Skin Of Teeth

Because friends thought that I should not drive my illegal car all the way to JayaPura for immigration, Heidi volunteered.  Heidi is Bob and Jan’s daughter-in-law and has become one of my dear friends here in Papua.  She has checked in with me and prayed for me at some of my “darker” moments.  I asked if she was sure she could give up her day to accompany us, to which she responded, “Oh I am not giving up my whole day, only half.” HA!

So at 8:15 Friday morning we were on our way.  By 9:30 we learned that we were ahead of our immigration “make things happen man”.  So we stopped to shop at one of the nicer grocery stores about an hour from here.   Upon arriving at immigration we were greeted with the news that the internet was not working.  And was needed in order to fingerprint us and process everything.   So if we could just be patient.  Well rather then sit in a boring immigration office….we decided to make the best of it.

Heidi drove us to a lovely café.  Where I must declare that their milk shakes were divine.  The best we have tasted since arriving into this country.  It was a lovely splurge and air conditioned too.  After that we walked around a lovely motel and spotted angel fish and blue star fish in the ocean bay.  Then Heidi and I decided that a massage sounded great.  So for $8 total, she had her feet and legs massaged and I my back.  After that we shopped some more and then we decided maybe we should make our presence known at the Immigration office again.

We sat and waited for over an hour.  Getting glimmers of hope that maybe this really was going to work.  The clock had zipped past 4p.m. and I must admit I was getting anxious that maybe this would not work, today.  If not, would we get all the paper work needed in time to leave next Thursday?  The boys had been so quiet and obedient all day, but even good boys have limits.  There limit’s were being tested.  At last around 4:15ish we were called back.  All the employees were ready to leave for the day and you could tell they had been paid well to help us.  They all asked where Darron was.  But one by one….each fingerprint was recorded on live internet connection.  I felt like letting out a Papuan whoop whoop whoop when at 5:00 I knew that our mission had been completed.

Heidi had a challenging drive home.  It was close to 7:00 and well past dark when we pulled into home.  Jan, had hot soup and pizza buns ready for all of us.  I said grace, and burst into tears when I thanked the Lord for friends and food.  I think the stress of the last several weeks, and Darron not being here and three trips to JayaPura just leaked out in that prayer.  Yet even more so, was the awareness of the dear friends here who are working so hard to be supportive and loving.  We are so blessed by the people we know and the place we have been brought too. 

On Monday, Darron and I will return to immigration for his fingerprinting.  I will go, simply to be in his presence.  Wendy will watch our boys.  By Tuesday they intend to have all our paper work ready and handed to me with exit and re entry visa’s in hand.  By the skin of our teeth….we will be set to fly on Thursday morning.

Your prayers hold us.  If only you knew how much…….