BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

meant no visas were being issued. "Since you're not processing visas right now, what's our next option?" Robin had asked when she'd called the U.S. Customs o•ce. "He's just staying long enough to get us settled. Then he has to return to Canada to close down his business." "Then he can enter as a visitor," the customs agent explained. "Just go to the border and ask that he enter temporarily as a visitor." That settled, they'd packed up everything for the move. After getting his wife and son settled, Victor would return to stay with his family in Canada. He would tie up loose ends on his business and wait on his visa. That was the plan! Reaching the border, Robin pulled up first. She handed the o•cer passports for her and her mother. They were told to pass through with no problems. "The car behind me has my husband and son," she explained. "My son is a U.S. citizen. My husband is a Canadian citizen, he's just crossing temporarily." "Well, we're going to pull them in," the o•cer said. "Why?" "We're closed for all nonessential travel. So, we have to pull him in." Nonessential? The o•cer's comments caught Robin o‰ guard. Victor's travel was essential, she thought, considering he was helping his family move and get settled. Robin began pulling out all her documentation. She had her and Victor's marriage license. She had proof of her new job. She had letters to prove Victor had a business in Canada. She even showed proof that the car Victor was driving belonged to his parents. Everything showed proof that he was expected back in Canada. Robin sat with Victor during his interview with customs, listening as he explained that he would only be in the U.S. temporarily and shared letters he had from his business partners in Canada. Despite spending nearly ten grueling hours with custom o•cials, in the end, Victor was denied entry into the United States. Separated Indefinitely "Both cars were packed. So, while they continued questioning Victor, we had to make room for Mateo and figure out what was in his car we had to have. "When Victor came out, I was sobbing. He put his hands on both sides of my face and locked eyes with me. Then he said, 'The devil is trying to stop you from continuing on, in your assignment. You can't stop. You can't turn around now, remember whose you are. You belong to Almighty God. I can't go with you, but He will.' "As head of the household, he wanted to protect us. He wanted to help us with the journey and the move. Instead, he waved goodbye." It was a long drive from Washington to Texas, Robin recalls. To make things worse, on the way she received another blow when Victor called with news that he had been banned from entering the United States for five years. "I'd experienced a lot of warfare in my life," Robin said, "but nothing like this. In the U.S., there were riots in the streets and all kinds of unrest. I was trying to avoid that while dealing with the trauma of what had happened. By the time we arrived in Texas it was Mateo's 13th birthday, which is important to a young man. "I didn't want him to remember it with regret. This should have been a day of celebrating. When we reached our rental, our belongings hadn't arrived. I didn't have the keys yet, either. So, we drove to KCM to visit with friends. "I told them that I wanted to find a hotel with a pool to celebrate Mateo's birthday. By the time we were ready to leave, two of my friends had booked us a room at Great Wolf Lodge. Some of the other sta‰ members had paid for our dinner." Over and Above As Robin drove up to the lodge, Mateo's eyes were like saucers. "Hey, Mateo," Robin said. "What, Mom?" "Is this more than you could ask or imagine?" "Yeah, Mom, it is." "That's how you know it's God." 1 2 : B V O V Old Testament New Testament FEB READ THROUGH THE BIBLE Sat 1 Ex. 10:1-12:28 Matt. 24 Sun 2 Ps. 18; Prov. 3:19-35 Mon 3 Ex. 12:29-14:14 Matt. 24 Tue 4 Ex. 14:15-16:21 Matt.25 Wed 5 Ex. 16:22-18:27 Matt. 26 Thu 6 Ex. 19:1-21:11 Matt. 27 Fri 7 Ex. 21:12-23:9 Matt. 28 Sat 8 Ex. 23:10-25:22 Sun 9 Ps. 19-21; Prov. 4:1-19 Mon 10 Ex. 25:23-27:8 Mark 1 Tue 11 Ex. 27:9-29:9 Mark 2 Wed 12 Ex. 29:10-30:21 Mark 3 Thu 13 Ex. 30:22-32:29 Mark 4 Fri 14 Ex. 32:30-34:35 Mark 5 Sat 15 Ex. 35:1-36:30 Sun 16 Ps. 22-24; Prov. 4:20-5:14 Mon 17 Ex. 36:31-38:20 Mark 6 Tue 18 Ex. 38:21-39:43 Mark 7 Wed 19 Ex. 40:1-Lev. 2:10 Mark 8 Thu 20 Lev. 2:11-4:35 Mark 9 Fri 21 Lev. 5:1-7:14 Mark 10 Sat 22 Lev. 7:15-8:36 Sun 23 Ps. 25-27; Prov. 5:15-23 Mon 24 Lev. 9:1-11:19 Mark 11 Tue 25 Lev. 11:20-13:28 Mark 12 Wed 26 Lev. 13:29-14:32 Mark 13 Thu 27 Lev. 14:33-15:33 Mark 14 Fri 28 Lev. 16:1-18:18 Mark 15

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