Standing in the Gap
I had a wonderful opportunity to come alongside one of our Gr 12 students and help him acquire some necessary documents he needs to travel. Emmanuel’s family came to Canada as refugees, and while they are Canadian Permanent Residents, they cannot get passports until they become citizens. Emmanuel has dreamed of being part of our California Breakaway trip, especially this year, as he is a senior in high school. However, without a passport, this trip would not be possible for him.
We first applied for a special Canadian Travel Document, something our government offers to landed refugees who are Permanent Residents. We were not sure if he would be approved, but God answered our prayers, and Eman received his Canadian Travel Document a week ago! Things moved faster than we expected, and the next step was to apply for a US Visitor Visa. His application was accepted, and he was granted an in-person interview! The only issue was that the interview would need to take place in Calgary.
Eman’s parents live in separate locations, and both have work that would prevent them from bringing him to Calgary. So we hit the road! Eman’s best friend Kihmo joined us and we headed west. The interview process is quite intense and quite intimidating. But we covered our time in prayer, trusting God for favour with the officials who make the decisions. Eman went into the interview, Kihmo and I waited outside and prayed some more. Almost two hours later Eman emerged from the elevator…and told us the news:
HE WAS APPROVED!!!
We were so relieved and we thanked God for His faithfulness. The rest of the day was spent exploring Calgary, eating some good food, and talking about all the good times ahead in California next April.
This whole process was intense and there were no guarantees. But it allowed me to deepen my relationship with these young men, it was quality time spent. The road trip was awesome, as we were able to have some amazing talks about the things that matter most to them. Speaking God’s truth into the lives of young people is so important, and I am thankful for these unique opportunities to do so. As well, this experience was also powerful as it reminded these boys that God loves them, and is for them, and that He answers prayer.
We are excited for the things God is doing in their lives, and the things yet to come as they expense Him in unique ways during the California trip next April!