July 28, 2008 Update

Dear Friends,I wanted to let you know of a major answer to prayer as well as give you another prayer request. With regard to our renewal status to stay in Ireland, I rang the Department of Justice to see if I could find out any information on our situation as August 3rd, our expiry date, draws near. That did receive our paper work and request to remain. They also acknowledged a failure to dispense information to all those involved as missionaries and volunteers in the country that upon three years they must leave. So, as a result the man on the phone said that they intended to grant a one year extension, and we needed to wait for the papers granting permission to come back to us to take to our immigration officer. I mentioned that we needed our in haste. The papers did not arrive as of Wednesday last week, and we had to see our officer that day due to his going on holidays for five weeks. We went in and told him what the Department of Justice told us and he then said that he would give us a 90 day extension in our passport. He also mentioned that he would give us a 90 day immigration card but that would be 200 Euro for the two of us. I said well I guess that we will take the 90 day passport stamp since it does not cost. Our officer then asked if we would be traveling out of the country at all. I said yes. He then asked us to tell him once again what the Department of Justice had said. Part way through telling him again the second time he threw up his hands and said "Say no more-Dublin bureaucracy". He then proceeded to type on his computer and then handed Lisa and me immigration cards good for another whole year! We very kindly told him thank you, paid the annual fee and left rejoicing (this is the first time I left rejoicing after having paid the fee!) The next day the letter came from the Department of Justice verifying what they had told us on the phone. The letter did include the words "HOWEVER" though in it. The "HOWEVER" is the prayer request side of things. Yes, we do get another year but to remain after that they tell us now that we need a work permit. I am not sure why we need a work permit and what all of this means at this point, but this is something that we have a year to work out and be praying about as well. Thank you for your prayers these past couple of weeks concerning us being able to stay in Ireland. The immediate pressure is off but we are still on out of the woods yet so to speak concerning the long term.

Have a great day.

Don and Lisa Thatcher and family

July 2008 Prayer Letter

Dear Ministry Friends,

This past month on the 17th of June 2008 marked the four year anniversary for our family being here ministering in the country of Ireland. The time has quickly past by during this first term. God has been faithful to meet our every need from the deputation trail right on through these past four years on the field.

Let me jump right into the captivating issue in our lives at the moment. Those of you who have asked to receive my email updates will recall that I mentioned to you back in May to be praying for serious immigration issues concerning missionaries in Ireland. Well, the time has come, and this issue is now confronting our family. As I mentioned this past week in an email update one missionary family is already gone from here due to various reason some of which were immigration related, another had to get a solicitor to go into the court system and in doing so was granted a one year extension while waiting for the Department of Justice to decide if his family can stay any longer. Lisa and I went in to renew this past Tuesday and were told that we could not renew and must appeal to the Department of Justice as well. The new rules as communicated to us, which appeared out of nowhere and that no one can seem to point to as law, regulation, etc., say that missionaries, religious workers and volunteer relief workers can only stay for three years and then must leave without being able to return. Our family has been here four years and others longer than that. In reading up on the Department of Justice I found that it could take up to 3 years to get a decision, but most are taking 12-18 months at the moment. Our registration expires on the 3rd of August. Our officer said that if we did not get a response by the end of the month that he would grant us a 90 day extension. We are submitting our request to the Department of Justice today asking to be granted a long term residency. This will determine if we can continue on here in Ireland or have to leave the country. This situation is going to affect every missionary here at some point as well as all intending to come to this needy land to spread the Gospel. We have asked prayer for needs, finances, health issues, supplies, etc., and God has been faithful to work out all things for His glory. Now, once again, this request requires your most urgent petitioning of our Lord. We are asking the Lord to help us through this situation is a swift fashion due to the time limit. I was just reading this morning in Daniel chapter 2 where Daniel was requested to do the impossible for the king—not only interpret his dream, but tell him what the dream was! Then in Daniel 2:17-22 we read that God does for Daniel what Daniel could not do for himself—read someone’s mind. Mark 10:27, And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Adoniram Judson said, “The future is as bright as the promises of God.”
We will trust God for His will to be done!

May the Lord find us faithful,
The Thatchers
Don, Lisa, Kevin, Karissa, Kaley, Kari, and Kaleb

Important Prayer Request

Dear Friends,

Today, Lisa and I went to see our local immigration officer for our annual registration renewal and were informed that we could no longer renew through the usual process but would have to request permission from the Department of Justice to remain in Ireland from this point forward. Our officer said that he received an email memo informing him that "the goal post have been moved" with regard to the immigration process. This memo stated that missionaries, religious and volunteer workers can only stay in Ireland for up to three years. After this, an appeal must be made to the Department of Justice. At this point it appears to be a case by case decision. One missionary has already had to leave the country due to insufficient "evidence" to maintain his stay which resulted in him not ever getting registered, another has gotten a one year extension to "get the paper work in order" and was aided with the help of a solicitor, and another was told about a month ago that he would have to be approved by the Department of Justice to stay after next year. We will be filing our information and paper work tomorrow. We ask that you be praying that the Lord's will be done. Our desire is to be able to remain here in Ireland as missionaries. There really is no other option to stay here in this country. You can not come to Ireland and simply get a job and stay in the country. This requires a work permit and is available only by invitation and very few select categories such as medical, etc. So, please pray fervently over the next days and weeks the we would get a quick response to our request.

May the Lord find us faithful,

Don and Lisa Thatcher