On the first day of the second week of July, after the camp meeting mision at Ranen Conference, we were invited to join the board meeting of Sony SDA Church where we are going to hold the next evangelistic campaign. We met the church Pastor and all the committee heads and briefly discussed the campaign preparations. Then, we travelled back to Nairobi – still uncertain on how God would work things out for our stay extension, as our visa is already expiring on the 19th of the month.
Months back, the general manager of Second Coming
Broadcasting Network (2CBN) and whom we also befriended offered to help us – to
tie up with the ministry (since it is registered) and apply for a working
permit. We Praise God because the board members agreed to such and we were
issued a letter indicating that we are working for and with them.
Five days before our visa expires, we went to the
immigration and asked some officers on what we can do about the situation and
their answers were the same – a second extension is not allowed and applying
for the working permit is impossible since it will take months of processing
before approval; so we need to go out of East Africa to secure a new visa. Considering
to exit, one possible country is Ethiopia (which is the cheapest); but when we
inquired at the Ethiopian Embassy, unfortunately they are not issuing visa on
arrival for Filipinos. Also, all possible countries are already out of the
option for the same reason. As we perceived that there was no other way but to
go back to Philippines, we tried to visit our own embassy. But then again, even
our own co-Filipino officer there told us that we better go back home and just
come back in God’s time.
Time was flying so fast! So we set a deadline (July 16,
Wednesday) for the efforts to be done – if nothing happens, then we are only
left with going back to Philippines. Nevertheless, our constant prayer was ‘May
God’s will be done.’
July 16 came…the application for the permit, along with the
banker’s cheque, had been launched. The Rono couple from Eldoret tried to help
as they have connections with the higher officials in the immigration. We
waited for 8 hours but there was no positive outcome – even we can’t apparently
figure it in Ken’s countenance. After trying to work things out the whole day,
Ken accompanied us to the terminal and Ate Maya and I went back to the house by
ourselves; but still he remained with our passports. He was conscious of the
deadline that we agreed on, then we’ll make the final decision.
The Rono couple advised Ken to just let us go back to
Philippines and come back in God’s appointed time – they had given up, as we
did! But Ken still pursued – he called his friend, who is a county officer in
Mombasa, and he was given the assurance of help.
Arriving at the place of our friend working in 2CBN (where we were
accommodated), he then faked everything! When he opened
the door, he said there was good news – sound the trumpet! He then told us that
the passports will be stamped the next day (bearing a happy face but he doesn’t
really have an idea if it will undeniably be stamped); and said that he left
our passports with somebody (but the truth is, it was with him). Why he faked everything?
He wanted to avoid the meeting that night which would close everything –
resulting to the rebooking of our flights back to Philippines. Consequently, he
gave us a false hope to comfortably sleep with.
July 17 arrived, 2 days before the expiration…Ken was
supposed to fast but he didn’t want us to notice an unusual act so he ate a
little; then he hurried at 8 a.m. to the immigration. The man from Mombasa, who
knew the Immigration Director, referred him to Ken for help. Ken talked to him
personally but he said that we apply for ‘special pass’ which costs Ksh 15,000
each – not possible ‘cause he had not as much money. Even the higher official
that the Rono couple was connecting with asked for a bribe of Ksh 30,000 each –
doesn’t help at all! That time, all the options did not work out! So Ken went
to one of the counters and queued. At first, the lady told her that he had been
there for already three days and he was telling the same, same story – as he
had no other story to tell. Ken had explained to her about our situation: that
exiting the country is not possible anymore, that the special pass is far from
being likely, and all she can help is to grant us the second extension. The
lady told Ken that she will entertain other people in the queue first, but then
remained with our passports. While waiting outside the immigration, he called our
friends from Umoja 2 SDA Church and asked to pray with him ‘cause of the very critical
situation. After such, he went back to the counter and there was no queue
anymore. Once more, he told the lady that he only needs the extension;
nonetheless, she asked if he can pay for the normal visa fee of USD 50 each.
Ken looked at his pocket – he only had Ksh 4,500 left; so he asked her if he
can pay for one then find a way to pay for another. When the lady noticed that
he can’t really pay for it, she asked if he can afford to pay Ksh 2,000 each as
the standard visa extension fee; Ken said yes (as he had more than enough)!
After a while, the lady went inside the office (probably to talk to her
superior), went out, and stamped our passports for three months extension. We
Praise God for this miracle of faith!
As we were listening while Ken was relaying the whole story,
we’re so moved and inspired on how God worked when all other resorts failed;
yet, we also felt guilty – of impatience and lack of great faith. This great
miracle was and will be a testimony and proof that the God we are serving is
truthfully a living God. We prayed for His will to be done, fervently and
sincerely – He heard and it was done!
Israel’s Part in
Conquest of Jericho
“It was not Israel, but the Captain of the Lord's host that
took Jericho. But Israel had their part to act to show their faith in the
Captain of their salvation.” {2BC, 995}
As it was not Israel who took Jericho, so it was not any
human being who wrought the miracle of our visa extension – it was the Captain
of the Lord’s host!
As Israel had their part to show their faith, we believe
that it was because of Ken, acting on his big faith; despite us not being able
to manifest as much of “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen” – having somehow been carried away by the feeling of
excitement to go back home, seeing that the wall of possibility was too high to
be destroyed, and blinded that the hope for extension was too vague – that the
miracle happened!
Truly, that big faith, even the faith as a grain of a
mustard seed, can let impossibilities in finite human minds become
possibilities – which the One with the Infinite Mind can only bring!
Emmanuel – God was indeed with us! What a lesson learned to
exercise faith, and even more! When all resorts fail, through faith, God will
manifest His power and rescue His people in times of emergency.
Faith, faith, faith…is what a Faithful God requires among
His servant-workers!
