How is your preparation for this special day going on? Is it becoming more festive and full of colors? What about your gifts for your children, are they already set under your giant Christmas Tree and waiting to be opened? We sure hope so. God gave us these for his glory. So he has commanded us, “Be of good cheer.” Be cause Christ has overcome the world. We have learned as a family that our contentment shouldn’t be limited by anything of a fallen world. That is why Christ has come to give us life and life more abundantly.
Jeremiah 10
2Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
Dear Congressman Marsha Blackburn,
Good day, honorable Congresswoman. My name is Lady Lyn Erenio Calderon-Haltom of the Haltom Family, Joshua Haltom (my husband and a US Citizen), and our 2-year-old and very engaged and active daughter, Abigail Exodus Haltom (also a US Citizen).
Joshua and I got married on May 19, 2013, in Henderson, Tennessee. Prior to that year, my husband filed an application for me to be issued a fiancé visa which was granted year 2013, and was issued to me in USA EMBASSY IN MANILA.
After our wedding, my husband immediately filed the application for permanent residency for me, including the permit to work last September, 2013. Though we complied to all the requirements and policy set by USCIS to the best that we can, and the processing fee amounting of $1070, my application was denied due to the reason that my husband didn’t meet the income requirements. At that time, asking people to sign an affidavit of support, a federal document on my behalf was hard to tarry plus the fact that for my husband and I, our intercultural marriage was new and the first in the Haltom clan.
Though we communicated in the letter that we sent to USCIS, the needs of receiving a permit to work for the primary reason of helping my husband, by finding a job which I could use my almost 6 years in finishing my degree in Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering, and years of working in Healthcare Industry for me not becoming a burden to the society, still it was denied. The thing was I sounded so arrogant in that letter, to the point of becoming proud. My sincere apology for USCIS for that.
Also, in the letter that we sent to USCIS year 2014, and the reasons we provided to process the motion for reconsideration, we were trying to explains the situation of my husband as a student, a person who is receiving disability benefits because of his mental condition: Traumatic Brain Injury, Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective, Social Anxiety, and a committed husband and a very loving father who was trying to work a part time job to provide for our young, and optimistic family but to no avail, the motion was again denied.
Year 2014 when we started Herblend Teas Holistic Health and Wellness, a small family business which we registered at Chester County. And with the desire to visit our family here in the Philippines, for them to meet our daughter, and at the same time importing CBD Rich Hemp Oil in this country, year 2015 three of us flew back here in Manila, Philippines. We also planned to directly processed my immigration paper here at US Embassy Manila but less fortunately when we got here most of our plans didn’t materialized.
Our request to import the CBD Rich Hemp Oil product that we had stocks at Chester County were denied by Food and Drug Administration Branch at Alabang, Muntinlupa Philippines. Which resulted our business in Chester County to be forced stopped.
Last November 29, 2015 our daughter accidentally ingested some pieces of Haloperidol tablets, an anti-psychotic drugs which brought her to emergency room, and made my husband suffered for emotional anxiety.
This past Father’s Day here in the Philippines (June 19, 2016) we woke up noticing that our house had been robbed. Until now our family is experiencing extreme hardship in processing our immigration papers that brought my husband one psychotic episode triggered by stress in processing immigration papers, and trip through the emergency room last September 30, (which led him to another diagnosis of Bipolar and Mood disorder)
followed by another series of episodes brought by the death of his grandmother last October 10, 2016, and deep depression because of being far and not able to attend the burial. Because of this our family suffered an extreme emotional hardship because of my husband’s mental health and situation.
Just this November 18, 2016 my application for B1/B2 for emergency medical purpose of accompanying my husband together with our daughter to go back in USA was denied by the consul of USA EMBASSY MANILA because of the reason that he said that he was doubtful the way I represent the reason for travelling back in the USA. The same time of my interview my husband and our daughter were waiting for me in the waiting area and both of them having emotional breakdown: My husband which that time was trying to calm down while experiencing mental disorientation kneeling in the floor, was wanting to be with me inside, and our daughter yearning for her mother’s care which was trying to provide by my husband but he simply can’t because of his mental condition that time. It was really a heart breaking moment. People there of different races, and skin colors witnessed this dramatic moment. Hearing the wailing cried of my daughter broke my heart terribly. The embassy official even pulled me from the long line and placed me next to the window to be interviewed earlier just for me to attend to the needs of my husband and daughter. But still, the consul wasn’t convinced on my words. He didn’t even look at the supporting documents I brought. Immediately I went outside to the waiting area to pacify my daughter and comfort my husband. We tried to seek assistance from the US CITIZEN SERVICES but the official who were Filipinos wouldn’t want us to give a number even if walk-in was allowed. Their reason was, my B1/B2 VISA application was already denied so there was no reason for my husband to seek help from the US CITIZEN SERVICES. I verbalized our concern, with tears and so much pain for my husband’s situation. In my words, I said to them my husband and my daughter are both US CITIZEN why they did not want to help them. People were looking, I saw those empathizing looked in their eyes, and guards talking over their radios. I said my husband needs help. But we didn’t receive any assistance that day. Would you envision so much stress and traumatizing experience this cause to my husband who is suffering with TBI, and once again another rejection for our family to bear?
