Illegal Immigrants

As of today, we no longer hold valid visas for our stay in the Philippines. Does that makes us illegal immigrants? Illegal immigration is a matter of great argument in my home country. I will skirt around all of that for now and just say that our situation is a matter of prayer and not contention.

Technically, we are not illegal. We have submitted our applications for extension and are awaiting a response from the Bureau of Immigration. This makes us legal, on a technicality.

So what do you call someone in a foreign country that does not have a current visa? Invalid immigrants? Overdue immigrants? Naughty nomads? I don't know.

For now, I will refer to our situation as interim immigrants. By God's grace, we have never had any problems having our visas approved or extended, aside from the joys of bureaucracy and the confusion that it mandates. But as we wait, we pray, and ask you to pray with us, that we will soon hear that our visas are approved so that we can continue to minister in the Philippines.

Grace,
Tom

Journey Home

We were off to a great start. When we moved to the Philippines back in 2008, we were still frantically packing until the very last moment. This time, we had all of our bags packed and were ready except for shutting down the utilities. The van showed up early and we were packed and on the road before he was even scheduled to arrive. The blue sky was perfectly clear and the temperature was pleasant as we drove through Bontoc to begin the journey to Baguio and, ultimately, our family and friends in the USA.

But within 2 kilometers of Bontoc we ran into a problem, a problem that did not exist 45 minutes earlier when the van passed that way going to our apartment. A landslide blocked the road, holding up traffic going both ways for nearly 5 hours. We could almost see our apartment looking across the river from where we waited with so many others. Due to the mountainous terrain, there are few roads so when a landslide occurs detours are rarely available. So we waited and watched the loader move bucket after bucket of rocks. We did need to move when they cleared the area so they could use dynamite to blast some of the rocks which were too large for the loader.

The hero of the day

Waiting for the slide to be cleared

While we waited we thought we would get a picture of the 4A's in front of some of the terraced rice fields that are iconic for this part of the world. Whenever you visit us in Bontoc, you will see these fields on your right and then you will know you are driving through the place where many landslides have taken place.

Back: Alayna, Alexie, Adriana  Front:  Annalise

We arrived at YWAM Baguio without any more problems, just in time for dinner. The next morning, we hit the road early. Along Kennon Road just outside of Baguio on our way to Manila, we stopped to snap a few photos at Lion's Head.

At 2 a.m. Wednesday, we awoke to go to the airport in Manila.

Entering the Manila airport for the beginning of a long journey

At the Manila airport we were caught off-guard by an unexpected fee by Immigration. We did not have enough cash on us, but I was able to get to an ATM and resolve the issue without making us miss our flight. Stressed and a bit irritated, but still on time.

Chillin' in Japan

Even though our flight from Japan to Detroit was delayed by an hour causing the next leg of the journey to need to be rescheduled by an hour, everything went smoothly and many were there to greet us when we arrived.

Yay! We're Home!

Alayna with a little, "That's right, we're here!"

April 11 will stand as one of the longest days in history; due to the many time zones we crossed, from midnight in the Philippines to midnight in Michigan, April 11 was a 36 hour day.

We are glad to be home and look forward to enjoying time with family and friends as well as the bountiful blessings of our homeland.

Calvinball: Game 2 of New Season

Our MVP Thomas pulled through with another victory at the BI field in Manila this morning. Despite the ever-changing rules, he was declared a winner in record time. Here are the game stats:

• 6:45 arrived at BI
• 7:25 found that processing begins at 8
• 8:05 window 24, extension receiving "go to visa extension desk"
• Visa extension desk "go to 4th floor office 401"
• 8:15 office 401-"talk with guy with checked shirt"-office 419
• 419 shirt guy, immigration lawyer- shuffles papers, says they are out of order and need 2 hole fasteners, then take to office 426
• 8:25 rearrange and punch papers (this did not rattle him- he was prepared with needed hole punch and fasteners in backpack)
• 8:30 papers resorted and organized by lady in 426 "take to 425"
• 8:45 papers signed by checked shirt guy in 425
• Window 14 to receive bill
• 9:00 Window 13 to pay "take receipt to copier and take receipt to Window 14" (rarely is there a working copier on site)
• 9:10 dropped off papers at Window 14 and waited for next step
• 9:15 Window 14 lady came to lobby and asked what I was waiting for

The team is now on the way back home for a victory celebration and rest. No more games scheduled until notice of hearing arrives in the mail.

