Amber-Lee's Story

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

Amber-Lee Hamm remembers the moment when she finally began to understand that God was looking after every detail of her life. It was near the end of their three-and-a-half months of service with TREK in Toyota City, Japan.

Visitors to Japan can only be on a tourist visa for 90 days. But the TREK team was set to be there for 102. As the 90 days mark was approaching, the team prayed about what they should do: leave early, or try to apply for religious worker visas.

None of them wanted to leave early because they felt it was important to finish off the ongoing ministry. So they decided to trust God and apply for religious worker visas. Time was slowly getting away from them, however, and just one week before their planned departure date, they heard back from immigration. They would be denied religious worker visas because they were not getting paid for their ministry in Toyota City. Initially the team was in a panic because by now they were in Japan illegally. They hurried down to the immigration office to try to get things sorted out.

Host missionary Laurence Hiebert suggested that they try to apply for an extension on their tourist visas. And although he suggested it, he also added that while they could apply, this type of visa basically doesn’t exist. He has never heard of anyone being granted an extension on a tourist visa. But with no other options, the team decided they would have to try, pray, and trust God.

At the immigration office they waited and waited, completely unsure of what the outcome would be. As they bounced back and forth between faith and doubt, God reminded them that all they could do was trust in Him and remember that He already had everything worked out.

Finally, the immigration officer reappeared and told the anxious group of TREKers that it would be too much work for both parties if they were to deport them now. Instead they would work with them to grant them an extended stay in Japan. God performed a miracle! They were told that an extension on a tourist visa was impossible to get, but they got one. Worrying about the visa everyday would not have changed the outcome. It was then that Amber-Lee realized, “Ok, God, I get it!” God showed her that He is trustworthy beyond measure, that He will look after all of her needs, and He can make the impossible happen!