Visa -- The Road Forward

Visa Drama; Return to USA Recap: If you've read any of my newsletters in the last few years, you know that there has been a lot of uncertainty regarding my visa to live and work in Australia. Soon after committing to serve in Sydney, our team's immigration lawyer told me that the best he could do, for someone my age, was a two year visa which could be renewed for an additional two years. Although he offered that if I were to marry an Australian, he could do better! Well, that hasn't panned out! When Australian borders were about to open up after the Covid lockdown, the immigration lawyer suggested that a tourist visa would expedite my entrance, as there would be a significant backlog of work visa applications after two years of border closures. I was able to use a tourist visa for two years, but a third year was not an option. In July 2024, the lawyer submitted my application for a two year visa, along with an application to renew the church's ability to sponsor visas. The sponsorship was rejected in November, and appealed, which will likely take several years to process. Then earlier this month, we were notified that my visa WOULD be rejected, if I did not take action, as it was based on a sponsorship that was not valid. In seeking a second professional opinion, it has become clear to us that our immigration lawyer, who has become quite elderly, has not been representing us well. We signed on with a new immigration lawyer yesterday, and have a plan forward; however it's not what we were hoping for. The Path Forward: Based on the advice of our new immigration lawyer, the church will be submitting a new application for sponsorship, once better documentation is able to be organized. This will likely take a couple of months to arrange, plus perhaps six months before a decision will be made. In the meantime, I need to leave Australia. My current visa application will be withdrawn so that I will not have a rejected application on my record. If/when the church has the ability to sponsor visas again, a new application will be submitted. Details are not yet fully developed, but I will likely return the the USA the first week of May. I anticipate spending a few weeks in Iowa, and then will return to Mississippi. I will be scheduling updates with my various supporting churches, recruiting missionaries and interns for our region at several events this summer, and looking for other ways to be active in ministry in the Jackson area. Had I known, back in 2019, how tenuous my visa situation would be, I'm not sure I would not have joined the Sydney team. However, God in his wisdom did not reveal that to me at that time. He had work for me here, and his grace is sufficient for each day. I believe God has more work for me in Sydney, and look forward to seeing how he works out all the details. Follow FB Group Prayer Points   Praise God for providing a new, highly capable immigration lawyer, and for answers to our questions, even if not all of those answers were our preferences. Pray for our church team as we implement plans for my departure and for ministry after my departure. Should City Sanctum continue in some capacity during my absence? What will that look like? Etc. Pray for "A" (as mentioned in the last newsletter), that he will be responsive to meeting up several more times before my departure, and that the Holy Spirit will open his heart to the hope of the gospel. Pray for discernment in determining whether to liquidate my apartment contents or place into storage -- what is the likelihood that I will be able to return to Australia? Pray for good wrap up of ministry in Sydney, relationships, etc. Pray for logistics for my return to the US: flight, car, accommodation in Inwood, IA for perhaps three weeks, turnover of my home on June 1 from current tenants. Calendar   Early May:  Return to USA, initially to Iowa June 1: Return to Mississippi June 23-26: PCA General Assembly; Chattanooga, TN July 11-12: East Coast Missions Conference; Centreville, VA July 14-19: MTW "Refresh" retreat for returning missionaries