Lisa

Safe from Typhoon

Thank you so very much for faithfully praying for us! We made it through the typhoon safely. There was a great amount of rain and wind that caused us to lose power at 4 p.m. Monday and therefore water as well. But amazingly our power has already been restored! Rain blew in through our apartment windows which caused some flooding. No lasting damage- just a mess and lots of work continually mopping up the water.

Thomas is on the bus traveling to Manila today with plans to submit our visa paperwork tomorrow. Please pray that we have all the necessary documents and the process is a smooth one. Pray also for safe travel. With the typhoon, landslides prevented his travel yesterday and have already disrupted his travels today.

Your prayers are so powerful. We are so thankful to have so many praying for us.
Lisa

Calvinball: Game 1 of New Season

In the end Thomas was able to navigate all the twists and turns of the rules of Calvinball to capture the trophy of 6 renewed I-cards. But it wasn't easy...

• 8 am He took a trike to get a cab.
• Took 20 minutes just to get a cab.
• Rush hour trip across Manila. (Once he was sitting in traffic in front of HP customer service center. Seemingly mocking our recent computer struggles with our HP computers.)
• In the first 15 minutes at the Bureau of Immigration, sent 5 places to get a document not listed anywhere but on the window:
• Window 36
• Window 19
• Window 1
• Then 2 offices on the 2nd floor.
• Then to 3rd floor to recover our cards that had been confiscated but that office is moving and didn't have any power or computers.
• Told to take his lunch and come back.
• After another cab ride to get lunch, returns to 3rd floor to collect cards.
• Back to Window 36
• Then to Window 33 to get express lane bill
• Window 41 to pay- on the 30 foot walk fees went from 3000 to 16029 PHP ($69 to $369)
• Window 34 to find errors made by the BI in Baguio
• Back to 3rd floor for second approval and annulment of Adriana's marriage (don't panic, just another error in the paperwork)
• Went to bank building for final approval
• Then at 3:30 p.m. Window 43 to submit for I-cards
• Told to wait, cards to be released at 4:30 p.m.
• Window 43- oops need Window 37
• 4:40 p.m. DONE!
• 10:20 p.m. sitting in bus terminal right next to rat superhighway waiting for the 12:15 bus to Baguio

I would say "And that's how it's done" except as with every game of Calvinball you just never know what the rules will be.

So stay tuned for next week's game of Calvinball. Will our Calvinball MRP Thomas be able to come through for the team again? Hope so as the stakes are higher. Winner gets permission to stay in the Philippines for 2 more years!

Staff sportscaster, Lisa

Prayer Requests

With the breakdown of the computer I typically use for blog posts and other such things, I have not done such a great job keeping up here. But it is important enough to me to put these prayer requests before you:

1. Lisa has been battling cold-like symptoms and tonight is developing a bit of a fever. The good news is, she has some very attentive nurses disguised as daughters who are trying hard to take care of their mommy.
   
2. I have made arrangements to travel to Manila early tomorrow morning to begin another round of Calvinball (that's code for visa applications). I will probably be gone until Saturday afternoon. Our visas expire in November, so I cannot continue to delay getting the ball rolling.
   

I am not sure when I will be able to update you again about either of these requests. Just keep checking back.

Grace,
Tom

And Back Again

We made it back to Bontoc late Thursday night and another round of Calvinball is behind us. We made our required annual report to Immigration and submitted our applications for our i-cards, an Immigration ID card. We had enough pesos to cover all the fees and even had all the paperwork necessary. The only thing we needed to do was copy the receipts. Everything else went well and only took a couple hours. Copying the receipts was only a minor hassle, as the copy machine at Immigration was out of order, as usual, and we needed to walk around searching for another. The next one we found was also out of order, but the third was working. We hurried back and were able to hand in the receipts even though officially the office was closed for lunch. Everything we need should be mailed to us, so we should not need to visit our friends at Immigration until the beginning of 2010 when once again we need to make the annual report required of all foreigners and pay the corresponding fee, of course.

While in Baguio we made our compulsory stop at McDonald's. It is very convenient that the bus line we generally use drops off at Baguio's Center Mall - which, has a McDonald's. By the time we are done with the bouncing and twisting roads between Bontoc and Baguio, we are ready for a little time in a chair that isn't moving and something to eat. A Big Mac, McNuggets, fries, or a Coke may not be part of a healthy diet, but any of the above is a welcome taste of home when we make the trip. Bontoc is growing, but so far the only franchise that has reached us here is Mr. Donut.

