Prayer Update...prayer still needed!

From the word of Scott Runzo:

Well, like always there has been good news and some not-so-good/but not too bad-news. First, Kelly and Donna Hargan got the news today that they don't need residency to get their container out of port. This is big because when we arrived, we needed residency to get a container out of port. If that had been the case for them, after Saturday, it would have cost them 80$ a day, and with residency on hold that could really add up. So, this news is a huge positive for them. Praise God!

The situation with the residency for all the new missionaries is the same, only the time frames will look different, because of their different arrival dates.

We know now that the old system of getting Visas will no longer work, so we will be going through the Baptist Union. I think, although seemingly inconvenient right now, this is a real Godsend. It will bring the new missionaries and the local church closer together by needing each other. Already we have seen the local church that Mike Kelly has been working with really step up and want to help Mike get in the country. I think this will happen with all the missionaries, and it will cause an automatic tangible connection between each. We see that God is so good, and He is always mindful of the bigger picture!

The time frame is our biggest prayer request right now. As you may already know, you can only be in the country for 90 days without a visa. Otherwise, you are considered breaking the law and are forced to leave with a big, back stamp in your passport that forbids entrance back into the country for a year. As it stands, we know when they have to go, we're just not sure where yet! Before, we just went across the border only a couple of hours away and waited it out. But the EU and other European countries just signed an open border agreement (the "Shenga Treaty, if you want the terminology) which means there is no one at the borders to stamp your passport. We love this when it comes to traveling, but no one can tell us what it means to be out of the country. This is why we sent Mike to Ukraine, they are not part of the open border agreement.

As it looks right now all the missionaries will have to leave and head to a country outside of this area. It look like we will have additional places for them to go in Albania and Croatia. Lord-willing, they should only have to go for a week or so while their papers are being processed. Please keep this in your prayers. As you can imagine, for a new missionary who has already spent at least a year (sometimes more) preparing to go to his new country, to have to leave so soon, is very discouraging. Please pray that they will see (as we have already) the hand of God in all of it, and that, in the end, we will all be drawn to Him to a deeper trust and a strengthened faith for all He does in our lives and in the ministry. Also, please pray for Mike Kelly because he left the country on his 90th day, which leaves us a little confused as to how he will come back into the country to pick up his residency papers.

WOW! we will keep you up to date as we get more information.

Thanks for praying and keep on praying - it s so evident that many have lifted us up - we have felt such a peace which transcends all understanding - REALLY! We feel you lifting us up!! Thank you!!

Scott A. Runzo

Josiah Venture

Country Leader Latvia

Director JVLV Latvia