Well, we sure have an opportunity to trust the Lord! I'd love to answer some questions about our visa situation.
What have you been working under?
For the first semester I and my team have been in Italy under a 90-day travelers visa. As the legal process of obtaining religious visas (and gathering the necessary case) took longer than the summer, AGAPE decided to send all Italy staff on travelers visas with promise of renewing the visas in Italy. This obviously didn't happen since we all had to exit the country at the end of our 90-day term.
What visa are you trying to apply for?
We're all applying for a religious visa. Some full-time staff with AGAPE who are ordained have been able to receive these visas.
What are you doing to get these visas?
We submitted a very well-planned and well-executed case to the consulate in Detroit. Our lawyers, hired by Campus Crusade, put together a comprehensive packet of documents. We're now just waiting to get the final results back. Italy staff are all over the country and are all applying to different consulates, some consulates have rules that other don't. For example, Chicago requires a letter from the Vatican, so they have no accepted those staff's applications. (Please pray for this problem.)
When are you planning on returning back to Italy?
After the holiday we have plane tickets for Jan. 10, 2007. The consulate in Detroit said we should know by then. We will arrive in Italy just as classes resume and students are back in Rome. Please pray that we can continue and not have to skip a beat with these Italians.
What's your back-up plan?
Well, we're not totally sure yet, but there have been many suggestions thrown out there from our national staff. We are all dedicated to ministry and to the Gospel going out to the world, so we will continue in ministry. Another foreign location was brought up, but the strain on the team would be too much, as even if we didn't get the religious visas we would re-enter Italy in March on another tourist visa. (Tourist visas are for 90 days in-country, 90-days out of country.) Most likely I would be doing ministry at a state-side university, discipling students and reaching the campus. It would also be a great platform to cast vision to seniors for international missions. We would all return to Rome and continue building the ministry in March.
And you need to raise support?
Yes! To off-set lawyer costs, plane tickets, etc, we need to raise additional one-time support. Also, the price of the euro has increased and we are asked to raise an additional $100 a month to off-set these costs. Please pray that God would provide in this area, even in the midst of uncertainty. If you're interested and able to help in this way, please email me at lauren.roeper@gmail.com.
How are you doing with this change?
To have to leave Italy and come home for Christmas was hard and good. The hard part was leaving my team and leaving the students for the month of December. The good part is that this break comes at the best time--- students won't be on campus. Also, seeing my family--- my mom as she continues to recover, and being able to help with wedding preparations for my sister Erin have been a blessing. Im also excited to staff in Indy Christmas Conference and be able to challenge students to move to Rome and help build the ministry. The limbo-stage of the visas is an opportunity to trust the Lord but doesn't come without its anxieties. I have such a huge heart for Italy and the students there. It's been so encouraging this last month as students are stepping out and growing in their faith and the numbers involved in our ministry continue to grow. We estimate that almost 500 students heard the gospel this fall! Even though Italy really draws my heart, I'm confident that it draws the Lord's heart even more. I'm sure that wherever and however the Lord chooses to use our team--- either in Rome or in the States-- that it is for His glory and for Italy's best. Please pray for me and my heart through this time!
For answers to any other questions, please, don't hesitate to email me! Thank you for being so faithful in prayer and with financial giving. Please, pray for Italy!
posted by Lauren Roeper @ 1:07 PM
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