VIS-A-VIS

Okay, the title is a bit dubious, but I needed something that mentioned my visa (and just so you know I am aware that the logo pictured has nothing to do with the visa travel document I'm talking about!) . I'll explain more, but it looks like at long last the complications with my visa are practically resolved. It did result in some moments of despair at times, but it's good to learn patience and that one's fate does not lie in anyone's hands but the Sovereign Lord.

Phew! So a lot has happened in a past 6 weeks-ish! Some of the highlights:

• While it's become almost like a fifth limb, I've got a very lovely Apple Macbook which is serving me extremely well and will serve as my computer for office and home while In SA. Anyone thinking about a serious computer, think seriously about Apple! It even runs Windows better than anything else I've ever used!
• I had the wonderful privilege of spending a lot of time with Ivan, one of the elders of Hope Church, Durban, at the beginning of July. He's a South African Indian who has led a church in Zimbabwe for a long while before moving to plant a church with us in Durban. It was nice to finally spend some proper time with some of the people I will be spending the next year with. Ivan was over here for the Newfrontiers International Leadership Conference (Together On A Mission) along with a number of others from the team in Durban. Unfortunately the lead elder, Drew, couldn't be around, but it was nice to meet those running the student and youth work (who I'll likely be partnering with): Themba, Vicky (his fiancee and one of my email counterparts, from Crewe), and Mandy (from Ireland). Good news is that I'm already tagged to do the honours of photography at Themba and Vicky's wedding in December (hot summer), which will be good fun.
• Coming back from TOAM 07 it was rush rush rush to get things ready for Newday 07. We took a group of nearly 40 people with about 25 12-19 year olds to join with 6,000 other young christians at Uttoxeter Racecourse near Derby for teaching, worship, mission, and fun. While last year we had a number of difficulties, particularly with certain people, this year (praise God) it went so well. A great number of our young people responded so well to the gospel - so many changed people as a result. It was truly a privilege to see the beginning of what I'm sure will be the fulfilment of many of the things I've longed and dreamed for with God for these people. I also got to be part of the media team, which was cool too as I had excuse to wander around with my camera and take pictures whenever I wanted!
• GASP! I've sold my beloved Peugeot 306! Unfortunately she had to go, though she did go to a good home: my friend Andrew Allen. It was so weird just driving it one day and suddenly realising it was probably the last time I would! You get so used to something that it feels like it's always going to be there, and though it's just a car it's been such a source of fun, opportunity, help, etc and I've got so many memories connected with it (e.g. the drive from London to Aberdeen and back), that it was a little heart-wrenching to part with it. While it's not really hit me since, I can imagine there's going to be a lot of repeats of that feeling - knowing that it's the last time you'll ever see it (at least in the same way), or the last time you'll see that person for ages, etc. If it was a hit to lose a car, I could be in for a bigger hit than I've anticipated when it comes to almost everything in my life all at once! Whoever would have thought that when Jesus said that those who would follow him must "lose their lives" that He really meant it! :o)
• Other than that I've just been generally busy sorting out bits and pieces, wedding photos, wireless networking, rediscovering chess, seeing people before I leave, making preparations, etc.

So, the visa. I've been applying for a volunteer visa, which enables me to be cleared to stay in SA for up to 12 months at a time. The list of requirements is extensive though so it's taken me a while to get it all together. One of the main difficulties has been getting hold of my CRB (criminal records) check clearance. It was posted off months ago, took ages to come, and when it arrived at the beginning of August (while I was at Newday) it was incomplete and so needed to be resubmitted! That was not good, but I could at least hope it would come quickly. Sure enough the two others resubmitted at the same time came back, mine did not (and still has not). After checking with the South African High Commission in London I found that I could at least submit a proof of submission of an application and they could reference that. This I found out exactly when I realised that if I submitted all my documents for my visa and waited the standard 10 working days for them to be returned to me, I would not have my passport back in time to go to Austria! ARGH! So I booked an appointment to submit my documents. After many minutes of a very slow spoken South African female voice on an automated system I was offered the earliest date of Wednesday 29th August - also within 10 working days of my departure, which could mean I was too late to apply. In dealing with the automated system I actually made a mistake and had to try calling again at £1 per minute! Somehow I dialled the wrong number from my computer screen and got to a very similar automated appointment booking system. All I knew was that 5 minutes after having Wed 29th August available I was now being told that the earliest available date was Thu Oct 4th - After I'm supposed to leave! I was not happy at that point, and did literally exclaim (nothing profane.... but nearly!) in disbelief! Dialling again and spending another 10 minutes on the phone at £1 per minute I managed to successfully book Wed 29th August (which is today as I write this).