Usually while in Bagiuo, we stay with friends. We have been so blessed by their hospitality, but this time we weren't able to stay with them and instead stayed at the Baguio YWAM base. As always, the girls made friends quickly with people of all ages. One of the staff children, Princess Joy, was the object of much attention and affection. The girls are now torn as to where we should stay when we travel to Baguio in the future. What a blessing to have friends in so many places!

After completing our Immigration requirements, we did some shopping for a number of things that are either very expensive or not available in Bontoc. Knowing the rainy season is fast approaching, we stocked up on more books, some movies, and craft supplies. While in one shop looking through movies, the saleslady remembered us even though we had not been in since October. She excitedly showed us the photo she had taken of Annalise on her cell phone. While waiting in line in the bathroom at the mall, another lady said to Annalise, "Do you remember me?" She didn't and neither did Lisa, she went on to explain she was the saleslady that sold us our stove. That was in January. Just another reminder that wherever we go, people are watching us! Cheese is always at the top of our grocery list, but we picked up some other food as well, including whole wheat flour and brown rice. It was a long day of going from place to place. We got back to the base late. Thursday we ran more errands, pushing it to the last minute to catch our bus back to Bontoc.

Actually, we missed the bus we usually ride. We thought the last bus left at 4 pm, but we found it left at 12:30. So we had the taxi take us to the other bus line. We made it just before 4, moved our baggage from the taxi to the bus, and took our seats. We did not even wait 10 minutes before they were backing the bus out of the lot. That would have been the last bus.

We wanted to be sure to be back in Bontoc for our Health Clinic. Because we did not know about the March 1 registration requirement until Saturday, we had not been able to let our patients know we might not be able to be in Bontoc today. Some of our regular patients travel from other villages to have us monitor their blood sugar and blood pressure. So it was important to us that we make it back. Although, we let our girls sleep in while Lisa and I went to the clinic alone.

Grace,
Tom

p.s. We thought when we arrived home in Bontoc, that we would not need to return to Baguio for a while. But today, our ATM card would not work in the machine. Since the only place in Bontoc that will take a card is the ATM, this is a problem. (Bontoc is a completely cash-based community.) We have emailed our credit union in Michigan about the problem, but may end up making a quick trip back to Baguio just so we can get cash to use in Bontoc. Pray that the ATM issue will be resolved, soon!

On the Road Again

In a few minutes we will be leaving for Baguio. We had planned on going within the next month to take the next step in the Immigration system. There is an identification card that we need to get. But Saturday, we found out that Immigration requires all foreigners report to their office before March 1.

So here we go.

Please pray for our safety during our travels and success in this round of Calvinball.

Grace,
Tom

Another Round of Calvinball

Our long-term visas are complete but there is an ID card (i-card) that we need to obtain yet. So after the team left last Thursday morning, we too, left for Baguio. Our hope was to get to the immigration office before they closed in case we could not complete the process in the same day. But along the way, a brake pad disintegrated as we came up on a curve/cliff. Fortunately, Steve was able to make the turn and bring the van safely to a stop. Brakes certainly are essential for travel along these narrow mountain roads!

We were able to hitch a ride back into Abatan, the nearest village. It is the half-way point between Baguio and Bontoc. The word abatan means meeting place. Fortunately it is large enough to have an auto parts store where we could buy new brake pads. After purchasing the parts, we hitched another ride back to the van where Lisa, the girls, and Mindel were all waiting. Steve replaced the pads while I tried to just block the wind so he could do it without shivering.

So we made it into Baguio safely, but much too late to go to immigration.

We stayed with some of our CDTS staff, Harry and Dee. It was good to spend some time catching up with them as well as learning more about their years of experience ministering in this area with YWAM.

In the morning, we went to immigration. But the Calvinball bounced against us. The fees were 7 times more than we were told before and we needed a document we had left in Bontoc. (How nice it would be to be able to find a location with all of the information we need!) One thing we have learned time and time again is whatever amount of pesos you think you may need to cover any governmental fees, you should plan on having many times that and maybe just maybe you might have enough. Even though we knew we wouldn't be able to complete the application process for the I-card, we thought that after talking to the kind lady behind the counter we would be able to do everything that needed all of our presence. The revised plan was to go ahead and complete the 12 or so forms, let them take our fingerprints and our photos and then later have Thomas return with the other form and the pesos. So the girls waited once again while the two of us went to work on the forms and we all got fingerprinted. (Although the lady was not too particular on how clear the prints were and most were just black smudges.) Anyway, after being there more than an hour we are told she can not take our photos without the one paper we left in Bontoc. Yippee!!! the six of us get to make the six or more hour trip again soon!!!

