right now. I'm thankful that Reagan was there to explain my heart, my story, and my passion. If he hadn't been there, I would probably be in one of the above places. I'm thankful that the director softened and was willing to let me stay for the last month.

Lastly, all of this visa stuff and moving and transition has really made me aware of how little time I have left in SA. Where has the time gone? I can't believe that I only have a month here! It's going to be so hard to leave! God's provided me with a family here, a purpose, and thousands of kiddos to love and be loved by. Leaving isn't going to be easy.

Praise the LORD!:
~For Reagan and how he's taken care of me
~For my South African family
~For humor
~For warmth
~For sunshine
~For coffee
~For chocolate
~For kiddos
~For opportunity
~For using me
~For my time here
~For love
~For encouragement
~For truth
~For hope
~For a roof over my head
~For a warm bed to sleep in
~For my heater
~For reassurance
~For growth and learning
~For forgiveness
~For all that He's done in my life, all that He's brought me through
~For music
~For laughter
~For Laura and Jerome
~For support
~For life
~For my daily bread

Please pray:
~For rest
~For health- bronchitis is no fun!
~For safety
~For wisdom
~For committed volunteers in Cynergy
~For smooth transition
~For energy
~That God speaks His truth into my life
~That I learn to discern my voice from His
~For discernment and direction in my future
~For quick recovery for my mom's knee
~For friends and family who are struggling
~For understanding
~That Jerome's finances come in