Bible Code

So one more Tuesday has come and gone with no update on Olya's visa approval. BUMMER!!!

On another note I was watching a documentary on the Bible Code phenomena and so started doing some research online and ran across a site where you can conduct your own searches. Check it out by clicking here. 

As a joke I ran started running names, and when Olya's first and last name came up in the same grid I decided to see how far it would go. I then added the word "Russia" since that's where she is from, and found it also. I then added Alex and sure enough he was there, Julian wasn't found in that text but his nick name was, Juju. Besides if you ask him what his name is he will argue till he is blue in the face until you call him Juju so I guess it counts. 

So I have all three of my Russian family members in the same text. Cool! I decided to throw in the word Texas, you know just to confirm that they would all be living there with me... and was I surprised when I found it.  

My name Gabriel was not found in that text with them but Gabe was... So I am convinced my family will soon be home altogether in Texas. 

To see our matrix with our names in it click on this link.

Letter from Olya...

Dear friends,
I hope this note finds you well and happy!
I would like to ask you to pray with us for my visa. Maybe some of you already saw Gabe's post with an update about it. In short, we've been waiting for almost three months here in the border town. When Gabe and I had our last interview, the lady said that if everything checks out we will get our package in 1-2 weeks. It will be three weeks in couple days since then. So we went to the embassy to check on our case and we were told that it doesn't seem there's any problem and we probably will hear from them soon, they are just waiting on some info confirmation, I think from Russia. They told us that they usually update their site with approved/denied visas once a week and once our visa update is there it will be just 2-3 days before we get it in DHL. But if there's no update of my visa, that means we need to wait another week... Now, the most difficult part for us is that we are just waiting all this time here and it's becoming very stretchy for us financially. Gabe is staying with us now for the last three weeks, as supposedly we could get the visa any day, so he could travel with us across the border. Also on the embassy site it says that the medical exams (that I had to take before the interview) are valid for 3-6 months depending on the results. I do hope that my results were ok for them and it's valid for more than 3 months, but in a week it will be 3 months since I took them and I hope they won't require me to do so again, as it is expensive. So my specific prayer requests are:

-That the embassy does get the info they are waiting for in the beginning of this coming week
-That they issue my visa this coming week
-That they update their site early in the week with our updated case
-And that we do get the DHL package with my visa this coming week
-For our financial supply during this time

 Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and thank you for your prayers! We really appreciate it! Much love, Olya, Gabe and the kids

Visa Update...

Olya and I just got back from standing in line for nearly two hours at the Consulate to try and get an update on the status of her case. Two weeks ago we were told that if everything checks out that within two weeks we would have her visa so since that didn't happen we went down there in person. Last time I stood in that line we got someone who was rude and had no idea how to answer our questions and gave us so much bad information I was really praying we would not get her again. By the time we got to the window it was a different person, we were so thankful. After explaining the info we were looking for she looked up our case and she told us everything seems to be in order they are just waiting on verification on some of her Russian data. She assured us it shouldn't be too much longer and that soon we should get the visa.

I am puzzled by this as the whole 20 month process has been to check and verify and recheck her data... most of the time from Russia as the US data we submitted was easy to verify. I guess it's good they are trying to keep the "borders secure" and now I am seeing why so many people try to get to the US without going through the proper channels... they make it so tough.

I am just glad it should almost be over. Please keep praying it comes through soon that all the info is verified so that it can be done.

So Close... Yet So Far...

Twenty months ago we started the application process for Olya's visa to the US. Right from the start we knew we would face obstacles as well as delays, mostly due to her being Russian and having gotten married in Mexico and applying through the Consulate here. We took this in stride and buckled down for the wait. We had no idea the ride we were in for.

We have had challenges along the way like waiting months for her police report from Russia, to her and the kids living in 4 different locations in the past 12 months. We have also been blessed by the help of many along the way, from finding a good and economical immigration's attorney to the people who have put Olya and the kids up in their home letting them live there and helping to take care of them while I was in the States.

 So we were very excited when the day came for me to join them in southern Mexico and all travel to Cd. Juarez, the Mexican border town across from El Paso Texas. All interviews for immigrant visas with applications originating in Mexico have to interview in Juarez.

Arriving in Juarez in late January.

Although we were thrilled and excited this trip was one of the hardest I have ever made. See I had thrown my back out in late December and had been completely immobile for the entire month of January. The pain I endured that day of travel was probably the worst I had ever had in my life, I was on very potent pain killers that would work only temporarily and due to my immobility learned what it was like traveling in a wheelchair.
God Bless Raymond and Esther who picked us up and let us stay in thier house for the 10 days we were hoping to be here.

Olya went to her interview and due to my being laid up in bed I did not go with her. The Consulate actually advises for the applicant to come alone so we thought it would be fine. I think the whole concept of a Russian living in Mexico marrying an American in Mexico then applying for a visa to the US was a little hard for them to comprehend. As they sent her case to Administrative Process saying it would be another 6-8 weeks before a decision would be made.

Looking at this photo right above you can see the brown fence running the length of the photo, that is the border fence between Juarez and El Paso, the sand in the front being the Mexican side and the mountains being the US side. This spot is 3 blocks from the house we are staying in. We are so so close... yet with no visa yet it still seems a world away. Please keep praying it arrives so we can go home.