A Little Setback

We've had a little setback with our visa applications. We were required to send our diplomas, official transcripts, 2 passport size photos, and a couple of other things to the Ministry of Education in Korea back in June. These were to be used for our visas, and the people in Korea were going to be helping us get the visas.

Well, the three of us (Lorie, Sarah, and I) sent off our contracts, visa applications, the "certificate" of notification that we have our jobs, and an application fee to the nearest Korean Embassy/Consulate to us; for us, the nearest is in Montreal, Quebec. I think Sarah and Lorie may have included a copy of their diplomas as well but I had read over the note that came in our packages with the contracts and certificate of notification, and I included what they had put there.

To make a long story short (if that is even possible with me!), Lorie received a phone call from a woman in the Korean Consulate in Montreal saying that she wasn't going to put her application through because she needed a picture and her official transcripts! Lorie told the woman that we sent all of those items to Korea back in June, but the lady wouldn't budge. She said that the person who would be issuing the visas wouldn't pass the application. She told Lorie that she would hold on to her application (and mine and Sarah's once Lorie mentioned that ours were on the way as well minus the pictures, etc.) and wait for the pictures and official transcripts and then pass it on.

We've since called our contact in Vancouver and told her what was going on. We're miffed because we spent a LOT of money in getting everything together and in sending it via courier (which is what we were supposed to do) and now we'll have to spend even more money we don't really have to go through this all again! Our contact, Jenny, is going to call the people in Korea and explain the situation and find out what we should do and then email us back to let us know. We should hear something by tomorrow (Monday). We were told that because we sent everything to Korea that we wouldn't need to send it to Montreal.

We still need to get our airlines tickets booked, and we aren't supposed to do that until we get our visas. Our time is running out. We need to leave by August 21/22, and we won't have our tickets by August 7th, which is what the Ministry of Education in Korea requested to be notified by with the details of our flights. Jenny will also be informing them of this.

When Lorie called to tell me of this new setback (regarding the pictures and transcripts), I was rather angry. After I cooled down, I prayed and told the Lord that I am giving the entire situation to Him to handle. He's in control, and only He can make things smooth from this "storm". Since I did this, I haven't worried about anything regarding the situation, and I haven't taken it back from Him - which is something I normally do. Hmm, maybe I'm doing some growing in my faith!

So, prayers regarding this situation are most welcome. I know God is in control of it and He can handle it, but prayers are still good!

Have a blessed and Christ-filled day!

Edited on Monday, Aug. 6 to add: Our contact in Vancouver has emailed us to say the woman she was talking to from the office in Korea will be personally in touch with the woman who had called Lorie from the Montreal office of the Korean Consulate. The contact in Vancouver will keep up on the progress, etc. and let us know what's going on with our situation. I do hope it gets resolved very quickly...time is ticking away and we need to get our airline tickets very soon!