He said: One of those days

As I write this, I feel like I've been sucker-punched. And it's not the Harriet Miers withdrawal.

One of the hurdles that we have to deal with in a former Soviet state is the process of getting a 'residence permit'. A residence permit allows you to stay here longer than 90 days. Although Latvia isn't a Soviet state, there remains a Soviet style mindset in governmental affairs. As this is a public and permanent forum, I'm choosing not to post the precise reasons that we felt it best to get an attorney's assistance with preparing the necessary documents for our application. We approached our attorney with a list of known or suspected pitfalls, and asked his advice on how best to 'navigate the course' through the process. He recommended a course and cavalierly assured us that all would be well. We were surprised for it to be as simple as he claimed, but he's the attorney, right? Long story short, we called him up 2 weeks ago, just to hear a soothing, "Everything's fine." What we got was, "There is a problem, can you come talk?" So we met with him, and learned that our paperwork hadn't been submitted at all, and that we need additional documents. We asked pointedly about the fact that we're running out of time to submit, as our 90th day in-country is rapidly approaching. We were assured that, due to a loophole in the regulations, that we need not worrry. We were skeptical, but had little choice but to trust him. It was already too late to try another course. so we did a frantic couple day's worth of going and doing, which included Ellie's brother making an urgent trip here. We turned in the "new" requirements, now expecting things to be submitted to the authorities today, our 89th day here. Naturally, I called him this morning, and he said, "There's a problem". Long story short, we have until tomorrow to turn in proof of a Latvian bank acount with a pretty large sum of money on deposit. AND the aforementioned loophole doesn't exist, so we have to pay a penalty for late submission. Penalty: 500 Lats, which, depending on a lot of things, is around $892.85. Suffice it to say, that had this guy represented O.J. Simpson, there'd be one less golfer in Florida right now. So, I've prayed. Fervently. I've gotten a new Latvian bank account opened. I've called in one more favor with the family in Atlanta (my favor account is already deeply in the red). I've frantically worked the fundraising network. If all goes smoothly, I'll turn in my new (hopefully final) document tomorrow, along with $900 that I shouldn't owe. If all doesn't go smoothly, we'll be "LIVE! from... somewhere else!"

I say all this, not to evoke sympathy, but because this is, in fact, "A month in the life of...", and sometimes this is how it is. I guess it's only faith if you really don't know how it'll turn out, and I don't. This, however, is what I know:

1. I know that God has worked bona fide miracles in the process of our coming here. Several, in fact.
   
2. I know He'll never leave us or forsake us: we won't be left high and dry.
3. I know He hasn't brought us here for no reason. The reason just may not be what we think it is.
   
4. I know that the work here will succeed, as surely as He wants it to.
5. I know that He knows. All about it. And He can handle it.
6. I know that immigration isn't my attorney's forte. At least it better not be...
7. I know that this blogging business is very cathartic. I feel better already.

Bob

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