Thursday, April 28, 2011

Reunited and it feels so good

I (matt) got my visa on Friday in Washington DC, then flew back to Portland on Friday night.  We finished packing and left for Europe on Saturday then...

We arrived on Easter Sunday here in Slovenia!!!

We landed in Vienna, Austria and then made the 4 hour drive to Ljubljana.  Terry Jackson was gracious enough to pick us up on such an important holiday. (thanks chief).  We pulled in front of our apartment and waited for the students who were staying in our place while we were gone to bring our keys.  Mateja and Naja came running the 3 blocks from church and we heard screaming as they rounded the corner to our street. Sharon and I were greeted with excitement and hugs.  (thanks ladies, you made our day).  We started hauling the luggage to the 3rd floor and when Eliana saw our apartment again, she mustered up any energy that was left in her after 20 hours of travel and ran around her home giggling and playing as she was reacquainted with old toys and familiar surroundings.  Sharon and I walked around and found all the little notes and treats that students and our landlady had left for us.

One note in particular was hard to miss.

Friday, April 22, 2011

The Eagle has landed! I repeat the Eagle has landed!

I got word yesterday that my visa had arrived in Washington DC. I got on the phone to a dear friend who had offered to use some air miles to get my tickets found a flight. It left in just over 2 hours though!! So I packed quickly and headed off. I arrived in DC just after midnight and got a little sleep before going to the Slovenian Embassy this morning.

My heart stopped as they kind woman who was helping me said, "You know you need two free pages in your passport, right?"

"Uh... nope, just thought I needed one."

But she made a call and they bent the rules and granted me a visa. Thank God, literally.

I fly back to Portland tonight and then we all fly to Europe tomorrow and arrive in Slovenia late on Sunday. A little Easter in the air. We'll praise the Father, through the Spirit, for Jesus' life and death on our behalf! And we'll be closer to heaven at 30,000 feet so He'll hear our prayers a little clearer. :)

The girls visas are still in process. So pray they'll come quicky and we can pick them up in Italy.