Trouble in Paradise

So, the one-year visa solution we were approved for last year drew to a close at the beginning of March, and we decided to switch to a newly created class of visa called DTV. You have to exit the country to do so, so we packed up and headed to Penang, Malaysia where we know others have had some success with approvals (and because it’s easy to get to and cheap cost of living). It takes two to three weeks to complete the applications, first for me, then my family as dependents under my visa. So we booked an AirBnB, took homeschool materials, and set up camp for a while there. After submitting the application, they asked me for additional documentation, and then sent me a list of additional questions I needed to answer (which is unusual, so we were starting to get concerned). Then finally, we were told we were denied the visa, due to the nature of some of our work not fitting within the scope of that class of visa. Really disheartening!

​So we’ve really had to press in to Jesus, work through our disappointment, and pray about what He wants us to do and how we should proceed. Tomorrow morning I have a meeting with our Language school to get details on what it would look like if we got an Education Visa through the school. We’re examining other options, but right now that seems to be the best case scenario. Please pray for us as we make these big decisions!

In other news, right before we took this trip was the annual SEA MK camp (South East Asia Missionary Kid camp) at the Juniper Tree Dolphin Bay down south. It struck me this year how much this group of 86 kids ARE the peer group of our boys. Living in Thailand will never make our boys “Thai,” but living in Thailand does make them different in many intangible ways than their friends and family back in the States. Missionary kids really do exist in a “third culture” that is neither their home country nor their host country. This culture builds their world view, shapes their experiences, and gives them a perspective that is unique. And that makes them not really “fit in” much of anywhere, and can lead to loneliness and feeling isolated. And even though the kids at the camp came from 6 different host countries, they all share this unique “third culture” in common. The details of their daily lives differ, but their perspective and culture are somewhat consistent across the board – it was SUCH a blessing for the boys, and for us as well. Now they’ll have a follow up Zoom call each month to talk, share, and do a Bible study together throughout the upcoming year.

Anyway, since this camp occurred right before last year’s visas expired, we combined the trips, and we’ve been away from home now for a solid month! It was both exhausting and exciting, had failures and successes – it was good to go, and even better to be back. We’ll send an email or blog update about our visa situation as it unfolds.

Thanks for your prayers,
 – Lance, for the Baker family