VICTORY

Hello cyberfriends,

After almost two months of paper work and a going back and forth between the Colombian authorities (DAS, Dept. de Admin. y Seguridad & DAE, Dept. de Asuntos Exter.) and me, I can finally announce to all of you that my work visa was finally accepted. First I had asked for a type of visa called "Colaborante Internacional ONG (volontario), but Bogota rejected it at the end of August.  After weeks of gathering all the necessary documents with a company specialized in visa procedures for foreigners, I was a bit disappointed. Eventhough, on the spur of the moment, I was irritated, I see today the wisdom of Providence in this matter. The visa "ONG" is only a temporal one and can never lead the foreigner to ask for a permanent residence in Colombia, whereas the work visa is renewable and can lead to a permanent residence in the country after five years. Now that I know this I can only thank God for his provision and guidance via the Colombian authorities, eventhough no one was aware of all this at the time. With the rejection of the visa ONG, I learned that Bogota wanted me to apply for a work visa (for which I am grateful today) and that I needed to go out of the country and ask it, preferably in Switzerland at either the Colombian Consulate in Geneva or the Colombian Embassy in Bern. However I could also apply with whatever Colombian Consulate or Embassy in the world. Oh! bummer, I didn't expect that one. Where shall I go? I asked myself. Europe is a bit far just to ask for a visa of which I have already all the papers and is only a question of "seal of approval" to be put in my passport! Where could I go then?
At the beginning of August, on skype, old friends of mine from California contacted me,  asking me to get in touch with them. After so many years I was wondering why? You see, dear reader, how Providence can orchestrate circumstances that we have no idea about. Today I know why, because this is where I went to ask for my visa: in the country where my dear friends live, that is COSTA RICA. So God in His omniscience and omnipotence guided me and them to meet again after 23 years. I was able to kill two, even three or four birds, with just one stone. I was invited to stay in their beautiful hotel, free of charge in the midst of a gorgeous natural surrounding with pool and jacuzzi, and thus was able to rest for 10 days. After having been 6 months serving God in Colombia, that special attention from the Lord touched me in a very special way.
I was able to travel to a new country, visit new people, get a great vacacion and get my visa, all at the same time. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Romans 11: 33.
Needless to say that I feel great after all the trials and tribulations I went through between the end of August and the middle of September.
For those of you who want to know more details about my trip to Costa Rica and all, please feel free to write to me. I will gladly tell you.
That's it for today, I hope to write more soon for more exciting stories of victories for your delight.
Have a great day all of you, my dear cyberfriends.
Olivier