Jonathan and Melodee Whitman
 June 2009
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Dear Friends and Praying Partners,

It is with great joy that we share some news about which you have all been praying for nearly two years.
Enjoy and feel free to forward it on to those who might not be receiving this news from us.
 
Gratefully,
 
Jon and Melodee
 
Breaking News
We were granted residence papers!!

Jon and MelodeeIt is hard to reduce to a few lines the pain, the frustration, and ultimately the joy and gratefulness in our hearts to God for what He has done for us.
 
Just yesterday, when my parents received notice that they were to pick up their residence papers, we began to wonder: "Is the fact that ours are not ready yet a sign that we will be denied, or is it a sign that something big is about to happen?"

This morning I e-mailed our friend, a social worker who has helped our family through all of this, to let him know that we still had not heard anything and were wondering if there was more that we needed to do.

Around 11:45 this morning I received a call on my phone.  You may remember that they had told me that if they called me it would mean there was bad news.

Instead, he let us know that I had been granted a "permanent" residence card, and that Melodee had been granted a two-year residence permit (due to it being her first)!

Since our arrival in August 2006, we have been trying to obtain Melodee's residence permit.  We can only praise God and ask that you praise Him with us!
In the words of Psalm 126:

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
"The Lord has done great things for them."
3 The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.

5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
 
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Prayer
Requests
 		- Pray for us as we prepare to teach two important studies: Our Church Doctrinal Statement and Discovery (Spiritual gifts).
- Pray for us as we settle into our new house while keeping up with our ministries.
- Pray for Daniel and Elizabeth Ransom and Jon & Leanne Nussmeier as they continue to raise support.
- Pray for our soccer outreach on June 13th and Baptisms on June 28th.
- Pray for the building teams arriving from Springville, OH  in July and Nokesville, VA in October.