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Give Unto Caesar What is Caesar's

"You mean the Filipino government doesn't give you a free visa to stay here and do missionary work, you actually have to PAY the government to remain in the Philippines, even though you are ministering to Filipinos?"

Incredulously this question was posed to my wife by a local pastor's wife. She couldn't believe that we had to pay the Filipino government visa fees to stay in the country to do missionary work.

Actually it costs around $1,000 a year for a single missionary to remain in the Philippines, even though they are here to do missionary work. It's just part of the cost of doing missions. So do the math, there are six of us in our family--no small amount.

Jesus did say, "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's."

We recently had a major miracle with our visa status. We received a heritage visa, reserved for the children and grand children of Filipinos who come back to the Philippines to visit. Because of my Filipino parents and grand parents, my family and I received this heritage visa.

This amazing act of God's favor is saving our family around $6,000. We can now remain in the Philippines without having to renew visas for this year.

No matter what, we fully expected God to provide, as He always has. He would either give us the finances needed to "give unto Caesar," or we would be blessed with heritage visa status. Either way, it is the Lord Who provides, as He always does, as He always will.


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