Green Cards

David, Jenny and Michael Wraight are looking quite green this morning! David is the President of Youth for Christ International, and just under two weeks ago we asked him to join our regularly scheduled Monday prayer call. This is a conference call held every Monday at 9 am Mountain Time that includes participants from all across the United States. We read scripture, share and pray in a crisp fifteen-minute span. On the 11th of June, we invited David and Jenny to join the call and share about their challenge in getting “Green Cards” to be in the country. They carry Australian passports, but work out of our Denver office. Without this important immigration document, David has to go through tremendous challenges whenever he returns to the United States from an international engagement. The extra screening and questioning can take hours, and is an added burden to David’s grueling schedule and pace.

So we prayed for David, Jenny and their son, Michael. We prayed specifically for open doors and the removal of barriers. The surrounding of the Christian community was tangible and powerful.

Then again, yesterday morning, at the start of the YFC/USA National Board meeting, we prayed again for this situation. We prayed for divine intervention. We prayed in anticipation of David’s and Jenny’s ramped up international schedule this summer. We prayed because we love the Wraights and because we want their impact and ministry to have as little friction as possible.

At the end of the day yesterday, when David arrived at home, and as he was going through the daily mail, Green Cards. Yesterday. Right before another trip out of the country.

When our National Board got word, there were tears, and there was celebration. God had moved.

I don’t pretend to understand how. All I know is that we’re invited to pray. To come to God as our father. To bring Him our pain, our frustration, our burden and our need. And when we do, He listens. He especially loves it when we come with a group. Other like-minded, burdened and broken people that gather by His throne and declare in their requests their need for help. And beautifully, powerfully, graciously, God tells us that this act of worship and love accomplishes something.

And today, more than yesterday, I understand. Welcome to America David, Jenny and Michael.