A Different Kind of Miracle

Thank you so much for praying for us during this extremely difficult time in our family...

As you probably already know from our FB updates or from calling me that the US Embassy has denied BJ a travel VISA to the US. We were so certain that after they told Dennis which document he needed to get and bring to the appointment and after he worked so hard to get it, that they would issue the VISA without problems. So we were very shocked and devastated to say the least when he was denied.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to us right now but the consulate or whomever Dennis had the interview with kept saying that we couldn't prove and he couldn't be confident that we would return BJ to Kenya in two months and that he has never allowed a child to leave Kenya that is not fully adopted. Dennis told him everything and pleaded as best he could but it was obvious the guy had already made his decision before Dennis even spoke.  His decision was firm and final.

Bj is a happy boy!! What a blessing!

I was able to speak with the case worker at Congressman Burgess office today and she told me she was emailing and contacting the Embassy to figure out what happened and to get us more info but she said due to Christmas and the timing of things she was certain she wouldn't have a reply for me until at least next Thursday. 

At this point in time we have done all we can do and know to do and have accepted God's answer to the prayers of many people. Today we have had to think about what to do next and after much discussing and praying and thinking logically about things this is the plan we have come up with for now...and with it we will just take one step at a time

At this point Dennis' heart condition needs to be our focus so Dennis will be arriving into Dallas on Sunday evening. B.J. will remain in Kenya with Betty and our dear missionary friends the Grossmann's and the Thompsons. Betty will travel back with him to Mombasa on Monday and stay with him with these two families until we know what's next.

We will spend Monday and Christmas at the Clark's just resting and sleeping and then Dennis will have a Trans esophageal Eco-cardiogram (TEE) procedure done on Wednesday morning Dec 26th - his Birthday:() at Presbyterian Hospital in Denton. This procedure will look at his heart more closely and we will know more then the way forward as far as the urgency of surgery or not.

We will just take one day at a time and go from there in determining whether I go back to Kenya immediately and be with BJ or if I remain with Dennis in Denton or just what exactly to do next. Pray for wisdom! 

Our hearts are surely aching and many tears have been shed today but we know and trust God is at work and knows what He is doing and has HIS perfect plan in this. We pray that as we have gone through all of this and continue to do so that God is using it for HIS glory and that through it all we would respond to this situation as redeemed loved children of God and that He would give us strength to live out the gospel and that many people might draw closer to The Lord as a result!

Here were the last two updates from Dennis put out on Face Book. The second was a response to several emails we got from people saying that this can't be God's will and that we need to be careful in how we say that, because it might cause some to doubt God's goodness...

1.UPDATE 9:25AM: God's WILL has been done! The Embassy said that since the Kid is still in the process of adoption they cannot issue him with a visa because there is no guarantee of return for Him. Please know that even though we are greatly disappointed God's will has been done - We don't know WHY right now BUT one thing we are sure of is that His will is Good, Pleasing and Perfect! PLEASE KNOW THAT and BELIEVE that with us and for US. THANK YOU!

2. Dear friends I realize that our response to BJ's denial of visa by the US embassy is NOT the normal response - We all like to praise God only when things are going right. A commitment to Jesus DEMANDS that we relate to Jesus not only when He gives us what we desire, need or want but we relate to JESUS FOR WHO JESUS IS! 

When these things happen we need to be careful that we don't sin by grumbling and complaining but putting on a spirit of patience and Gratefulness for all the things that God has graciously given us. I believe that for every one thing that God "chooses to Deny" us He gives us much more! 

Please understand that the knowledge of this does NOT keep us from anger and disappointment but in our anger and disappointment we need not to sin. The words of Job who LOST everything compared to a denial of visa by the American Embassy is especially humbling - and I Pray that I will by the strength of God adjust my attitude to disappointment in light of what His Word teachers me:

Job 2:10

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

...“You sound like one of those fools on the street corner! How can we accept all the good things that God gives us and not accept the problems?” So even after all that happened to Job, he did not sin. He did not accuse God of doing anything wrong.

Everything that Happens either God causes it to happen or allows it to happen and for that we are thankful - OUR GOD IS IN CONTROL and I pray that this little experience of ours will encourage you in whatever situation you are in - God is good all the time!

Thank you again so much for continuing to walk this journey with us in prayer! We pray that we will live out God's WORD and HIS truth during this time! Please keep speaking TRUTH to us! We need it!

Allison, Dennis, Anjela and BJ