Tag, You’re It
June 19, 2008
So, it’s now been 19 days since we heard from AWOP that our kids paperwork was ready. And in those 19 days it has failed to make it from one person in Ethiopia to another person in Ethiopia.
Meanwhile the clock is ticking and we are getting closer and closer to court closure.
So I turned into a squeaky wheel…the one that wants some grease. I called, they called, they called me back, I called, etc. etc.
I finally confirmed at about 11:30 today that my papers are still in the hands of the ET national that AWOP works with and he has had trouble getting them to the Hope staff. We (me and Grace @ Hope) suspect that he was trying to deliver them to someone who no longer works for Hope.
The good news is that Grace (um, not sure of her official title but she is the go-to gal at Hope) is traveling to Ethiopia on Monday to pick up her son. I was able to get a phone number for the man who holds my paperwork and have given it to Grace so that she can track him down next week, get the papers and HOPEFULLY get our case filed.
Please pray that this all gets squared away next week!
If she gets it next week can she then deliver it to where it has to go or does she have to surrender it to someone else and trust they will get it filed?
That has to be frustrating! You just want to fly down there yourself and haul them to the right place! I’m amazed that they don’t realize how important this is.
Praying that it all goes smoothly and quickly from here on out! Hang in there Julie.
Not to make excuses, as I want this asap too! But don’t forget that they move at a different pace in Africa. The phrases “right away” and “just now” are used to mean anything from a few minutes to a several days, or just when they get around to it. There is not a lot of urgency in the African mindset, something that can be so frustrating to us who live in a microwave/instant gratification society. In a lot of ways (not in this situation specifically
) they can teach us a lot about a lost art of not being anxious about anything.
And ultimately (maybe with the “help” of a squeaky wheel??) God is in control of this and His timing is perfect – never late, never early. Probably not what you were looking for, but we rest, wait and trust in Him.
Love you .