Rethinking

Today we got the news that only two members of our team received visas. So our team is Alex and Yessy, Jennifer, Steve and Malana, and the Cabezon's two little girls,

The Cabezons and Yessy are arriving on Thursday evening, Dec 17. We will be spending some time in prayer together over the next week about how to rework our plans for this group.

The rest of the group has had a wonderful opportunity to join another team's outreach in the west of Panama, working with two other tribes. It is a great opportunity, one that is within their faith level for funds, and will be less stressful for them.

Today we met with the director of the YWAM base in Salem, just south of Portland. He is going to see if our team can minister there to the students, and so we are still finding things to do and ways to be fruitful.

We'll update you just after Christmas to let you know how things are progressing.

US Visas, trip plans, funding

Dear Friends,
Today we have submitted all of the applications for the US visas and are blessed to have enough money to pay for them all! We are setting interview times for our group, hopefully we can all go together.  Please pray for interviewers at the US Embassy who understand missions and the dedication that our group has to the Wounaan people. With these two pieces, we believe that the visas can all be approved!

We are still planning on being in the States from the end of December until the middle of February. We are scheduling presentations and opportunities to share. Please let us know if there is a group you would like us to visit in the Pacific NW. We will be in the Portland, OR area, in Idaho, Tacoma WA, and also are looking at visiting the Hopi in Flagstaff, AZ.

Our funding has been a slow go....with the approval of the visas, we will have to move quickly to purchase tickets. Putting twenty people on one plane may be a challenge during the holidays, and we want to buy the tickets as a group package. Please be in prayer, and please don't hesitate to give even small amounts as everything is helpful.

Here is our US address for tax-deductible donations:

Mercy and Peace, Inc.
42524 Elsie Deer Ln. 
Seaside, OR  97138

Tom GIlbert
503-739-0274

Thank you for your prayers and your obedience to God. We can't do this without you!

Visas!

 Alex's Canadian Visa arrived only a week after we had sent in our group request. We were so excited at the 5 year multi-entry status he received! But when the others came back, they had all been denied. 

After a time of prayer on Saturday, the group all came to peace with the situation, and we are now wondering what the plan is that God has for us. We are going ahead with our application for the US visas as we still believe this is the area we are to minister in. Now we need to have a clear picture of our scope and purpose for our time in the US. There are several ideas to look at and we want God's wisdom. Please pray with us.

On another topic, we are beginning to work on our legal status as a non-profit group in Panama. Our board is chosen now, so we can go ahead with the set up of the legal entity. This will allow us to have a bank account and receive donations.

Visas!

We are in the middle of applying for our visas. Our first applications are for our Canadian visas. After we receive those, we will apply for the US visas.

It has been interesting to fill out the forms. Everyone has to have a list of all of their siblings, half siblings, and step-siblings, with their birthdates. Also their parents and children and spouses. Since many of them are in traditional marriages, not registered with the government, there is an additional form to testify to their "common-law" marriage status. So many forms, so many dates, places to sign or NOT to sign.....but we are making progress!

The current hurdle is getting all the photos for the visa, explaining to the photo person that the background should be white or cream, the face large in the photo, the view straight on with the eyes looking straight at the photographer.

Sigh. This is hard...but now that we have experience, the next ones will be much easier!

Pray for favor, that all the visas will be granted.

To send a tax-deductible donation to our outreach funds, you can send a check to:

Mercy and Peace, Inc.

42524 Elsie Deer Lane

Seaside, OR 97138

Getting Our Act Together

Yesterday was the first practice for our outreach to the United States. We worked on dances. A good hard rain cooled us down, but our legs were sore by the time we were done.

We want to do the  best we can to present our culture to those we are visiting! Please pray for us as we organize our talents into a good presentation.