CAN WE STILL STAY IN THAILAND? IS THIS OUR LAST MONTH? These are our questions for the last year and a half.
As you all know, we have been going to the Immigration Bureau every month since the start of the pandemic just to get a two months extension. The first extension was really nerve-wracking because we know the officer has the authority to tell us, “Sorry, you have to leave in three days”. But, Praise God, every two months were given an extension.
Last week, we got up at 5:00 am to be at the immigration at 6:30. We waited till 10:30 am
before our number was called. The officer right away questioned our marriage certificate which we have been using for the last two years. She put aside our supporting documents for a longer volunteer visa and gave us forms for the usual two months visa. Right away, I was distraught, while we were filling in our forms, I prayed, ”Lord, should I question her”. So when we were giving back the forms, I showed again our documents and with a smile asked why she is rejecting them. She spoke fast in Thai, which of course I didn’t understand, then I just said softly “Thamay” which is Why in Thai. She asked her colleague next to her, and the colleague nodded her head.
Normally, when we’re given two months extension, we will be asked to come back in three weeks to get the rest of the two months extension, this time we got SIX MONTHS EXTENSION straightaway!
Praise God indeed as always, 2 Corinthians 6:4, “in everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships & calamities of every kind” in action, happening before our eyes.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS!
In Christ,
Richard & Julie