Month: April 2016

One More Year of Residency

On March 25^th our residency card expired. At the time we were two weeks into our new house with boxes all around, it was Holy Week, so many government offices were closed, Stephen’s parents had just left, and we had a short-term team here from Ohio. It did not even seem possible for us to make this happen, so we called our residency friend and she told us that it was no problem- we would only need to pay $1 a day and we could renew it later. That was partly true!

The following Monday we knew it was time to tackle it, so we rented the Ministry truck- a true Nica truck with more dents than flat surfaces, windows for air conditioning , and plumes of black smoke when you go uphill.

Our first stop was Granada for our police reports. Our friend Roger came to help, and after an hour of waiting in line at the bank to pay for the report and another hour at the police station, we found out that we could not get the police report to renew our residency because our residency had expired. We would have to drive to Immigration in Managua to pay and get a form so that we could come back and get our police report.

An hour and a half later we arrived in Managua to Immigration to find that in order to get this paper we needed to visit a lawyer to write a letter, copy our document, and make this process official. Conveniently there are about 25 lawyers with computers and photocopiers under tents outside of Immigrations- 30 minutes later and $8 poorer we have what we need. We went back into Immigration, paid our late fee, found out that the paper we needed would not be available until tomorrow, and joined the rush hour traffic heading out of the city- STRIKE 1.

Due to our schedule we did not get back to our residency issues until Friday. We had an ambition goal- all five documents we needed for our residency in one day!

We hit the road early- 7 AM. Our first stop was Immigration in Managua to get the paper to take to Granada Police Department. At 8:30 AM we arrived at Immigration, and we walked out with what we needed at 8:35 AM (Amazing!).

Now back to Granada! When we arrived at the Police Department, we were greeted by a young woman who was in one of our first Bible Studies- what a great thing to get to reconnect with her! Somehow we were fast-tracked through, and we left with our reports in 30 minutes (Amazing!) Two things accomplished by a little after 10:30!

The next stop was Masaya Social Security office to buy the National Health Insurance. By 11 AM we were sitting in the air- conditioned office behind a man with a shaved head and tattoos, and hoping for the best. The man spoke English, helped with the whole process, and the woman at the desk who was wonderfully helpful, was able to practice her English with us. We were on the road in 45 minutes.

I cannot tell you how amazing this is to deal with three government agencies successfully in only the first half of the day!

The next stop was pictures, and then on to the school in Managua to get the final document. We made it there by a little before 2, and we were out the door by 2:45- another amazing turn around. By now I was calling these miracles, because really it is only by the work of God that this is all coming together!

The last part was the dash to Immigration across town. We made it there just after closing, but thanks to a friend with connections we were able to get in the gate to hand in our paperwork.

At the desk she looks through our documents and said we were missing one document, something we were not aware of- I felt like people must feel when they missed a step in the Amazing Race and have to go back and start over. Actually, at this point I was angry and was vowing to leave the country and never come back! STRIKE 2

The truth is though that it was an AMAZING day of seeing God work on our behalf- I really needed that encouragement!

This past Monday was our third attempt at the residency renewal. We got up early again, made a quick stop at the Social Security office to find out that Stephen’s insurance could only go through if he is signed on as my domestic help for the next two months- I LOVE THIS! The next step was Managua for the final paper we had missed earlier.

We had it by 10 AM and were at Immigration 30 minutes later. When we got to the front of the line we found out we were missing one more thing, but we could not understand what they were saying. Amazingly enough, our residency friend was standing in the next line over. She was able to help us; we needed to write a letter saying that we really do want to renew our residency (seems like a strange request since we had done so much to prove that already).

By 11:15 AM, the paperwork was in, and we were walking out the door- What a wonderful feeling!

On the way home we stopped at PriceSmart (Costco) to get kitty litter, and we ran into our friend Regina who has helped us and been a wonderful encouragement in this process. It was great to get to talk with her and express our appreciation!

Now we wait for the April 27^th when we go in to receive our actual residency cards, but we wait seeing God’s provision in the process.

When we arrived back into Nicaragua, we came to a new town with new dreams, new connections, part of a new ministry, and I was looking forward to the abundance of the change. The reality was actually quite different.

I have found frustration and anger to be near the surface often, and this transition to Masatepe was a continuation of that. We arrived here not funded enough to get a full paycheck, I started teaching English at a Nicaragua Christian school and was VERY frustrated with the experience, we did not move into a permanent (at least one year) house until a month after arriving, we had no internet at the house, so communication with those who know me was severely restricted, and the internet that we could get was public, which those of you who me, know that is very challenging.

This anger I have seems to be based in disappointment, and quite honestly a feeling that, “God can do better than this for me so why isn’t he doing it!” I am a missionary, working for him, so aren’t I entitled to some good stuff? Instead he has put me in a city with no house, a frustrating job, no way to communicate with the outside world, and all the normal issues of transition. Why does everything have to be so difficult?

I would love to say that I am past all this, but I think it is more of a process for me than an instant change. Some truth has come to me in some specific ways, though.

One has been a Bible Study that I have been able to hang on to with several women from Granada. Somehow it has worked most weeks for me to join them and has given me an outlet to be honest, be prayed for, and cared about.

The other way that God has spoken to me was through a lady who came to the door. She persistently said, “Buenos Dia” until I came. On arriving she told me that she needed money. I told her that we do not give out money but if she would like something to eat then I can make something for her. She insisted again that it was money she needed. When I told her again that I do not give money, she told me that Stephen had given her money, which I was sure he had not. I offered food again, and she got VERY angry and stomped off yelling that we are bad people for not helping her.

I did not feel bad not giving her money but as she walked about I saw myself in her. The role I was playing with God was the demanding lady who wanted what I wanted and not what he was offering me. Yikes! That’s pretty ugly.

The irony is that the days following this experience, we have seen some specific answers to these stresses. We do have a house, and it has become a place of rest at the end of the day.

Just yesterday we reached the 100% mark for our support, so starting May 1^st we will have a full paycheck!

Also yesterday I got an assistant for my English classes- what a difference it makes having someone to work with and help manage the classes.

And finally this past Monday we were able to get internet in the house- now we can skype and email and be connected once again.

God has provided in His way and His time!