An instructive adventure from 1982

The Syrian border policeman looked up from our passports. “Not only does your wife have the wrong visa, but your children are not mentioned in it! You’ll have to go back to the capital and get her visa changed!”

We had just driven two difficult days from the capital city, and now stood in the gathering darkness between the border of our country and of Syria, caught in a no man’s land. Since our tourist visas for our country had run out this day, going back was not possible. Plus, without a stamp from the Syrian border in our passports proving we had entered another country, we could not return to our country.

We went outside the border guards’ building and stood there wondering what to do. The Lord brought Psalm 23 to mind, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” And Psalm 50:23 “He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me and opens the way that I may show him the salvation of the Lord.” So we thanked God and asked for wisdom.

This tension-filled event of unexpected difficulty was in reality the privilege of actually living out the truth of Psalm 86:6-8: “Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me...." We did not know what God would do, but were certain from both this Psalm and past experience that He would help us.

After praying I went back in and talked with the policeman again. In God’s providence he spoke English well (my Arabic is lower than zero!) and listened to my plea. He sighed and stood up.

“I will help you,” he said, taking our passports, “But you must go to the police station in Aleppo and get the proper visa for your wife.” He stamped and signed the passports and waved us off into the night.

God answers when we praise Him! In this case the answer was immediate and we were very thankful!

picture: Syrian border guards