Laos Again!
It's amazing that things have turned out this way, but we are headed back to Laos tomorrow and this is Tom's third trip there within a month. We are starting to feel like Laos is a second home! Although we regret the need to make this trip and are feeling tired and stressed by how quickly we need to get things together and take off, we are glad for another chance to visit Pon and stay in the lovely city of Vientiane.
Our trip to immigration this morning started with a debriefing by our lawyer and we went in hoping for an extension on our 7 days- a little more time to get the foundation up and running and ready for inspection. Things did not go as we hoped. Rather than appeal, we decided to make the trip to Laos for a new visa and a fresh start. We still have the foundation license and work permit and are continuing to work toward a one year visa.
We will be taking the kids, flying to Vientiane tomorrow, and returning by train on Monday night. Please pray for a smooth visa processing at the embassy, good behavior from the kids, good time with Pon, and safety in our travels. Thank you for your prayers so far. Although this process is not going smoothly all the time and we are facing barriers and frustrations that are unexpected, we have also seen God in the process, giving us peace and helping us see the good.
We are also making quick progress on the foundation in case of another upcoming inspection- the office now has a glass storefront and a brand new sign! (pictures when we return). A board member (our friend Ju) is ready to have the office open while we are in Laos. So thankful for how things are coming together and excited about the future work of the foundation!