"God is able to do just what He said He would do"

When I arrived in Lima early Monday morning, I really had no idea where I was going to stay. I had contacted the SIM mission house, but had not yet heard back from them.

Glory to God, Nelton's good friend Aulo, who lives in Lima and knows the city very well, was able to meet me at the airport and help me to find my way around town.

I got in at 9 am and wanted to get to the embassy by 10 am, because the internet said that was when the notarizing closed. We went to Aulo's office to drop off my suitcase on the way to the embassy. However, we hit a small rush hour that prevented us from getting there on time. We decided to go in and see what we would need to do the following day.

The embassy is a very impressing place. Because I am a citizen, I didn't have to wait in the long line of those seeking visas, I was able to get right it. It turns out it was a really good thing that we left my suitcase, because we had to go through security and leave all our technology at the entrance, which included my laptop.

When we got inside the Citizens Services Office, we took our number and sat down. It was so interesting to see who and why the different people were there. One man was there with his Peruvian wife and their daughter. He was much older and didn't speak much Spanish. When he would explain things to his wife, it would be a couple Spanish words, but mostly English, and she didn't look like she understood. It was kinda sad, because he was getting so frustrated with her. Their daughter of about five years old appeared to be bilingual. They were there for quite a while, and it was evident that they were very frustrated.

Another ladies passport had expired, that situation looked like fun.

As I watched the multiple episodes unfold, I only prayed that mine would go smoothly. I was prepared for a difficult road to getting all the paperwork settled as I have heard or read many painful stories of how tedious the task can be. Most reported that less than 6 months would be a dream for the whole process of obtaining documents. I have two weeks before heading back to the jungle, so 6 months is out of the question.

After maybe half an hour of sitting, watching, and waiting, my number was called. I whispered a final prayer and approached the front and asked about the document of singleness. I expected him to say I would have to come back the next to, but instead the man just smiled and said, "Ok. Are you single?"
"Yes." I said with a huge smile, never being so happy to say that word to that question (not that I was unhappy or unsatisfied as a single person, just that this time it meant that I could marry the one I love).
He explained that there is really nothing they do to check it, it's only on our word. I could be sworn in before an affidavit and notarize the document. Good enough for me.

After filling out the single piece of paper and paying $30, I signed the sheet and got the stamp and signature of approval and United States legalization. I walked out of that embassy one happy girl.

Next, we popped into a McDonalds for a double cheese burger and fries. Boy, was that a treat! In addition, they had free wifi. So I was able to check e-mail and found a message from the SIM mission house saying they had a room for me from Monday-Friday! Praise Jesus. Another gift from God, a place to stay for $8 a night. After we finished lunch, we would call for directions.

During lunch, Aulo and I were talking about airline tickets, because I wanted to know where I could buy one to go home (to Iquitos) and he needed to check prices for coming to the wedding. As he was checking his e-mail, I was looking around the square and right across the street was a LAN office to buy tickets! Praise Jesus, I needed to find a place, because I wasn't sure how to buy them in Lima. Another gift from God. In addition, the bank to pay for the tickets is right across the street from the LAN office. Now when I can go home, I know where to get tickets.

The next adventure was to find the house I would stay at. We called from a pay phone and to our delight the house was only a few blocks away. We walked down to drop off the technology and check into the house. To my absolute amazement, this place is wonderful. There is a completely furnished kitchen (with a stove, refrigerator, microwave, and filtered water!!), a living room with COUCHES! and a tv, the entire place has wifi- high speed internet!, my room has three beds (even though I don't need them all, it's a spacey, homey place), fully furnished with blankets and towels. The biggest treat is- THEY HAVE HOT WATER!!! It had been 44 days since I had had a hot shower and when I finally was able to take one, I praised Jesus through the whole thing! Top it all off with the temperature of 65-70 degrees here in Lima and I have one priceless gift from God.

