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It was about a week and a half before the Hubs’ spousal visa interview when he came downstairs to share a very important discovery. (The offices of Samaritan’s Feet South Africa are presently located upstairs, in our home, in case you’re wondering why he keeps coming downstairs with important discoveries.)
We’d received our income information for tax purposes (we have an extra 60 days to file taxes since we live abroad…nanny nanny boo boo) and he was gathering the last few documents to bring to his interview. Based on what he was reading, and based on what we’d cleared in 2010, there was good news and bad news.
You want the bad first, right?
Basically, we didn’t make enough money in 2010 to prove that I can support my alien husband in case he becomes a lazy bum and wants to live off the government. And you actually do need to prove that in order for a spousal visa to be granted. So basically, no matter what else we had in our corner, if we couldn’t prove that I could support our family of four above the poverty line deemed by the United States government, the spousal visa just. weren’t. happenin’. And once we got the numbers, we couldn’t prove that I could be Hero Hubs’ SugarMama. Sigh.
The good news? Another possibility was that we could ask a relative already in the states to co-sponsor on the Hubs’ behalf. So, if he went the lazy bum route and started collecting checks from Uncle Sam, they’d come after me to foot the bills, and then they’d come after Relative #2 to make up the shortfall.
The mountain: we needed a relative to agree, and we had a very limited amount of time to get this paperwork together. We needed signed documents and tax returns from Relative #2 well before the Hubs hopped on a plane to Joburg for his interview, basically about a week’s turnaround.
First, we purposefully decided not to freak out. Then, we called my Mom and Dad to see if they wanted to see their grandchildren again. ha! My Mom was the first to answer, and after we explained the situation, she simply replied, “Alright, just tell me what I need to do.”
Have I told you lately how great my Mama is?
It was probably around three in the afternoon when we called her, but being the organized former school teacher that she is, she was able to put her hands on all the necessary documents, print out and sign the forms we emailed her, and get everything to Fed Ex before five that day. Helps to live in a small town, ya know?
Even with one of May’s many National South African holidays falling on that Monday, we still had the paperwork in plenty of time for HH’s interview the following Thursday (or, more important, before his flight on the Wednesday!)
And, as you might already know, while we’d heard horror stories about trips to the US Embassy for these interviews, and I was preparing myself for a potential delay, or worse, the Hubs gracefully skated through the interview process over the course of a single afternoon. Double H on Ice…it was a once in a lifetime performance.
So there you have it. Another mountain laid flat…another molehill gracefully arabesqued over. The Lord made the lift, the Hubs made the jump. I think he even pointed his toes.
Thankful doesn’t begin to describe the relief we felt when we rounded this corner, nearly four years in the making. And the decision to trust and not freak out? Good one.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. {Ephesians 3:20 – 21}
More to come…
xCC
The Conclusion of this Series {perhaps appropriately termed the Epilogue} Is Right Here.
“Then, we called my Mom and Dad to see if they wanted to see their grandchildren again.”
LOL. Just as well the bear and the tank are so darned cute…! 😉 (but yes, I also think GC is pretty awesome regardless)
You forgot to mention that hubby also had a British passport, which really was “the lift” that God prepared long ago in His all knowingness…… If only you two realize how incredibly fortunate you are, it is a 1 in a 1000 chance and you got it. God is really Great, Bless his Holy Name !