So the next thing on the agenda was to make some purchases that we cannot in Bontoc. One of the most exciting was an oven! We gave it a good try with the toaster oven, but it just could not handle the demands of a family of 6. It is nice to be able to add some variety to our diet and cook some more familiar foods, like pizza with the precious cheese we purchased.

It was funny though. When I purchased the stove, some of the guys from the store brought it to the entrance for me. There was a miscommunication, so they brought it to a different door, than I had expected. When I found it, one of the guys was standing on the sidewalk with it. The van was very close and I started to grab the stove so I could help carry it to the van. He insisted that I not worry about it, but that he and his partner would get it. Before his partner came down the steps, Steve walked up and started to grab it. The store clerk never said a word of protest and he and Steve carried it to the van. Is it just the kindness to foreigners or do I look that inept? I may not be an auto mechanic, but I thought I could carry a box...Hmmm?

Lisa and the girls were also able to buy some clothes. In the few months we have been here, Adriana and Alexie have really grown. Because they are taller than even most of the men, it is difficult to find clothes for them in Bontoc. Also, there was the need for warmer clothes due to my dear husband's minimilist packing philosophy so we could stop freezing our flip-flops off. But the search for fleeces involved some challenges as well. First, the stores did not have much to chose from. Secondly, the ones we did find were about P3000. At about P47 to the dollar, those were way too cost prohibitive. So after looking through many many stores in the four or more floors of the SM mall, we still didn't have much to keep us warm. Saturday morning, a friend took me to her favorite used clothes shops. Finally, success. I was able to get several fleeces and long sleeve shirts at a much better price, at most P200/each, some as low as P80.

It was good to get home Saturday night. It had been a busy week. I was looking forward to sleeping in my own bed and spending time at home with my family.

Grace,
Tom and Lisa

12/23 Calvinball –The Next Round

One of our purposes in travelling to Manila was to check the status of our long-term visas. (Calvinball is the game that never ends. If you don’t understand the Calvinball reference, refer to this post: Visually Insignificant Stationary Astroplane) When we were there in September, we were told we needed to personally return in 3 months to see if our visas had been released. We were not sure if the Immigration offices would be closed for the holidays and nobody seemed to know what the holiday schedule would be when we asked at that time.

Because our plane flew back into Manila early on Tuesday 12/22 and our bus did not leave until 8:30 that night, we hoped we could make a trip to Immigration during the day. Then we would need to figure out what to do the rest of the day.

We made arrangements with a fixed-rate taxi to take us to Immigration and wait for us so that we would not need to transport all of our luggage as we went in and out of the buildings. He told us that there would be no additional charge if we were less than 30 minutes. So when we arrived at the Immigration, we hurried in and found where we needed to be. On the way in we passed the crowd of men hanging around outside that offered their notary services. Who knows, maybe they really are legitimate…

On the upside, our visas had been approved. They had been completed in mid-November. On the down-side, we were not in the office on the right day. Apparently Mondays or Thursdays are when we are supposed to conduct such business. So on top of the huge (and unexpected) fees for the implementation of our visas, we would also need to pay for (get this) double express fee. All of the money we had paid so far was only for our visa application. We were unaware of the implementation fees and had no idea of the double express fee, so we did not have that much cash on us. (And to get a visa, they don’t take Visa – or American Express.)

So out we hurried, back to the taxi (23 minutes). Our plan was to go to the local mall so we could check our luggage at the baggage claim area of the department store, get lunch, and take care of some shopping needs while waiting to head to the bus stop in the evening.

While at the mall, I found that most of the ATMs were out of cash. Once they had enough, the transaction limit was much too small to for the amount I needed. There was a bank branch in the mall, but they could not do a cash advance.
By lunch time, Lisa and I were worn out. The fatigue from travelling and the stress we feel whenever we are in Manila, added to the aggravation of the visa situation, had us both feeling overwhelmed when we sat down for lunch. If a bus would have been leaving in the next hour, we would probably have been on it even without our visas.

