March Prayer Letter

March 2015

Dear Praying Friends,

The entire process started a year ago.  Last March we journeyed up to the capitol, Lisbon, to take the mandatory Portuguese language exams which lasted all day.  When we received the results three months later, we had all passed with flying colors!

Then we had to gather all the required documents and information the Portuguese government required.  In October, it was time to turn in our applications, all the gathered documents and pay the required “processing fees”.  They informed us we would hear from them within two weeks. 

Three months later we still hadn’t heard from them in spite of our phone calls and emails requesting information.  We went in to the immigration office yet again only to be told that they needed one more document.  My wife pulled out the original and asked, “This letter, the one you made copies of three months ago?”  The sheepish bureaucrat looked at her computer and admitted that they did have that letter.  She left to talk with her boss who decreed the letter had to be notarized and given official seals not only by the U.S. government but by the Portuguese embassy in Washington, D.C.  They promised that if we were able to obtain this, then we would receive the desired residencies. 

Finally, one year after we started the process, they accepted our final document with all its official seals and stamps; we paid the exorbitant fees and received our PERMANENT RESIDENCIES!!!  Praise the Lord for this great victory!!  We want to thank those who gave financially to help cover the costs and those who prayed for God to intervene! 

Praising God and thanking you,

Mark Hale