All along (well...for the past 3 weeks that I have known I was going to Africa) our contact at the orphanage in Burundi has been telling us that we can get our Visa at the airport when we arrive. I also thought that was the case, because all the other times I have been to an African country, I was able to get my Visa at the airport. WELL....we found out on Monday that the policy had changed. Jessica and I called the embassy and could not get any information other than if we brought it to the embassy it would take 5 business days. Emailing with our contact in Burundi is not the easiest thing to do either. After a ton of phone calls and a lot of prayer, we decided that I would go to the embassy as soon as I landed in D.C. and try and work something out!! Jessica had to overnight her passport to my grandma's house with all her paperwork. My brother waited for the package and then came to pick me up at the airport. He picked me up and off we went...EMBASSY ROW!! I walked in and the girl was super sweet. I had to fill out a few forms and I handed her everything. I explained to her that our flight is on Friday and she asked me if I cancelled it. I told her no and that I was just going to see what happened today before we did that. She explained that it would take 5 business days and that they were closed on Friday (Burundi holiday). I asked her what the process was, who handles it, and if there was any way I could talk directly to that person. She said the the minister of something... handles the Visas and that he probably wouldn't talk to me. She called him and started speaking Kirundi so I left her office. Not that I could understand a word, but I just thought I would give her privacy. I quickly updated my brother and then I heard her hang up the phone. I walked in and she said..."You can pick it up tomorrow!!" Tears streamed down my face (I have been super emotional the last few days) and thanked her until she couldn't be thanked anymore. She told me that I could pick our passports up between 10-4 tomorrow. I plan on being there at 10:01. What a HUGE blessing this is. I called Jessica and we screamed for about 5 minutes!!
I love moments like these!! I am truly thankful!!
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