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I have been volunteering for eleven months at the Murwillumbah SDA Church is NSW Australia and was asked to extend my stay for a further nine months. To do this I needed to get an extension of my visa. The process was a rather tedious one as I had to redo everything, including medical, x-ray and obtaining a police clearance certificate from my country of citizenship, Jamaica. To obtain this I had to have my fingerprints taken where I was residing, in Australia, have it authenticated and sent to my sister in Jamaica for her to take it to the Criminal's Record Office to have them process the certificate for me. I was given a maximum of thirty-five days to have everything done and returned to the Immigration office. At first I was a bit unsure as to whether or not it was the will of God to have me extend my stay especially after the rigmarole I had to go through to renew my visa. The following letter to God shows how He was in control throughout all the visa extension process and it confirmed to me that He did have some further plans up His sleeves for me by remaining in Australia. Time does not allow for me to share how he worked out the medical appointment, fingerprint-taking and the acquiring of information and the process of obtaining the Certificate. This is just part of the divine intervention that happened. |
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Dear Father,
It's me again, yes, this same troubled child of yours. Thanks for taking the time to read this because I know how busy you are. It's so great to know that you love me so much. Even when I'm a real pain you still look out for me.
I talked to my sister this morning, I know you already know all the details but, she told me how miraculously you worked in helping her to get the Police Clearance Certificate for me. I can't believe (well I guess I can, but it seems just too good for an old sinner like me) how amazingly you worked by having me call and talk directly to the Assistant Commissioner of Police a few days earlier, and to find out that we share the same birthplace and current city of residence. I'm glad I was nice to him on the phone and indulged him in conversation, although it was an expensive call, or he might not have been as obliging as he's been. (It reminds me that it pays to be nice to all people.)
My sister said that when she went to pay the fee for the Certificate there was a very long line and she didn't think she would get through for quite a while, but because she had her baby daughter with her they had compassion on her and allowed her to get through promptly. (This is usually unheard of in Jamaica where people like to uphold the "first come first served" rule.) How cool was that? Then she had to go to the Criminal Record's Office to get the Certificate but, alas! The place was jam-packed with people and she nearly gave up thinking to return the next day. But what do you know? She remembered that I had told her about the Assistant Commissioner (I know you were the one who reminded her, weren't you?) and she called him. He then took her to his office and dealt with the paper work (again, usually this is not done unless you are prepared to grease some palms to get "special assistance"), only to find that the fingerprints that I had sent over hadn't been signed. I don't even want to think what might have happened if you didn't have your hand in it all this while. She would have had to send it back to me, a ten days process, and I would have had to get it signed and returned to her, another ten days process, when I had limited time to get it all sorted out. But you impressed the Assistant Commissioner's heart to process it just the same for "his friend in Australia." That was a miracle indeed! I haven't even met the man and I have only spoken with him twice. He doesn't even know if I am trustworthy or not (who ever hears of such a thing happening in processes like these-I could have been an illegal immigrant for all he knew). It's a good thing I sent the picture of the Kangaroo for him. My sister said he was happily showing it to all his friends in the office.
Anyway, he got it all sorted out in one day. Can you imagine that? (Well of course you can, you ordered it to be so), but I'm truly grateful and touched, Lord. To think that ordinarily it would have taken twenty-one days (three days for an extra JA$1,500.00), but you sorted it out in one. WOW!
Now, I really feel terrible to be the recipient of such special treatment from you. I know I do not deserve it. I am truly ashamed when I think of all the times I was worried and anxious about how it would all turn out. To remember that a speck of doubt had crept in and etched itself in my heart when I didn't know if my letter had reached my sister safely or not and especially when it was taking so long. When will I ever learn, Lord?
I feel I am on cloud nine now and to think just last night I was way down on number four. How can you have such patience and enduring love for people like me? You told me to trust you, to be still and know that you are God, but instead of doing that I get off on a panic streak at times when I can't see or feel you or figure out what you are doing. Imagine shortsighted me questioning the almighty God! I am truly ashamed.
But, I just want to say thank you from the depths of my heart, for working it all out and for always being so faithful to me. How can I not want you to be my Father? You love me despite all that I am and I wish I could repay you more substantially for all you've done for me. That's why I give you my heart Lord, as rotten as it is, maybe you can make something worthwhile out of it. Eh?
With the greatest love
Your daughter
Proverbs 3:5,6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.”
"Never let what you do not know confuse what you do. Never let what you cannot see obscure what you can."
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