That is when God’s grace poured down. Nothing miraculous happened. But I walked outside of the mall and saw a small bank across the street. They could not do a cash advance either, but their ATM had money and the limit was high enough that I could get the cash I needed in 4 withdrawals. I sent Lisa a text (did I mention that I had lost my phone hours before we left Bontoc and was borrowing the girls’ phone?) that I was heading to Immigration. I caught a trike and was at Immigration in short order. I walked right up to the first window and made it from one window to another to another without much waiting. I was a little worried when one clerk made me fill out a receipt form for our passports. I was expecting her to tell me to come back the next day like some offices did when we were extending our tourist visas. Instead she said to be back in an hour. By lurking outside her window, I was on my way back to the mall with stamped passports with a total time at Immigration of about an hour. I am so glad that God intervened in our spirits. Another round trip to Manila seemed worth it at the time, but we would have regretted it later when we actually had to do it.

Visas, Buses, and Annalise

The many prayers said regarding our long-term missionary visas were answered! We went to Immigration Tuesday, signing in at 9:15 a.m. We encountered absolutely no lines. Our file was immediately pulled and we were escorted to a lawyer's office. He looked through our file. Once again, there were questions regarding Annalise's birth certificate but he seemed satisfied with our answers. He asked to see our passports, asked who was the oldest child and then asked Adriana "How old are you?" Then he looked at me and asked "Who are you?" When I answered that I was the mother there were no more questions. Thomas signed a paper and then the lawyer signed his name. We need to return in 3 months to see if our file has been released.

I felt it very important to take the time and stop to tell the head of the legal department "Salamat po." (Thank you) The girls were already starting down the stairs when she motioned them to come back. Once again I was amazed at how God worked through Annalise. This lady, who had seemed so grouchy before, held Annalise's hand and suddenly transformed into a loving grandmother.

We had asked the lawyer for a phone number that we could call to check if our files were released, but he insisted we must inquire in person. Three months from now puts us right in the Christmas season and we wondered when the government offices would be closed. No one seemed aware of the schedule, but downstairs one of the employees graciously gave us his personal number not wanting us to travel so far to find the offices closed.

Those close to me know I struggle with worrying. God has done a great work in my heart and slowly this burden is lessening. I had such a sweet peace about our hearing. I recognized we were asking for much but just trusted that God would take care of all the details. I prayed a simple prayer of faith and truly left it to Him. At 9:30 a.m. we were outside getting a cab! (9:30 a.m. was when they agreed we could see if a lawyer would be available for our hearing.)

We got on the bus and journeyed the 6 hours to Baguio to renew our tourist visas as they were scheduled to expire November 27. Our plan was to go Wednesday morning to renew the visas then continue to Bontoc. But we found that Wednesday was a holiday celebrating the end of Ramadan. The number of Muslims is increasing in the Philippines and there is much said about keeping peace with our Muslim neighbors and so, in respect, all government offices were closed. So our return home was delayed. On Thursday morning we greeted the immigration officials in Baguio that we have gotten to know by name. (Ironically two of them have been waiting for years for their visas to go to the U.S.) Renewing in there is really easy as the office is much smaller than in Manila. We were able to leave in about 20 minutes with our stamped visas in hand. We are quite familiar with the process by now but we did not know there is a special fee if you stay more than 6 months. Renewing our tourist visas for two months this time cost more than our long term missionary visas but hopefully it will be the last time we need to.

"Back into the bus," seems to be a common phrase for our family as once again we were back in the bus on our way to Bontoc. The bus broke down a few times but still the trip took only six and a half hours. We arrived home to the news that Annalise's photo had been in the September 28 edition of the local newspaper, Mountain Province Exponent. Evidently we were not the only ones who noticed this friendship during the Am-Among Festival.

Lisa

The caption reads, "This is a different perspective of Am-Among."

Is There a Lawyer in the House?

Yesterday I attempted to call the legal department of Immigration. When a message stated they were not receiving calls, I went to have a face-to-face conversation. Everyone at Immigration greeted me warmly except for the head of the legal department. She clearly communicated she was annoyed to see me again. (While we were talking, I noticed that the office assistant was looking through our application and entering our names in a log book. At least we know it has made it to the right department.) She was not influenced when I told her we were doing mercy ministry next Friday morning. "You missionaries are all here for the same reason." My Filipino companion then had a conversation with her. Not sure what they said but I asked if we could come Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and she agreed. We can have our hearing then IF a lawyer is available. Not exactly an official appointment for a hearing but we are trusting God to make a way so a lawyer will be available and we will successfully finish this game of Calvinball victoriously as we need to catch the bus.

