Now that the trip is over, I am hoping that I can look at it slightly more positively! Last week was a nightmare for me.

I went back to the embassy with the missing paper the following day, and cheerfully handed it over to the visa gods. They took one look at it and told me that it was not enough. I explained to them that this is what they had asked for, and I had brought it to them just like they said to do! They glared at me and said that it would not work, they could not let me get a visa with this. I asked them, very politely I might add, if they could go and ask their boss and see what she had to say. They finally scribbled down a number on a piece of paper and told me to have Phimpa call the boss and talk to her.

In order to follow these new directions, I knew that I had a very short amount of time in which to act if I wanted to get a visa that week. There was only two hours left, and my phone would not work at the embassy. So, I went and jumped in a tuctuc and asked them to take me to the river, where I knew that I could get good cell phone service. They were only too happy to comply, seeing that I was obviously stressed and in a hurry…this would mean good pay for them! So we rushed on over to the river where I was able to talk to Rodney…they had just arrived at a funeral! But, they understood the situation so Phimpa called the embassy, and then called me back. They told me that it was all going to be taken care of, I just had to go and turn in my paperwork, pay my fee, and then they would fax the rest of the documents that were needed and I could still pick up my visa the next day. I was so happy and relieved! So, I jumped back into a tuctuc, and rushed back over to the embassy. When I got there I pondered whether or not I should just walk up to the counter and give them my paperwork, or if I should take yet another number and wait in the long lines of people. I decided to take that number and wait. That would be less likely to make them mad again!

When I had politely waited in that long line again, I finally made my way up to the counter, to be met by pure hostility!! They were mad that I was back…I was dumbfounded. Why were they angry? I had done just what I was told to do! So, I patiently explained just what Phimpa said that their boss had instructed me to do, and that they were supposed to take my paperwork now, and then I could pay my bill and go. They told me that I was lying and that nobody had talked to their boss. I told them that they had, and they should call her and ask. They said that they had already done that and nobody had called her! I argued with them for quite a while, and finally the lady ordered me to go sit down right now! I was so discouraged that I went and sat down, trying to control the tears that wanted to pour down my face. I do not ever remember being treated so badly in my entire life. I knew that what I was doing was perfectly legal, I knew that Phimpa really had called the embassy, I knew that God was on my side and that I should not fear. So, I sat and waited. After another lengthy wait, the man stepped out of his room and called me over to him. He said that his boss had called and that I had better get in there and pay my bill. It was obvious that he was not real thrilled at having to tell me that. So, I went in and paid my bill. Rodney texted me later and said that they had to fax 17 more pages of documents to them.

The next day I was on pins and needles wondering if they were really going to give me a visa or not. I was thrilled to see that they did! The only problem was that it was a single entry visa. Now, that should not be a major problem except that I was headed to Cambodia next for an important appointment with Andrew. We had decided that since I was so short on money that I would go back through Thailand to Bangkok, and then go to the Cambodian border in order to save money. (The more direct route is really expensive) When I saw that single entry visa, I knew that would pose a serious problem. So, I decided to just not use that visa, get a two week one at the border, and then check in on my new visa when I left Cambodia. Happy once again, I headed back to Thailand.

I don’t even want to explain what happened at the border. But, once again I ran into a mini visa god, and he ruined all my plans! Even though he knew that I did not want to use my visa, but just wanted a two week one, he angrily scribbled out my visa, circled the single entry part, and threw it back at me. Right then, I felt like this was just too much to take. Now I could not go to see Andrew, and I knew just how disappointed he would be. I had so many things that needed to be done in Cambodia, and now my plans were in a shambles once again.

It was a really sad day for me…having to email Andrew with my bad news, and purchasing my bus tickets to come right back home…But, somehow I made it through the day without falling totally to pieces. That night I boarded my bus, and found someone sitting in my assigned seat. The steward, (is that what you call them?) told me to just sit in another seat, which I did since I did not want to argue with anyone else for the rest of my life. But, almost right away, a young couple came and sat in the seats right in front of me. The lady then leaned her seat all the way back to where it was squishing my knees! It hurt, so I frantically wiggled my way out from under the seat, and sat doubled up on my seat with my knees under my chin… and that is how I had to spend the rest of the night. Even though I showed the lady that I had no room to sit, she was totally unconcerned about my discomfort and went right to sleep. It was a long night.

On the next bus, I was really happy to see that nobody was assigned to the seat next to me, and I figured that I could spend the next 8 hours trying to catch up on my sleep. So, I settled back and tried to get comfortable, making sure not to lean my seat back very far in case someone was behind me! I had just started to go to sleep when a man came and sat in the seat beside me. He was talking to someone across the isle, so I figured that he would go away and leave me alone in a little bit. But, instead, he woke me up to tell me that I should drink my water. Well, that is a bit strange, but I really should drink water, so I did. Then, he told me to eat my bread. I  didn’t feel like eating, but just to keep the peace, I ate the bread also. Next, he took the wet towel the bus gives you, and told me that I should now wash my face. I was beginning to wonder just what this guy was up to! When the bus stopped at a bus station, he jumped off and bought a Sprite for me. I was feeling quite uncomfortable by this time, but since he did not speak English, and I could not speak Burmese or whatever it was that he was speaking, I felt a bit helpless. After a while, he began washing my face for me, and when I pretended to go to sleep to escape his constant attention, he took the opportunity to put his head on my shoulder and take a nap himself. That was about all I could handle, missionary or not! I prayed really hard for God to tell me the right thing to do, and I decided to just lean forward and let his head fall off of my shoulder. It worked, and for the rest of the trip, I studiously ignored him. So many bad things had happened so fast that it was getting to be a bit humorous. I figured that I must be on the right track somewhere or I would not be getting bombarded by the devil and all his mini gods.

I arrived home totally exhausted. After maybe 15 minutes of relaxing in my hammock, Travis casually asked me if I would like 4 more kids! Then Thunduh mentioned that actually, there is one more that needs a home also. Five? FIVE????? My relaxed feeling evaporated as quickly as it had come.

Have you ever had a day like that? Have you ever felt like you are at the end of your rope, and then you get pushed further? The good news is that God NEVER gives us more than we can handle! (So far, the kids have not materialized, and I have been able to get a little bit of sleep, which helps a lot!) I realized later that maybe the devil was trying to make me forget that God had just worked a miracle for me…I have a one year visa! Praise God!