Latest Updates –

June 29, 2012 –

At this date, the paperwork that is needed from the church in Brazil for the “Missionary Visa” is on it’s way. They needed to have some paperwork notarized in Brazil. That has been completed.

I am waiting for my FBI background check, then the next step is to apply for the visa online, and make an appointment to take the required paperwork in person to the Brazilian Consulate in San Francisco. Again, the timing of this is dependent upon the arrival of the paperwork from Brazil and the FBI paperwork.

I am in the process of trying to have some garage sales to divest myself of possessions and cannot and do not want to take to Brazil. I have much of my library of books to get rid of.

The other issue is the unknown timing of the foreclosure process on the house.

On Saturday, July 14th, there will be a “Commissioning Gathering” put together by my pastor and some of the intercessors here in Monroe, Washington, to give me a chance to share the ministry, and give people a chance to give and commit to supporting the ministry. Pray for good weather on that Saturday afternoon, and the Lord’s anointing on our time.

I am trusting the Lord to knit all these pieces together for His purposes at the right time and in the right way. Please be in prayer for these and many other details.

Monday, July 9 – Today the paperwork was received from First Baptist Church in Valentina, Brazil. This is a huge step forward toward the process of applying for the visa. Now, the one last piece of paperwork needed is the FBI background check.  Then, application can be made and an appointment made at the San Francisco Consulate.

 

 

 

July 23, 2012 – The final bit of paperwork needed arrived today. The FBI report. I immediately got on the Consulate website, filled out the application, and made an appointment for 11:00 AM July 30th. That next Wednesday, July 25th, I left Monroe, WA at 4:30 am and drove all the way to Gilroy, CA in one day (15 hours). I spent a few days with my friends Mark and Karen McPherson. Mark and I were in High School together and he led me to the Lord on January 3, 1969.

The weekend of July 28th happened to be the famous Gilroy Garlic Festival, so Mark “invited” me to work the Festival with him. It was hard work, but we had a good time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday morning, July 30th, I drove from Gilroy to San Francisco. Easily found a parking place, and walked into the Consulate at 10:00 am, an hour early.

I got my number and in 15 minutes I was at the window handing the gal my paperwork. She spent about 5 minutes in the back and then came back out, and began to tell me it would take longer because they have to send it to Brazil for processing. Well, I expected that.

The Consulate website said “Processing 90 Working Days,” and several people who work in Brazilian Consulates had told me the same thing. But as she was sitting down, she shook her head and said, “What am I thinking? That’s a different one, we process these here.” She then proceeded to tell me that I could expect to receive the visa by August 10th!! I tried really hard not to show my complete delight at what she was telling me.

After visiting my uncle Jim in El Sabronte, I hit the road for home. The trip was uneventful except at I got into the Seattle area, and was the first of about 5 cars who hit “something” in the road and had a blowout. It bent the rim and sliced the tire, but Praise God no accidents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 9, 2012 – The Visa has arrived!!  This is such an amazing answer to prayer.

When I was at my friends house in Gilroy, CA (Thanks Mark and Karen for the hospitality) they invited one of the intercessors in their church over for a chat. Before she left, I asked if we could join together to pray for the visa and paperwork. We laid hands on the papers, anointed them with oil and asked the Lord to make them a blessing to whoever would handle them. I had some who had told me that this would be a long and expensive process. Well, the Lord had His hand on this process, and all the doors are now open. I have a one-way ticket to Brazil leaving Seattle on October 25th.

Praise God for His working in this Adventure!!