In the meantime communicating with my friends in Durban about how my visa might not be ready in time I was told that I really need to have it before coming out as some people recently have been refused extensions to their 90 day tourist permits. Every day I could get an application in earlier counted and I planned to go down to the High Commission on Fri 23rd Aug and simply beg to slip into any available space in the system! That meant I needed my £600 security deposit (yes, £600!) in the form of a banker's draft immediately as it was 4pm on Thu 22nd Aug! Another heartracing moment - looking for my visa application form to get the details of who the draft needs to be made payable to I find suddenly it is missing along with several other important visa related documents! I'd had to move into the new youth office at church and in the process of someone moving a lot of stuff for me it had gone! This was not the time to be doing a long search as the clock was running. More importantly if I didn't have some of that paperwork I'd actually miss my scheduled appointment by the time replacements came! A lot of searching and re-searching later I managed to find it all buried in a very odd place (as these things always are!). So off I drive in the pouring rain to get to the bank before it closes. After narrowly avoiding (we're talking 6 inches) colliding into the back of a van that decided to just stop in the middle of a junction on green and with a clear road ahead, I got to the bank, got my banker's draft, and set back to the office. Praise God! It looked like I might just make it!

On my way back I was obviously thanking the Lord for His favour and was just so aware that I would face many such circumstances in the coming months - where it could all be within a hair of going belly up. But in bouncing this back and forth in prayer I came to the conclusion that what I wanted was not to avoid the troubles, but just to have God working in them to bring about the right result. We're so prone to wonder, "Will He? Won't He?" but I felt God telling me, "Isn't that what I promise to do anyway? Don't I promise to never leave you or forsake you (Heb 13:5)? Don't I promise to work all things, good and bad, to your good (Rom 8:28)? Do I not promise that I have charge of all things and have predestined them to do my bidding at every step (Eph 1:11)?" Of course I can ask for this! Why do I have to wonder whether God will do exactly as He would choose for me at every step? It's not like He's just letting things run their course and then if we can persuade Him He'll jump in and sort it all out! No, nothing happens, not even one sparrow falls to the ground, except on His say so (Mt 10:29)! God can never but have His way and make His deliberate choice in everything that comes my way! So I was encouraged to know that even when it looks like God didn't do anything He can never but have chosen this, and that I will always have His chosen path put before me. No fate, no devil, no power in heaven or on earth will ever seperate me from the outworking of God's amazing, baffling love for me (Rom 8:38f)!

But that sounded far too easy, right? Well I got back and started to look at the list of documents I needed so that I could go down to the High Commission and beg to be seen early. Though I'd looked at it periodically for weeks I was aware that there was no mention of need for a CRB check. So I turned the page and it was there after all. What was also there (which I hadn't seen as it was on the back page) was the need for a medical report from a doctor describing my general health and a radiological report to confirm that I have no signs of TB in my system!

I was undone! Last time I was ill and wanted to see any doctor at my GPs' it took over a week! And as for getting x-rays, well I know that can take an age! It began to look seriously like I would not be getting my visa and potentially missing my flight! But I managed to pray, remember God knows what I need before I ask Him, and that I need have no anxiety about anything in prayer. I decided I'd go for it and see what God would do.

So turning up to the GPs' I managed to get seen by my own doctor within 2 hours! He then referred me to a chest clinic for my x-ray, but said it was closed and I'd have to go there after the weekend. Feeling emboldened by the turns of events I'd had I decided to call the number on the card. Lo and behold I was told I could come down immediately and get an x-ray and I'd probably have the report by the end of the day! Hallelujah!

Well it turned out I couldn't get the report (the version authorised by the radiographer) until Tue 28th Aug - the day before my appointment. The same was true with my medical report. But Tuesday I got hold of them all and things were looking up! Only problems were now that I still didn't have a valid CRB and had no idea how long that could delay things, and also that my flight was booked for within 2 weeks of my appointment, which (given that the visa application says "no fixed travel arrangements must be made prior to the issuing of the visa", and that a postal application takes 2 weeks) could be a bit of a problem. So I went for my appointment and found that there was no problem at all, that I would have my visa before I leave, and that the CRB issue would just mean there was an endorsement attached to my visa stating I must submit it within 6 months! Awesome! Alright, they did get fussy over the x-ray report saying that it wasn't physically signed, but I can take that down there on Fri 31st and it won't cause any problems. I can't believe it! All these issues just evaporated! I'm not usually one to over-worry, and it does seem to me that every time I've needed something I've been able to get it exactly when I've needed it. Praise God! I asked again and again, "Arrange whatever I need so that I get my visa sorted in time to fly on the 11th as planned" and God has answered in His inimitable fashion.

May the whole trip, and all our lives, be characterised by the favour of God making a way where there is seemingly no way, to His praise and glory! Amen!