By Saturday, January 10, 2009, the last appeal had been lost. Her bag was packed, and the single 25-year-old mother of three was scheduled to be deported in a day's time.Yes, the sentence was just. Although here in the U.S. legally with a valid green card, this troubled young woman had repeatedly gotten herself into all manner of serious difficulties, not only bearing three children out of wedlock to two different fathers by the age of 22, but breaking the laws of her adopted country over and over again, racking up tickets and fines and jail time, and finally accruing enough of a record for her visa to be revoked. She'd been incarcerated at the INS immigration detention center in San Antonio for months, while her case wound its way through the system.
The family had planned one last visit that Saturday, the 10th. The night before, my son tossed and turned, restless, unable to sleep, thinking about this niece of his by marriage. Although he'd prayed for God's will to be done, and written a letter to the judge on her behalf, he'd had no contact with her all these months, not visited nor spoken with her, though he'd done his best, as he was able and had opportunity, to try to be a positive influence in her children's lives.
But now he felt as though he needed to send her some message, some word from him, before she was sent away. But what? What could he say now? What difference could it possibly make? Still, he felt compelled to try. My son is not a man to whom words come easily, so he prayed, asking God to give him the right words to say, the right message. Finally, he rose and took up his Bible, asking God for inspiration. It opened directly, to a passage that spoke to his heart. And so he began to write:
"As you sit here on the eve of your deportation. Who do you see in front of you? Are they the ones that you have stolen from or lied to? Cheated and deceived? Abused and neglected? Yet they still love you and are here for you today. I would like to share a Bible verse with you that was written by a man who, in his youth was very evil yet he opened his eyes and his heart to the ways of Jesus and chose a new path that would lead him to become a saint.
He gave the finished message to his daughter, who was going with the rest of the family to make that one last visit. He asked her to either give it to her cousin, or if they wouldn't allow her to, then to read it to her over the jail telephone mounted in the separating wall of glass in the visitation area.
So my granddaughter took the message. As they were driving to San Antonio she read it to the family, who were moved to tears. At the jail the jailers wouldn't let her give the message to her cousin and so my granddaughter, only 12 years old, picked up that jail telephone and read her father's words to her cousin who was so close and yet so far, unreachable, untouchable, on the other side of that thick glass. As she listened, the young woman's heart was also deeply touched and she too was moved to tears. She asked her young cousin to keep the message and mail it to her in Peru so that she could always have it. Goodbyes were said, and the family parted with tears and heavy hearts.
The next day, or the day after, my son isn't sure about the exact time, preparing for the young woman's imminent deportation, the immigration officials ran one last records check, just routine procedure. Imagine their amazement when up popped an outstanding bench warrant for some offense that had not yet been answered for. How on earth, through all these months of incarceration, investigation, court hearings and appeals, could that warrant have been overlooked? It was incomprehensible, but there it was.
Under law no one can be deported who has any outstanding charges against them, not until they've been to court and had the charges disposed of one way or another. So the deportation machine came to a grinding halt, and the young woman received a last minute reprieve.
No one knows how long it will be. It might be days, or weeks or months, depending on how fast or slow the system moves. But there is now time that wasn't there before - time to hire another attorney, a specialist in immigration law as the previous one wasn't, perhaps time for another appeal, maybe even time for another ruling, a favorable one, time for a young woman to be saved and her life redeemed, time for three small children to grow up knowing their mother.
Is this a miracle? Is there any connection between God's answer to the family's prayers, and to my son's prayer, his message to his niece, and her last-minute reprieve? I guess none of us really knows, but it sure seems like more than a coincidence to me. I'm inclined to believe it's another of "God's incidences," and am thankful, along with the rest of the family, for God making it very clear that He is in control of this situation, as my son wrote in that message given to him by God.
Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Psalm 142:7
Update: 11/27/10 The young woman did end up being deported several months after this post. Her children are separated, the two older ones being raised by their paternal grandparents, the youngest by her maternal great-grandparents. Although the miracle of the postponed court decision was not permanent, it nevertheless provided time for goodbyes and counsel. The young woman is free from jail, and in contact with family who continue to keep her and her children in prayer.
But now he felt as though he needed to send her some message, some word from him, before she was sent away. But what? What could he say now? What difference could it possibly make? Still, he felt compelled to try. My son is not a man to whom words come easily, so he prayed, asking God to give him the right words to say, the right message. Finally, he rose and took up his Bible, asking God for inspiration. It opened directly, to a passage that spoke to his heart. And so he began to write:
"As you sit here on the eve of your deportation. Who do you see in front of you? Are they the ones that you have stolen from or lied to? Cheated and deceived? Abused and neglected? Yet they still love you and are here for you today. I would like to share a Bible verse with you that was written by a man who, in his youth was very evil yet he opened his eyes and his heart to the ways of Jesus and chose a new path that would lead him to become a saint.
"Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (Good News)God has sent you on a new path that may not be the one you want but is the one that He knows is best. May your future be bright and full of love. You will always be in my prayers. May God bless you and your children. Love, Uncle Dan"
He gave the finished message to his daughter, who was going with the rest of the family to make that one last visit. He asked her to either give it to her cousin, or if they wouldn't allow her to, then to read it to her over the jail telephone mounted in the separating wall of glass in the visitation area.
So my granddaughter took the message. As they were driving to San Antonio she read it to the family, who were moved to tears. At the jail the jailers wouldn't let her give the message to her cousin and so my granddaughter, only 12 years old, picked up that jail telephone and read her father's words to her cousin who was so close and yet so far, unreachable, untouchable, on the other side of that thick glass. As she listened, the young woman's heart was also deeply touched and she too was moved to tears. She asked her young cousin to keep the message and mail it to her in Peru so that she could always have it. Goodbyes were said, and the family parted with tears and heavy hearts.
The next day, or the day after, my son isn't sure about the exact time, preparing for the young woman's imminent deportation, the immigration officials ran one last records check, just routine procedure. Imagine their amazement when up popped an outstanding bench warrant for some offense that had not yet been answered for. How on earth, through all these months of incarceration, investigation, court hearings and appeals, could that warrant have been overlooked? It was incomprehensible, but there it was.
Under law no one can be deported who has any outstanding charges against them, not until they've been to court and had the charges disposed of one way or another. So the deportation machine came to a grinding halt, and the young woman received a last minute reprieve.
No one knows how long it will be. It might be days, or weeks or months, depending on how fast or slow the system moves. But there is now time that wasn't there before - time to hire another attorney, a specialist in immigration law as the previous one wasn't, perhaps time for another appeal, maybe even time for another ruling, a favorable one, time for a young woman to be saved and her life redeemed, time for three small children to grow up knowing their mother.
Is this a miracle? Is there any connection between God's answer to the family's prayers, and to my son's prayer, his message to his niece, and her last-minute reprieve? I guess none of us really knows, but it sure seems like more than a coincidence to me. I'm inclined to believe it's another of "God's incidences," and am thankful, along with the rest of the family, for God making it very clear that He is in control of this situation, as my son wrote in that message given to him by God.
Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Psalm 142:7
Update: 11/27/10 The young woman did end up being deported several months after this post. Her children are separated, the two older ones being raised by their paternal grandparents, the youngest by her maternal great-grandparents. Although the miracle of the postponed court decision was not permanent, it nevertheless provided time for goodbyes and counsel. The young woman is free from jail, and in contact with family who continue to keep her and her children in prayer.
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