Retired Missionary
While
searching online, I had come across and spoken to a retired missionary who,
although a Baptist,
had spent decades serving overseas and said he believes in engaging in
spiritual warfare.
When asked if he knows any conservative churches that engage in spiritual
warfare, he had referred as a "real spiritual warrior" a Baptist pastor three
states away who pastored a Baptist church and a small Baptist college attached to
it.
So another option was for Kristin to spend the semester at the Baptist college referred by the retired missionary, being both ministered to and earning college credits toward finishing her bachelor's degree, although a degree from that unaccredited college would have limited academic value. Kristin and I decided to do a long road trip to visit and qualify the church and the college that the retired missionary referred.
We began driving but yet another argument about marriage soon ensued. I told her to stop lashing out as I couldn't listen to it for another 1,000 miles. She wouldn't stop, so after about 150 miles, I turned the car around drove back to our place.
A third option was for both of us to just stay together in USA, to have me work full time at just any job and support her so that she can focus on healing.
There were no other viable options. She couldn't return to China as her body simply cannot tolerate China's toxic air pollution. The southeast Asian country with the Methodist church was too dangerous for her. And she couldn't re-enter the other southeast Asian country for another four months due to its visa regulations.
We had more to discuss about these three options but after another argument over marriage, she ran out the door to the car and started it. When I asked her what she was doing now, she said the car is already loaded with her stuff, that she is going to drive to the Baptist college referred by the retired missionary, and locked the car doors. When I stood in front of the car and told her that we still need to qualify the college, the church, and the pastor, she put the car into reverse, drove backward over a grassy berm and onto the driveway behind it, put the car into drive, and drove off into the night.
She answered my calls after reaching the Baptist college, said she wants to stay, so I sent her the money for the first installment of the tuition, room & board, and personal expenses, and then flew back to China for the seventh semester.