Ouch! When you're living on an incredibly limited budget without an ability to make a normal income on your own spending any large amount of money is painful.
This has been a $700 week! OUCH!
$500 USD went to change my flight from August to fall. I had to book my original ticket for August to stay within New Zealand Visa laws. Now that I'm in and my Visa extension has been filled out, I needed to change my return flight to be within my second Visa (post outreach). While I'm incredibly blessed that I did have the money to do that today, it halves my budget for the next 6 months. It was one of those unavoidable expenses of being here and having to work with the laws this country has in place. Before I left Minnesota I bought a "humanitarian rated ticket." This was a cheaper flight for people working as I am and more lenient with changing the dates of return flights or locations. While $500 feels so incredibly expensive today I know it is still about $200-300 cheaper than I had I booked my ticket alone and had to change it through the airline. I know I am meant to be here and that God has and will continue to provide for every need within his will it was painful to watch my checking account go down so fast. I suppose much of that may be my flesh, enjoying a small safety net of finances but part of it is obvious necessity. When my Visa extension is processed I need to be able to prove I have the funds to support myself in New Zealand. They require that I have $800 US in my account to support myself while I'm here, after having to buy my ticket out I don't have that much in my account anymore. It's one of those times that feels like squeezing. I know God has me here for this school, I'm trusting I will find favor in Him and that the money will be in my account in time to prove to NZ government that I can afford to be here.
$200 USD went to getting my NZ Visa extension. A fancy, albeit legal sticker for my passport that says I have the governments permission to stay here longer than they originally gave me.
It's an uncomfortable little financial squeezing isn't it? I'm not panicked by any means but the worry is in the back of my head. I'm beyond blessed that God has provided for my needs so far. I am here, my lecture phase staff fees and activity fees are paid for and God provided the money that I could afford to change my ticket and apply for my Visa at the proper time. I know that my flesh is being burned in all of this. I'm learning to grow in faith and financial responsibility. For the sake of accountability and prayer I'm posting that here. Within the next month my Visa app will be processed and I will need to prove that I have at least $800 USD in my checking account to support myself here during the time of my Visa extension. I have $600 of that $800 budgeted now. Prayer would be appreciated that I would find favor with New Zealand government with the paperwork and that everything would go smoothly;With financial supporters that God would lead to help raise this money and most importantly with the Lord. That as my flesh is burning away and I am learning what I can do without and more importantly without knowing that I would grow in faith, trust and wisdom of what my God can do and what He can do through me.
1 comment:
I have gotten used to having large sums of money deposited into my account and then basically spending all of it in a day. It's how we live our lives! I rarely have more than a few dollars in my account, and when I do get my "paychecks" twice a month they always immediately go for rent, electricity, food, or some other fee I need. But it's funny because I would overdraft a lot at home when I had none of these expenses and now I'm much wiser with my money.
I hope all the visa stuff works out. I know it will. 600 is pretty close to 800 and anything can happen in a month. I wouldn't even be worried about it. I'm proud of you and praying for you.
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