Right now, if you will ask us we are so much great full to God for sustaining our family. And giving all the glory and praises to Him alone for all His plan for us. We will always be thankful for our situation and no matter how hard it looks like, we will never become discourage.
Our assurance is God’s words.
But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.”
2 Chronicles 15:7 (NLT)
My husband is still finishing his Bachelor’s degree with Antioch University in Human Resource Management, and by God’s grace this coming Spring season, he will have finished it. Though many times he had experienced manic episode with seizures triggered by stress in processing our immigration papers, still we are blessed to say that God indeed sustain us in all the trying times. And I would like to really take this opportunity to ask an apology for the letter we sent year 2013-2014, and for being so bitter towards USCIS in refusing my green card application, my permit to work, my B1/B2 VISA APPLICATION for medical emergency reason of my husband. Forgive me.
My husband saw a Psychiatrist here in Manila, though she was confident that medicines are available here to help his mind to stay leveled, and be functional in what today’s society is requiring from family like ours, still she recommended that it is healthier for my husband to be back in his homeland of TENNESSEE. Being far made him suffer greatly.
Including in this letter is the brief summary of the processing we did, all the case number, years and even the responses of USCIS. Our prayer is that you will find encouragement on this. Our family’s plea is may you extend your helping hands on our situation. This coming January, 2016 we are hopeful to file the FORM I-130 at USCIS, USA EMBASSY MANILA.
With the present medical condition of my husband, which until now is not yet fully back to his normal competitive self but slowly getting there, we agreed to once again process my immigration documents with United States Citizenship Immigration Services (USCIS) and this time the plan is to apply for an immigrant wife visa. To lessen the occurrence of much stress which is not healthy for Joshua and our family, the plan is to stick together as a family and part of it is to process the papers here at USCIS MANILA which is located at USA EMBASSY MANILA, PHILIPPINES. Their complete address is:
USCIS MANILA
Nox 1 Room 247 2th Floor 1201 Roxas Boulevard
Manila, Philippines
The form that we are going to use is I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. Normally for US Citizen living outside the USA, this form is directly courier to USCIS Chicago Lockbox Facility but with exceptional circumstances they mostly grant the request to locally file it here in Manila. Circumstances like medical related situation of petitioner and applicant as cited below:
“Medical emergencies: A petitioner or beneficiary is facing an urgent medical emergency that requires immediate travel. This includes the situation where a petitioner or beneficiary is pregnant and delaying travel may create a medical risk or extreme hardship for the mother or child.”
With medical circumstances like my husband who is needing to receive regular medical care like medicines and doctor’s monthly consultation are the benefits he is receiving from his insurance in USA with the diagnoses written in the document we showed to you. We also not wanting to separate our family. The relatives in USA desired for us to come back together as a family. Their words are for Joshua’s condition not to be put to the edge or “crash” as said his family doctor, Rick Rickard, now retired. With these reasons, we are looking forward that they will allow us to file the papers here, and even expedite it. Your recommendation will be a big help for Joshua and our family, and hoping this will give you the information you are needing for the letter.
Honorable congressman, if you will check our immigration records we mostly never failed to complied on what USCIS was requesting from us only the affidavit of support which was already beyond our circle of control. My husband is trying his best, we just need an opportunity for our family to have a fresh start. We just need favor and be free from the oppression of processing the immigration papers. An opportunity for us to break free from the insanity of this world, and not be separated as a family. Also, my husband’s situation as I mentioned above is needing an immediate medical assistance. Our daughter, she deserves to be free from all of this stress. If you will happen to visit our family blog, you will see some of community contribution God allowed us to experienced here in the Philippines.
Here is the link of our family blog: http://www.haltomfamily.wordpress.com
May you help us in this immigration issues. God bless the work of your hands, and to God be the glory.
Sincerely Yours,
Lady Lyn Calderon Haltom
-Haltom Family
The Haltom Family 