Satan must be feeling really threatened
Well, the good news is that Lima has got The Wireless. The bad news is that I am in Lima, (Peru). This is disappointing for various reasons...
#1. The airport in Lima has a one-hundred percent disappointment rate, with a fifty percent chance you will be harassed on your way in and out of the airport and a fifty percent chance the attendants at the check-in counter will blame you for the high winds in Cuzco which delayed your plane and made you late for the check-in on your connecting flight.
#2. I am currently in said airport, awaiting my flight home....
This was so unexpected. I am still in a state of shock. I don't know whether to cry or cry harder. I have been in Ecuador the last three months on a tourist visa (good for 90 days). The plan was to renew the visa after three months and stay for three more months on a new visa. This plan would have worked well if Ecuador actually renewed tourist visas for any foreigners besides Columbians and Peruvians, which they did up until about five days ago. This information was not made available to me when I went to the immigration office two weeks ago to ask what I needed to do to renew the visa. The information given me at that point was, "come back on the 20th and we'll renew it then." Then on the 20th, I got a "come back on Monday." and yesterday, I got a "no deal. we do not renew visas for anyone other than Columbians and Peruvians. You have to leave the country tomorrow or you will have to pay a $200 fine and you will never be allowed to enter the country again.
Then there was a scramble to try and find a flight out of Ecuador. We went all over the place to find a flight for me. Yesterday morning I found a flight out of Ecuador for 6:00 yesterday evening, and here I am in Lima awaiting my 12:00pm flight.
I don't know where to begin...I feel absolutely devastated. I feel like I was just getting started. I am really tired. It all happened so fast, there was hardly any time to think. I still have not fully processed what just happened.
It was terrible. Word spread pretty fast Monday evening about what was going on and by about 8:00 everybody from the church was at my house with tons of questions. And everybody was crying. It was too much. This is so not how I wanted things to happen. And it's really painful. And the worst was saying "see you later" to the group of close friends who went with me to the airport. Oh it hurt so much. There were a lot of tears all around. It still hurts. But...
If there is one thing I have seen and learned on this 26-year adventure it is that God is faithful. And He knows what He is doing. And I am confident that though I do not understand the reason for or know the outcome of all this, God is currently, tirelessly working in it for the good of those who love Him. I am certain of that. And so, the only thing I can do is continue to pray for my brothers and sisters in El Recreo, and do the best I can to get back as soon as possible to finish what I started.
I want to thank you so much for your prayers. I was blown away by you. I asked for prayer on Thursday afternoon for the burdens of the church and the general feeling of discouragement. Thursday night during the class Marcelo has been teaching weekly on how to prepare a sermon, there was so much laughter. It seemed like everyone felt a little bit less burdened, and there was a sense of unity in the humor of the evening. Thank you for lightening the load a bit, even if it just was for the evening. We all needed the good laugh. Please continue praying for this. And please pray for me. And for my good friends in El Recreo. This was all so sudden, and very painful. I am still in shock, and I think I am going to be realizing during the next week or two everything I forgot to take care of before leaving in the short time I had to pack my bags and get out!
Also, please pray for the rest of my trip home. If you're reading this before noon on Wednesday, I am still in Lima. From Lima I fly to El Salvador and from El Salvador to Los Angeles. And my flight lands in LA at 11:50 Wednesday night. This has been a very long, very draining couple of days.
Please pray for me as I begin the process of obtaining a missionary visa so that I can go back to Ecuador as soon as possible and not have to worry about having to leave the country after such a short time.
Man...we were just getting started.
#1. The airport in Lima has a one-hundred percent disappointment rate, with a fifty percent chance you will be harassed on your way in and out of the airport and a fifty percent chance the attendants at the check-in counter will blame you for the high winds in Cuzco which delayed your plane and made you late for the check-in on your connecting flight.
#2. I am currently in said airport, awaiting my flight home....
