done, done and done...

As of 12:30pm this afternoon, Ronel's immigration paperwork is on it's way to Mississauga, Ontario to the Case Processing Centre. It should arrive by Thursday. So, this now means that the countdown is ON. This starts the process that will bring Ronel here, to me.

Dropping the paperwork at the post office was quite the emotional event. This has been such a HUGE process and we have hit many stumbling blocks and I have had many personal struggles with the whole thing as well. Struggles that I apparently hid very well, even from those who I can't normally hide anything. Last week at minichurch was the big breakthrough. The sermon the week before had been about how nothing is impossible for God and that God is not a liar so if He says it is possible, then IT IS POSSIBLE. Well, at minichurch we discussed that some people have fears that seem impossible to them and how we really needed to come together and pray for each other. While they were talking about this, I was crying. A few weeks ago, a girlfriend asked me how the paperwork was going and I said it wasn't done yet and she said "Don't you want Ronel here?" It was a HUGE wake-up call for me, I did (and do) want him here, more than I can express in words, but I was also terrified about sending off the paperwork and taking it out of my control. As of today, I have NO CONTROL whatsoever over the paperwork and the result. I can't make them say yes and I also have no control over how fast or slow it is. Now, I do know - in my head - that God has COMPLETE CONTROL over all of it, but that doesn't always make it to my heart. On my good days, I am happy that God is in control of the paperwork and that it is now all out of my hands, but on the not so good days, that terrifies me. This is really the only thing I have been able to have control over and now it is out of my control.

Friday was a hard day, there were a couple of times where I thought I had - once again- missed things and that it would delay things but each time it was only a misunderstanding and everything was fine. I had all the paperwork I needed, all our communications and photos were added and there is NO reason why anyone should deny our claim for Ronel to be allowed entry to Canada. When I was finally done everything, I called my friends (and also minichurch leaders) to share the good news and then went over to hang out with them & celebrate (after 10 hours of working only on my paperwork I needed out of the house!) It was a great feeling to know that I had overcome my fear and finished the paperwork!

Sunday in between services a few of my friends & I gathered to pray over the paperwork (and also Ronel & I) and then today I sent it off. Even now, part of me wants to cry and part of me wants to get up and dance with joy! This is such a big step in the whole process and it has taken SO long to get here. Tomorrow marks 16 months that we have been married and 15 months & 1 week that we have been apart. The big prayer on Sunday (and still) is that the paperwork would be done before Ronel's medical expires on Nov, 5th 2008. And even more, that it would be done in time that I could make changes to my ticket for July and Ronel could come home with me then. That thought makes me shake - with joy and anticipation. I leave for Haiti in 135 days and it could be possible that Ronel could be home in that period of time. It would require a God sized miracle but it is possible. Current timelines for CIC is 35 days for the approval of my sponsorship application and then 7-18 months for the approval of Ronel's permanent resident application which take place at the visa office in Port-au-Prince. 10% of files are approved in 7 months in Port-au-Prince. We're asking God to have them done in less than 5 months!

Please keep this in your prayers! I'll keep you updated on the progess