Continuing the Visa Saga....

Hey All--

So, when the visa didn't show up before I left to help with a weekend women's retreat down near the cities, I found a way to be in touch with the consulate where I sent my app in. They were able to inform me that my paperwork is STILL IN SWEDEN! (They send it over there for the immigration board to make a decision on whether or not I can be granted a visa, and then they send the decision back to the consulate here, they put a visa in the passport, then send it on to me)...

They gave me a phone number to the information centre in Sweden, which I got up very early on two different mornings to call and wait on hold for. The second time I got through and was promptly given a phone number of the office handling my case. But the phone number didn't work!!! I was calling from my tracphone and it's like it wouldn't recognize the number...

So, last night I called Mike and Brona (the founders of and my hosts at Rescue Mission Ministries in Goteborg) and explained and now Mike is on the case! He'll be calling the Immigration Board and seeing what can be done.

I have to fly out of MSP by the 8th in order to make it there by the 9th when Caleb's fiance, Danielle, will be flying in regardless of whether I'm there or not!!! So, that's only a week for bureaucracy to take some action....

What I'm hoping is that I'll just be able to go over now on my passport (Americans can stay for up to 3 months as tourists) and they can finish the visa decision process and then just put the visa directly into my passport once I'm already over there! Because by the tiem they reach the decision, send it back to New York, New York gets around to putting it in my passport, then sending it on to me in MN.... that will take more than a week!

Please will you join me in praying for swift decisions, and helpful case workers!? Please pray that I will be able to book my tickets and make it back in time for Danielle to fly in from England. She booked her tickets to spend Easter weekend with me months ago in faith that the visa would come through in 6-8 weeks like they said....

Thank you for being concerned and following this! Visas are such a pain. I'm pretty much all packed up, I've already told work I was leaving (so being back this week is just a little perk), and after this weekend of ministry at the women's retreat I feel more ready than ever to get back to ministry in Europe!

Please join me in praying for a bureaucratic miracle this week!

Love,
Leah