Today, a friend sent an email encouraging us to read Psalm 46. Thomas felt it was good to be reminded to, "Be still, and know that I am God," and that God will be exalted among the nations.

Please pray that our meeting will take place on Tuesday.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

...cabs and jeepneys too! Many months and time waiting, papers and more papers, and pesos and some more pesos but today we were finally able to submit our applications for our missionary visas.

Here are the latest details of this long, character-building game of Calvinball:

After the whole ordeal with getting our documents authenticated, yesterday we were told we needed an original document that only one person could provide and her office was located in Quezon City but she would not be in until today. But by God's grace we were able to contact her by cell phone and she promised to have the needed document ready for pick-up at 10 a.m. this morning. So Thomas, along with a Filipino from the YWAM Balut base, left early this morning and took two different jeepneys and a train to travel about an hour or so to the office and then took two different trains and a jeepney to return to the base. Knowing the government offices close for lunch, we got ready so we would be first in line at 1 p.m. (This was after having Adriana quickly change her clothes since we previously learned no one wearing shorts is admitted into immigration.) Rather than needing to walk the kilometer we usually do to catch a cab, one was ready right outside the base. This was just another blessing as walking in hot, humid Manila in pants is not too fun (but without pants, we might get arrested). We arrived at Immigration and within moments were at the front of the line. We presented our thick file of gathered documents to the official. Ironically, he handed us some back saying they were not needed. Imagine that...much better than what we heard four months ago. But he said we needed a different type of folder to submit our papers. We were thinking, "Great, we have done all this and now we have to leave to try to locate the requested type of folder." Once again, our prayers for favor were answered as he reached into his desk and gave us just what we needed. We did not even need to pay for it. This is quite amazing when it seems the government offices get money for everything possible. We had to fill in a few more places on our application and assemble the inch of papers and get back in line. Just when the gentleman that had previously helped us was about to sign saying we had submitted all that was required someone new came along and he handed our file to her. She pulled out a new checklist and started looking through all our papers. We patiently directed her to our marriage license that had traveled five times between home and the Philippines to be authenticated when asked. But our hearts beat a little faster when she asked, "Where are your missionary credentials?" thinking what we had submitted was not sufficient. We breathed a sigh of relief when she had just overlooked it. There were nine items and all but one was checked off and I was afraid to ask. No need to be concerned just stand in line at a different window and let them scan each of our passports into the computer and then go stand in line at another window and pay the list of fees one being 500p each so we can have that last needed item checked off. (The second official kindly pointed out that with four children we would pay many fees.) We were in the process of counting out the many needed pesos (totalling much more than the 500p listed above) when without a word the lady closed up her window and walked out of her booth. After a bit she returned and requested we supply exact change. We managed to come up with just the right combination of bills. Then we were told to go make copies of the official receipts and return to the second window we had visited. For this we needed to go to a different building and pay a little more pesos. Less than two hours from entering Immigration, we were able to successfully submit ALL of our applications.

We thank all of those who prayed for us. It went well. We are now waiting in Manila to see if we can be granted an expedited interview so that we do not need to make the 13 hour trip from Bontoc to Manila in a month or so. We ask your prayers for this. We did make our request at the legal department of Immigration today but were told that was impossible many times. We know that nothing is impossible for God. We left with the department's phone number in hand and a weakening of their claims of "impossible" with "call next week."

Calvinball Sideshow

Not everything related to Calvinball happens on the field of play. As we already talked about, the documents which held up our first attempt at applying for our long-term vise were mailed back to the USA by FedEx with no notification. Lisa's mom sent them to Baguio again. We were not sure which day they would arrive but we were hoping on Wednesday - nope. Thursday - nope.

Friday - well, that depends upon how insistent you are. We were able to pick up the documents this morning - but not without a little hassle. We had to do a little searching to find out where the FedEx office was. We had expected them to be at the mall, but instead they were shipped to another location. So after finding out where it was, we took a cab to the office. When we got there, the man said that the package had not yet arrived. Before leaving, I had looked at the tracking number and saw that it was awaiting pickup. We had a few frustrating minutes of him telling me that it had not yet arrived and me asking him to explain why the tracking clearly showed that it was. I was just asking him to go to their own website and explain my misunderstanding when the lady in the office found it. When I returned to the cab, Lisa said she could tell by my body language that I was being somewhat direct.

We then ran a few more errands before catching the bus to Manila at 1 pm. We arrived at the base about an hour ago, safe and sound.