The woman here, Wendy Williams, who is in charge of the mission house is so filled with the Spirit, you feel Him just by being around here. She is a prayer warrior and as she showed me my room, she stopped and chatted with me for a couple minutes. She asked why I was here and I told her about getting documents for marriage. She jokingly touched my forehead to see if I was ill. When I asked her why, she laughed and said she was kidding, she knows the most beautiful cross-cultural couple.

I told her that I wouldn't be surprised if she told me I was out of my mind, I have heard it so much.
Then she looked right into my eyes and said, "Do you know it's from God?"
I said, "yes."
"Does he know it's from God?"
"Yes."
Then she said something like, "Then don't let anyone else change or even play with your mind. When you are pregnant with any vision from God, link with people who are pregnant with the same vision and see it to birth. There are so many people who are walking around without any vision or purpose from God, not really because they can't, they just aren't willing. Associate with them, by all means, but don't let them suck the vision and passion from you which God has placed in you. I just feel like you need to hear that."

Another gift from God, it touched me profoundly. It was such affirmation, like someone saying, "Hey! You're doing a good job. You are on the right path. Keep going with God!"

She told me about how she is going to Ecuador in a week, because God has called her there for one week to a specific area just to pray and listen to what God is doing in the churches. She said after that she will know what God wants her to do next, but she knows that is what He wants her to do now. That woman is in tune with the Holy Spirit. "You have to bind the strong man before plundering his goods. That's why I wrestle in the heavenlies before even attempting to do the work on earth."

After leaving there, very encouraged, Aulo and I decided to head downtown to find out what needed to be done at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It can be hard to decided which is the best next step to take. We got there and found that the legalization department was closed. We decided to look up official translators, yeah, we seriously wasted no time. We found that a lot of them were in places that Aulo wasn't familiar with. Then a man on the street gave us a business card with a map of a place 2 blocks away. A little sketch, but we decided to check it out.

We walked into a little office, and I was in a joking mood. I asked how much it costs to translate documents, and he said, "depends on what you need." I said, "a book." He looked surprised and asked if I was an editor.

Aulo laughed, but covered for me that I really just needed my birth certificate translated. We pulled out the document and he explained that in order to get it translated "officially" it needed to first be legalized at the embassy, then legalized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both closed by that time. He said it would cost about 50 soles to translate and added up how much he though everything would cost. Then said if we get it legalized at the Embassy, we could bring it back to him and he would do the rest at the ministry of foreign affairs and translating work by the next day.

I looked at him and excitedly said, "Good! Because I want to get married tomorrow." He jaw dropped, eyes popped, and leaned forward. I busted out laughing and told him he really needs to learn when gringas are joking. He realized I was joking and laughed too.

Side trail:

Peruvians are soo easy to mess with, too easy. It's like I have a whole new country of victims who have no idea about my sense of humor and I take advantage of it! For example, the other day Nelton and I were finishing painting the bathroom and we ran out of paint. So he sent me and his nephew to the store to get another small can of paint. When I was paying, the man looked at me and saw the specks of paint all over my arms, face, hair, everywhere and asked in a tone that conveyed his wonder, "Are you doing the painting yourself?"
"No," I replied with a straight face and without skipping a beat, "I'm just watching." In my head I thought, "Here's your sign."
His face wrinkled in thought as he was a little confused and who knows what he was thinking. I never told him I was joking, I didn't think it deserved the joking line, it was that obvious. (There you go, Marty! The art of sarcasm reaches Peru).

And back again...

He gave us his card and we decided to go back and see if his name was on the Ministries list of "official translators," but it was closed. So we called it a day and planned our strategy for the following day (Tuesday). I was more than satisfied with the progress we made.

So yesterday, we got up early and went back to the embassy. Surprisingly, there is a whole list of States that do not permit the embassy to make "true copies" of birth certificates, which is what I needed. It's a copy with a notarized stamp that declares it is a legal document. If this was the case that my state was on the list which prohibits the embassy from acting, I would have to take care of these steps in the United States.

