Update Member Status record php

I am trying to pay a record via php and make the user status active and able to log in.
I am able to update a payment record with the php code below but
My member record is still not recognized as a paid subscriber.

I really can't be the first person who needed to do this.

Is there an easier function or some code that will do this? Changing the status does not seem to do anything. I need to inserty some stuff into that data field.

Can anyone help?

<?php
session_start();
global $db;
require_once 'config.inc.php';
$member = $_SESSION['_amember_user'];
$member_id = $member['member_id'] ;

// Assumes following variables already set.
// $payment_id
//
$member_id = $_SESSION['_amember_user']['member_id'] ;
$payments = $db->get_user_payments($member_id, $only_completed=0);
foreach ($payments as $p){
print "Payment ID " . $p['payment_id']."
";
}
print "<br />" ;

print "For this period: $payment[begin_date] - $payment[expire_date]<br>";
print "$product[title] ordered by $member[name_f] $member[name_l]<br>";
$date=date('Y-m-d', time() + 3600 * 24 * 30);
print "Expire Date " . $date. "<br />" ;
echo "<br />" ;
$payment_id= $p['payment_id'];

$payment = array(
'product_id' => $product->config['product_id'],
'begin_date' => $d = date('Y-m-d'),
'expire_date' => $date,
'paysys_id' => 'telco',
'receipt_id' => 'xxxx',
'amount' => '3.95',
'completed' => 1,
);
//
// Update payment record
//
$db->update_payment($payment_id, $payment);
$u = $db->get_user($member_id);

//update member status ????

$u['status'] = '1';
$db->update_user($member_id, $u);

//this line does not work and gets me an error but I was told by tech support to use this
$db->finish_waiting_payment($payment_id);
?>