“You’re preaching, aren’t you? That is illegal! Which church do you attend?” the officer demanded angrily. Over the next half hour, he berated Jonathan for preaching.

“In accordance with our visas, I run an English language school and teach there,” Jonathan answered calmly. “I am a Christian and worship with the members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I share the worship responsibilities, including preaching, with the members as is my duty. It is my personal act of service to God, and something I do in my free time outside of teaching.” But the man seemed not to hear him and continued to act. Jonathan had only seen this man once before in his life, yet the man seemed incredibly incensed. We left the office with a bad feeling. For the next week we had to return almost daily and be questioned by officers in the Director of Intelligence Bureau office.

Two months later on a Friday morning in mid-June two benign looking letters were delivered to our door. But their brief contents changed our lives immediately. Living in a religion sensitive country is not easy for anyone and we accept that our hosts can extend or deny residence as they choose. It is their right. The letter stated that religious work with the Adventist Church was not compatible with our visas. We had seven days to leave. We immediately felt thankful for the seven years of peace that God had given us here in which we could work without interference. We also immediately thought how wonderful God’s timing is in that the church had finally been purchased just a few months before. It had been a long process of paperwork in different offices and the sale had just been completed. The Darjeeling church belongs to the Adventist Church in India. Praise God!

I was also thankful that the letters had come just before Sabbath. In spite of the chaos those letters represented, I had 24 hours of rest stretching out before me. There was a reprieve for my spirit before the frantic packing started. I always thought I would have plenty of time to prepare mentally and emotionally for good-byes, time to prepare for the separation. But I didn’t. None of us did. Sabbath was a hard day to get through. Lots of crying. People stunned, not knowing what to say. The small church group wondering how they would carry on, what the future of the church will be like. All of us thinking how fast things can change. Our parting words were of a God who hasn’t abandoned us or them. Our paths will just be separate for a little while.

We made a plan with our teammates, Jared and Tonya Wright, on how to proceed for all of us. We decided it would be best if we moved as a team, though they would follow us by a week or so. Then the frenzy started. We packed our house in three days. We watched in gratitude as God helped us sell our large furniture items quickly and conveniently. We didn’t cook a thing for three days. Neighbors and friends brought us food or invited us for meals so we could concentrate on packing. A constant stream of people came to meet us—many crying, many angry, some at a loss for words, some encouraging that God has a plan. A circle of friends helped us clean and pack. Others did errands for us. At times I despaired that we would be ready in time, but somehow by God’s grace we were.

We also had a parting opportunity to tell of God’s goodness one more time to everyone who came. Jonathan and Jared had been contemplating selling their cars for various reasons. One day before we received the letters, a man came to Jared’s house and offered to buy both our cars for cash that very day. He asked if we had motorcycles we wanted to sell also. The deal was done before noon that very day – a huge item taken off our hands without stress or inconvenience of any kind. The very next day the letters arrived. God who knows the future and everything in it sent a man at the right time to buy the vehicles. God did that. That is the kind of thing only He can orchestrate and we took every opportunity to tell that God had done that for us, that He is in control, making His presence known.

But there’s more! Several months prior we happened to talk with a pastor in a neighboring country. He asked if we would come work there. We declined at the time because we had responsibilities in Darjeeling and things we still wanted to accomplish there. However, we didn’t discount the possibility in the future and saw the very positive opportunities it would provide on both sides. Although our church group is small, we felt like we had been tottering along the line of help or hindrance for some time now. We had been training them all along to lead out in the services and study the Bible themselves. But it seemed like as long as we were there, they wouldn’t really take full responsibility. We felt like hovering parents, not sure when to back off. Jonathan had been praying just a few days prior that God would make it clear if we should stay or go. And suddenly the decision was made for us. It isn’t the choice I would naturally have made. In fact, it is the opposite of what I hoped would happen. “God’s ways are not our ways” resounded in my mind over and over. It is clear to us that someone wanted to stop us, shut us up, whatever you want to call it. But the amazing and terrifying thing—depending on which side you’re on—is how God turns all things to His good.

But wait, there is more! The letters we received specified exactly which border checkpost we had to leave from. We found that very odd since we should be able to leave from any place we want to. But the border checkpost specified was the one leading directly to the neighboring country which we had been invited to several months before. How’s that for God literally showing us which path we should take!

That said, it was one of the most stressful and painful times of my life. We were physically and emotionally exhausted, numb by the end. I’m abbreviating here. There just aren’t words to tell you. But as you’ve just read, there were moments of light, peace and encouragement, too. A friend called stunned and angry. At the end of the conversation after I had described how God had led in different providential ways, she said, “I don’t feel angry anymore. He [God] has a way of making His presence known.” I grabbed that phrase and hung on. It encapsulated my feeling throughout those brief few days. There was no doubt that God was with us – giving us the Sabbath rest, arranging buyers, sending friends to help and love us, giving us a direction to go, and giving us the strength and stamina to bear up under all the stress.

We need your prayers. The church in Darjeeling feels alone right now. They will find their strength and we’ve arranged to give them support. But this is a tough time for everyone. Our teammates, Jared and Tonya Wright, are here with us, having just gone through the same stressful time of moving and good-byes that we did. They left voluntarily so that in the future they will be able to visit the Darjeeling church and provide support. We will continue to support from a distance. Only time will tell if we will be able to visit the Darjeeling church members again. Would you double your prayers for them?

God has continued to give us plenty of work to do within the same language and cultural group that we served before. Praise God for the way He arranges everything to forward His work and will! I especially thank and praise Him for the ways He has made His presence known.

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