As many of you already know, I have been asked to return as a volunteer to teach Bible literature, chime choir, write for the school website, and play the piano (yamaha keyboard) for the choir at the same school near Guayaramarin, in northeastern Bolivia, where I volunteered in 2005 and 2006 . Unfortunately, travel to Bolivia these days is not as easy as it was four years ago. I had to apply for and purchase a visa in order to enter the country, and to apply for a visa, I had to have a confirmed flight itinerary as well as signed letters from the school stating my purpose for travel. I purchased my flight after I got home from graduation, scheduling to leave today (the 14th) in order to get there in time for the start of the second semester on the 20th. After a few more days, I was finally able to get the signed letters from the school and send for my visa by the 29th of June. The Bolivian consulate assured me that my application would be processed within three days, so providing a few days for shipping, I hoped to have my passport back with the visa by July 10. No such luck. Maybe it would come on Sabbath? Nope. Monday. Nothing. I called the consulate and they confirmed that they had sent everything on Friday the 10th. "It should be there" they said.Today was the last chance for it to get here before I was scheduled to fly out. I went to the post office as soon as the mail was in. It wasn't there. "It's like you're already in Bolivia!" was the comment from the principal, Tara Swanepoel, when I told her the trouble I was having. So today has been hectic with everything up in the air ("except for you" as my friend John kindly pointed out :). The soonest I was able to rebook for a reasonable price was Tuesday the 28th. I am disappointed at the delay, but maybe there will still be some good that comes of all this, even if it is only me learning the expensive lesson to apply for visas much longer before my departure date! So I am home awhile longer, which is not a bad thing. I will have more time to try to work on improving the school website before I get to the land-of-almost-no-internet. (The school has recieved a donation toward obtaining internet service, but is still working on finding a feasible way to get it set up, 30 km out from the nearest internet connection.) If any of you know anything about building websites, I'd love to talk to you! (Click here to see the existing school website.) The delay also gives me more time to fund-raise as well as get set up with insurance. And who knows, there could be more to this story yet. I'll keep you posted. Blessings!
If you would like to support this mission endeavor, you can send tax-deductible donations to the Office of Student Missions, Walla Walla University, 204 S College Ave, College Place, WA 99324.