Tomorrow we will travel to Valley Cathedral Children's Home (where we spent the first weeks of September last year) and visit with our friends there. We will return Sunday afternoon so we can be ready to complete our applications (depending on the way the Calvinball bounces) here in Manila on Monday.

For now, all the girls are resting upstairs in our rooms here at YWAM Balut.

Grace,
Tom

p.s. I had forgotten how hot and humid Manila is - and it is hours after sunset.

Visa Adventure or Calvinball, Next Round

The Visa adventure continues. We sent my mom the documents that needed authenticated by the Philippine consulant in the U.S. She traveled to Chicago and in a matter of hours had the necessary paperwork with the fancy seals in hand. The only problem was that it took several people looking at Annalise's birth certificate before approval was given. My mom shipped the documents back to Baguio and they arrived safely. My parents went on vacation and when they came home there were the documents back. FedEx had returned them. Evidently they will only hold them so long but failed to let either of us know this important detail. So earlier this week she reshipped them.

Yesterday, we boarded the bus to travel to Baguio. Alexie stood up with Thomas for part of our journey to allow two ladies to have seats on the bus. Five and a half hours later the bus broke down. We travel as light as possible with only MP3 players to entertain and a few snacks. Since most of them had used up their battery life by this point in the journey, fun times were had! We sat there for 1 1/2 hours before transferring to another bus to continue to our destination. One of our girls was quite stressed when the replacement bus was headed the wrong direction and the destination sign said, "Bontoc". But it turned around and made good time in the right direction. So after 8 hours we finally made it to Baguio.

We were tired and hungry so we trudged in the rain dragging our luggage to McDonald's counting on some good ol' French fries to brighten the mood. One thing that it doesn't take long to learn is just because the Filipino speaks English doesn't mean we will have clear communication. Not wanting to add further distress to my girls, I remembered to request their cheeseburgers with only ketchup. When they arrived they had every topping except ketchup! I expected loud protests by the girls, but they ate them without one word of complaint. Our girls really bless us over and over again with how well they handle the realities of our life here. One day we are served rice and chicken feet and heads and two days later hamburgers with mustard, pickles and onions (with the unfortunate absence of ketchup).

Today our plans are to renew our tourist visas and, if our documents arrive, get on another bus to Manila. There the goal is to submit all the necessary paperwork for our missionary visas.

In the continuing game of Visa Calvinball, it appears we are losing, but the game is not over!

Calvinball, the Next Play

One thing about this version of Calvinball (see previous post), is that money is helpful. Every play is somewhat costly. To use the format of a recent credit card promotion:

• Travel to Baguio and back, 1696 pesos
• Shipping of 7 pieces of paper, 1558pesos
• The opportunity to share Christ in Mountain Province, priceless

But at least we enjoyed the concession stands. While in Baguio to Fed Ex our birth certificates back home, we were able to visit McDonald's (to the delight of the girls) and a Mexican restaurant (to the delight of Tom and Lisa).

Of course the VISA game is far from over. Thousands of pesos and numerous hours have been spent to play and many more will yet be spent before our long-term visas are obtained.

Visually Insignificant Stationary Astroplane

Tomorrow morning we plan to leave for Baguio for a couple of days. The main reason for the trip is to take our birth certificates and marriage license to the Federal Express office so we can securely mail them home. This was a major snag in obtaining our long-term visas.

If you are familiar with my favorite cartoon character, Calvin, you have heard of Calvinball. Calvinball is a game of speed, strength, pain tolerance, and wits. In Calvinball, one must do more than just move the ball down the field while avoiding the very athletic tiger, Hobbes. Most sports involve something of that sort. In Calvinball one must also be thinking; Calvinball is also about keeping up with the rules. Because unlike most games, the rules in Calvin ball are ever-changing. Whoever is the most creative in their time of need may come out the winner despite the present circumstance and the outcome expected by the rules of the game. An appropriately timed twist of the rules and the soon-to-be-defeated can suddenly dominate the field.

Enter the international version of Calvinball - VISA. For those of you who have never stepped onto the field of play, VISA is an acronym for Visually Insignificant Stationary Astroplane. This of course means nothing, but that is the way the game is played. Having known a number of people who regularly play this game in countries around the globe, it seems the game is played in a similar manner wherever you go. You strategize and plan. You read the rules. You call all the right people and get all the right information. Then the whistle blows and the game begins.