This was so unexpected. I am still in a state of shock. I don't know whether to cry or cry harder. I have been in Ecuador the last three months on a tourist visa (good for 90 days). The plan was to renew the visa after three months and stay for three more months on a new visa. This plan would have worked well if Ecuador actually renewed tourist visas for any foreigners besides Columbians and Peruvians, which they did up until about five days ago. This information was not made available to me when I went to the immigration office two weeks ago to ask what I needed to do to renew the visa. The information given me at that point was, "come back on the 20th and we'll renew it then." Then on the 20th, I got a "come back on Monday." and yesterday, I got a "no deal. we do not renew visas for anyone other than Columbians and Peruvians. You have to leave the country tomorrow or you will have to pay a $200 fine and you will never be allowed to enter the country again.
Then there was a scramble to try and find a flight out of Ecuador. We went all over the place to find a flight for me. Yesterday morning I found a flight out of Ecuador for 6:00 yesterday evening, and here I am in Lima awaiting my 12:00pm flight.
I don't know where to begin...I feel absolutely devastated. I feel like I was just getting started. I am really tired. It all happened so fast, there was hardly any time to think. I still have not fully processed what just happened.
It was terrible. Word spread pretty fast Monday evening about what was going on and by about 8:00 everybody from the church was at my house with tons of questions. And everybody was crying. It was too much. This is so not how I wanted things to happen. And it's really painful. And the worst was saying "see you later" to the group of close friends who went with me to the airport. Oh it hurt so much. There were a lot of tears all around. It still hurts. But...
If there is one thing I have seen and learned on this 26-year adventure it is that God is faithful. And He knows what He is doing. And I am confident that though I do not understand the reason for or know the outcome of all this, God is currently, tirelessly working in it for the good of those who love Him. I am certain of that. And so, the only thing I can do is continue to pray for my brothers and sisters in El Recreo, and do the best I can to get back as soon as possible to finish what I started.
I want to thank you so much for your prayers. I was blown away by you. I asked for prayer on Thursday afternoon for the burdens of the church and the general feeling of discouragement. Thursday night during the class Marcelo has been teaching weekly on how to prepare a sermon, there was so much laughter. It seemed like everyone felt a little bit less burdened, and there was a sense of unity in the humor of the evening. Thank you for lightening the load a bit, even if it just was for the evening. We all needed the good laugh. Please continue praying for this. And please pray for me. And for my good friends in El Recreo. This was all so sudden, and very painful. I am still in shock, and I think I am going to be realizing during the next week or two everything I forgot to take care of before leaving in the short time I had to pack my bags and get out!
Also, please pray for the rest of my trip home. If you're reading this before noon on Wednesday, I am still in Lima. From Lima I fly to El Salvador and from El Salvador to Los Angeles. And my flight lands in LA at 11:50 Wednesday night. This has been a very long, very draining couple of days.
Please pray for me as I begin the process of obtaining a missionary visa so that I can go back to Ecuador as soon as possible and not have to worry about having to leave the country after such a short time.
Man...we were just getting started.
posted by Amy at 9:41 PM
6 Comments:
I can't believe that! I'm praying for you.
You'll be back. Satan can't keep you down.
Wow, what a fantastic government!
I will pray that you make it back and I'm sure when you do you'll see some progress at the church.
I will keep praying for you. You are doing a lot. I hope you keep doing some more.
Amy,
Don't worry too much. If there's one thing I've learned in 12 plus years of trying to be the best disciple of Christ, is that God knows what he's doing. He has a reason for having you leave, it's all part of his grand plan that we just try and figure out. I don't know if it's for your protection, or if it's for those who you left to become the leaders that is needed to make the work the success you desire. You've gone through two rough periods and know that on the other side of trial/test is a blessing. Just know there's a reason that may not make sense now, but will later. I've seen it too many times to doubt it.
Praying for you way hard Amy and I'm telling my friends here in Italy to pray too.
I know that the devil will never keep you from doing the Lord's work and that you will be there again soon enough!
Have safe travels.
hi amy,
though i haven't written much, we have been praying for you during your time in Ecuador. The visa thing changed here in Peru also. But how weird, couldn't you have just left the country, to Lima, for example and then re-entered Ecuador as a tourist for another 3 months? that's what we've been doing (except we leave to chile). That's really too bad you had to cut your trip short.. and so suddenly. Please keep in touch and let me know how things are going, kay?
Oh and you know what's funny? We were in Lima at the airport the day before you! You should have just come to Cusco for a visit and then headed back to Ecuador. Oh well, God is in control of all things!
Blessings to you my friend,
Tracie
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