U.S. Visa Update

We've witnessed God's faithfulness like never before over the last 3 weeks! We'll give you the brief version here.  As previously reported, 12 of our team members (to be able to transit through the U.S. & save over $600 a person on airfare), needed to travel to the U.S. Embassy here in La Paz, & go through an extensive interview w/ an Embassy official here. The process is by no means an automatic thing as most Bolivians get turned down, deemed as flight risks to stay in the States. 

Deterrents

1. 5 weeks ago (3 weeks before our visa interview), there was great political unrest in Bolivia & the U.S. Ambassador was EXPELLED from Bolivia
2. 4 weeks ago (2 weeks before our visa interview) -  anti-U.S. protestors attempted to storm the Embassy, & Embassy officials were evacuated. Thankfully the embassy was untouched & protestors were driven away by Bolivian police 
3. 3 weeks ago (1 week before our visa interview), there were road blocks between Santa Cruz (our city) & La Paz. 
4. Upon arrival to the interview & while in line, several members of the group were told that their applications were invalid because the printout was not on a laser printer & the bar code could not be read - thankfully they were able to reprint them at a nearby internet cafe in time for their interview
5. Seemingly everyone who'd gone before the team was being turned down their visa requests

Despite all of that, God granted the team His favor & grace... and by noon on Monday September 29th, 2008 - ALL 12 members of our Bolivia to Kenya team WERE GRANTED U.S. VISAS TO TRANSIT THROUGH MIAMI ON OUR WAY TO EAST AFRICA! 

Thank you so very much for those of you who've been praying for us in this process & for the encouragement you have been to our team and this endeavor God has put before us!