This is where the pain begins. My hero Calvin cannot outrun Hobbes the tiger. Without Calvin's incredible imagination - granted by the cartoon genius, Bill Watterson, who brought Calvin into being - Calvin would become tiger bait everytime. But Calvin is often able to stay a step ahead of Hobbes because he can change the rules to grant himself a nick-of-time advantage. We are not Calvin. One unchanging rule in the game of Visually Insignificant Stationary Astroplane is that Hobbes is the only one who can change the rules. This rule must be encoded in some international regulatory document more revered than the Geneva Convention, because it seems every nation follows it. (If only the 10 Commandments could make it to that document.) Of course, many of those I know who engage in Calvinball of this sort do have a creative genius working outside of the squares of the comic strip - a much better ally than even Bill Watterson. Yet until the point is scored, we Calvins, must continue to try to outsmart our Hobbes and the ever-changing rules.

So here is where the game stands. The aforementioned documents need to be certified by the Philippine Consulate in Chicago. Prior to leaving home we had contacted the Consulate in Chicago to ask if there was anything we could do to start the visa process. At that time we were told that for the visa we were applying, we needed to do everything in Manila. There was nothing their office could do to help us. Once we got to Manila however, the documents were not official enough. Nothing could be done in Manila to resolve this situation. Our last stop in Manila was the US Embassy. It seems our documents must be made officially official in...Chicago. Once it became clear that no one in Manila could help us, we hopped a bus to continue the trip toward Bontoc. (We'll call it a time-out.)

Once we got settled, we looked into the rules a bit more. Time-out is over and now we need to make the 6 hour trip to Baguio to mail our documents home so that someone can take them to the Philippines Consulate in CHICAGO. Then they will be mailed back to us so we can make the 12 hour trip back to the Calvinball field in Manila.

We intend to use this Calvinball excursion to also purchase a few things that we cannot get in Bontoc.

Of course all of this is subject to change given the steady rains we have had for the past few days. (It is an extension of Calvinball after all) Sometimes the rain causes mudslides that close the road for a couple days.

Tom

Visa 3

Fyi… I am writing this at around 8:40 p.m. Tuesday evening regardless of what time the post says.

Oh, what a day. We worked hard. We visited the YWAM office. (It is at a different location than the base.) We visited the Bureau of Immigration Visa Extension Office. We visited the Bureau of Immigration main office. We visited the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs. We visited the United States Embassy. We had high hopes. We are now on a bus to Baguio. I wish I could say that we have submitted our paperwork for our long-term visas. Instead I we have extended our temporary visas and now have much more work to do on our long-term visas.

But in all things we are to give thanks. Without getting all philosophical, spiritual, and otherwise deep, I recognize my need to recognize that God is often more interested in our growth through the process and our obedience than what we think the end result should be.

We are excited to be on our way to Baguio. But the bus process was much like the visa process. I won’t say more.

In all of the traveling until the bus, Annalise sat with me. I am not sure I can explain that conversation, but I will give you a little story that might give you a flavor. While driving to the first bus station, we heard a rooster crow. This was the first we heard while in the country this time. She commented on the rooster crowing then, “Daddy, why do them cocka-doodle-doo?”

My lame answer, “I don’t know.” When I saw that this was not good enough, “It’s just what they do. It is kind of like asking why 5 year olds talk so much.” (She really had been a chatter-box, going non-stop especially in the van.)

“But I like to talk.”

“I suppose roosters like to crow.” And with that, we were on to another subject.

P.S. It is now Wednesday morning. We arrived in Baguio at 1 a.m. and spent the night at the home of our friends. We are all glad to be here right now. (And it is much cooler.)

Visas Take 2

Well, we were not successful in applying for our long-term visas. It was a frustrating day. But we were able to submit the paperwork to extend our tourist visas. We hope to get the long-term visa paperwork submitted in time to catch the 1:15 p.m. bus to Baguio. We are eager to visit our friends from CDTS that we left behind. We are also excited about moving closer to the place we will minister and call home for the next two years.

Please keep us in your prayers as we work through this process.

Grace,

Tom

Visas

Today our goal is to successfully submit all required paperwork for our missionary visa. The process seems a little daunting to us. We were told it might take months to secure one. There is a long list of fees involved including several "express" fees. Upon submission, we will be told our hearing date. It looks like we will be making the 12 hour return trip to Manila for that. While we await our missionary visa, we will have to travel the 6 hours to Baguio every 59 days to extend our tourist visa. Please pray for wisdom for us and favor with the officials.

P.S. At least we now know the proper dress code!