I checked the list, praying through every second with a heart that couldn't stop pounding. My hands shot up in the air when I found that Iowa wasn't on the list!! But almost as instantly as I celebrated my victory, my hands fell down as though I met defeat when I realized that I was born in Minnesota. I braced myself again and searched the list over. VICTORY AGAIN!! Minnesota wasn't on the list either! Yeah for simple country life!!! -Another gift from God.

As soon as I entered the Citizens Service Office again, I was able to be helped right away. It was the same guy. He checked the list (as though I wouldn't have done my research, lol), and told me they could do it.

I was out of there, documents secure in my hands, in a manner of minutes. We made the long trek back to the heart of Lima (seriously, it takes about 1 1/2- 2 hours by bus). We were both so tired, Aulo fell asleep and I was in and out of sleep. I decided to stay awake, and it was a good thing, because I recognized where we needed to get off.

We headed to the MInistry to check the list and the man was not on the list. But another office, an official office, was in the same building. Awkward, but fortunate. We snuck past the other office, which was comical and fun, up the the fifth floor where we found the official office.

We found out that we needed to go get the documents legalized and paid for. They would be ready the next day, but there is a voucher we get when we pay. If we brought it to the office, they could pick it up and have it translated and ready by 11 am the next day (Wednesday, today).

This was the most suspenseful part. Would the Ministry accept the certified true copy of my birth certificate? Would they accept the certified document of singleness? We waited in a long line, the whole time I was filled with anticipation, excitement, and suspension, praying the entire time, as I had no idea what they would say. We reached the front of the line and I took a breath and slid my papers under the glass. He looked at them and in 2 seconds slid them back to me and said, "You need to be in line 5."

I couldn't be frustrated, I was just relieved it wasn't a no!! So we got in line 5 and the same feelings bubbled right back up. Praying out loud almost the entire time. Aulo was frustrated as he hated waiting. She he went and found a guy to bring to me to see if the documents could even be legalized. The man came and looked at them and said yes to the birth certificate, because it was legalized in Lima. But no to the document of singleness, my heart sank, but I would not take no for an answer. I asked why and he said that it has to be certified at the embassy. I don't know how he didn't see the stamp, but I showed him the stamp and he said, "Oh, yeah, your fine." I sighed a sigh of relief, but decided we wouldn't get too excited until we really talked to the man with the power behind the glass.

Well, without dragging it out further, it was a yes!

Another long line to pay, but it didn't matter, I was just so excited!!

Back to the translator to drop off the voucher, and we called it another day. We went out for lunch, then he brought me home by 3 pm, and we parted ways because we were both so tired.

Now he is waiting for the call from the translator, and I am waiting for a call from him saying we can go pick everything up! Then I'll probably be headed home tomorrow! I didn't want to buy a ticket until the documents were all safe in my hand.

The anticipation isn't over. Next we will have to see what they say back in Iquitos!

Thank you all for your prayers! Lets keep praying.

There is one song that is in my head about this whole thing, "He's Able."

Here are the lyrics, but you should youtube it. It's powerful.

"He's Able" by Deitrick Haddon


Leader:
Exceedingly
Abundantly
Above all, all you can ask from him
According to, the power
That worketh in you
God is able to do just what he said he would do
He's gonna fullfill every promise to you
Don't give up on God, cause he won't give up on you
He's Able

Chorus (2x):
God is able to do just what he said he would do
He's gonna fullfill every promise to you
Don't give up on God, cause he won't give up on you
He's Able (2x)

Leader;
Oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh
He's Able

Bridge (3x):
Oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh
He's Able

Vamp:
He's Able

Leader:
Don't give up on God (2x)
Anybody ever wanted to give up
Has anybody ever wanted to throw in the towel
Anybody know God to be able
Don't give up on God, cause he won't give up on you
He's Able

Ending:
Oh, oh oh oh, oh oh oh, He's Able
He's Able (til fade)