Home again

It is good to be home. The girls and I are all jet lagged. Andy is just tired because he has stayed up too late with us these first few nights, but tonight he went to bed. It is nearly 11 p.m. and the girls are happily playing Barbies like it is the afternoon!

I got back into the country without problem.

Someone we know talked to a Christian brother who works at the airport, who talked to someone at passport control. I was standing in the long line ready to wait my turn when a passport guard came out and said, "Nancy Raatz? Is there a Nancy Raatz here?" I raised my hand and he told me to come to the front of the line. He said, "Miss, do you know you have a problem?" "Yes, I do." "Do you know you need a permit to live here?" "Yes, it has been in process for 8 months now." He stamped the passports and gave them back to me. I thanked him and went on to the baggage claim.

That is the hand of God.

But there are always prayer needs.

We continue to pray for my permit and Shauna's permit. They continue to be delayed, but they are in process. Now we are told that the person who needs to sign them is out of the city. Last week I talked with a pastor who said to me, "Sometimes there are roads that are difficult, but we must walk them." I don't know why we have had such problems with these permits. I do know it is warfare and I do know it has been difficult, and I am thankful for all those who have prayed. But I do know that this is just a road that we have had to walk. I pray that soon things may be resolved and we can forget this stage of trial!

Please pray also for Alex & Mary. They have come to do an internship with us. Mary is South Korean and new laws make her have to get a visa before she comes into the country. They sit in Romania (working with ministries there while they wait) waiting for her visa to come through and then we must start the process for their permits to stay here. Please keep them in your prayers.

And pray for our team mates here. Troy, Heidi and Shauna have all been facing difficult personal situations. They are adjusting well to Moldova, but have other challenges in their lives and they need God's peace.

Please continue to pray for me and my family. We are doing well. It is hard to believe it has almost been a month since my mom passed away. Some days are okay and some are so hard. Please pray for God to continue to carry us through this time.

Pray also as we work to establish the Home of Hope in Moldova. I have one wonderful woman, Tatiana, that has such a heart for this ministry and has women she knows who are waiting for the home to be finished. We are within a few months. I went today and it looks so beautiful. Walls are done and we are just waiting to put the floors in now. I believe God is doing such a great work here and women will be touched. Pray for the work and the women we will touch and the women who will work with us to touch the others.

Blessings to you today.

Continuing

Life continues on. Somehow it always does after death.

Andy made it back to Moldova and is working on my work permit so then we can get my living permit. He says at this point the word he gets is that I can get into the country but they may give me grief at the airport. Pray we don't, BUT if we do, I'm instructing my girls that they can be free to break out into tears LOUDLY at any times. Moldovans hate to hear kids cry.

We made it through dividing my mom's things and have packed up a lot of it. I think that was the hardest part. So now we just try to deal with her "not being here."

I've enjoyed visiting every day with my dad. I know the time with him is limited too. So it is nice being able to see him daily. He is doing okay too. Yesterday he said, "I don't know what I'd do without the Lord."

Time to help my sister make dinner. Fajitas tonight and it will be delicious.