Last week was so very busy! We went to Kampala 3 times in 3 days. I will try to lay our week out day by day for you all so you can get an idea of how frustrated we have become.
Wednesday we went to Kampala and went looking at vans for HCU, after hours and hours of looking we finally found one that was very very nice. It is a 1998, 14 passenger, the big engine, only 130,000 Miles, diesel, and did not have rust. All vehicles come from Japan and can have rust. We could not afford this van til they said since we were an NGO that they would be able to tax exempt it. We negotiated a price and put a deposit, then they informed us that we needed to get the tax exempt ourselves and it 'just takes going to the minister of finance and asking'. We were very re leaved that we were FINALLY chosen a van that we felt would be the most effective use of money.
Thursday we returned to Kampala and went straight to the Minister of Finance, there we met a very nice man who informed us that we needed to go see the Minister of Gender, He says if they refuse, get their refusal in writing and we will then consider you) (here starts the Kampala roundabout, around and around and noone helps or takes responsibility) At the Minister of Gender, the secretary there states, "you will not be approved because you have not been in operation 3 years" I ask, please put that on a piece of paper for me. She states, I do not have that authority! She also states Minister of Gender will be back the next day. I then asked her why would you say no if you cannot write it down, she then states, now that I have thought about it please go upstairs and see this woman, I think she is now handling everything. We go up the stairs and stand outside her door thinking she had someone in her office, someone finally walked by and stated she was not in because she was at a workshop. I go back to the Minister of Gender, she says Do you not have an African to chase this for you? At this point I knew it was going to be bad! We called one of our Ugandan friends in Kampala and asked if they would meet us for lunch, and asked him to start chasing this exemption for us. He says yes. We return home for the day finally.
Friday, Oh were we excited we were going to get to stay home for the whole day, just leaving to pick up items for the babies. My phone rings at 12:45 pm, it is immigration, they say your work permit application was deferred, ohh the emotions that ran through my head, I started crying, and I HATE to cry, and he says please Madam dont cry just come we fix. So we leave for Kampala by 1pm, get to Kampala and enter immigration, go to public relations, noone there knows it was deferred nor why, I go to 3 different rooms, and finally, after 4 rooms, we find mine, all they want is the NGO certificate, oh my goodness, he then informs me that next month when my special pass runs out to please return so he can extend it, WHAT? seriously? My application has now just got put back in the pool of those to be processed. We also ask, where is Randys, now this is going to shock you all, we cannot find Randys work permit, arent you all just shocked and amazed? So frustrating, every special pass is $150 plus each and every child as well. Craziness!!! We are running out of money just dealing with immigration. Please please pray that they process quickly!
Now back to the van, the man I have chasing the exemption has called said he doesnt think its possible to even be granted one, he went back to the Minister of Finance and there they flatly said no more exemptions, oh my, now we are short on funds, I ask Ernest if we can please just buy his now, and he says after van shopping with us, he wants to keep his! Please pray for a resolution to this incredibly frustrating mess.
Wednesday of this week we went back to Kampala to take our car to the mechanic and finalize what we could with the van.
Bad News....we could not get the tax exempt for the van, government says there is an indefinite hold on them. Now we are 2800 short.
Good News....Mechanic fixed car so nicely it drives like a whole different car!!!! Praise God!!!
Good News...Cribs were finished and locking medicine cabinets were finished. Pictures to come tomorrow!
Now need mosquito screens on all windows and the outdoor kitchen worked on. We need a refrigerator and paint for the kitchen.
Grace and I are working on all kinds of administrative and boring paperwork!!!! I would much rather be dealing with people than sitting doing the paperwork.
Pray that we find favor in obtaining our license to be an orphanage. We are slowly but surely making progress. Pray for our work permits as well as they are still not processed.
Blessings to all!
Angie
P.S.
Will try to post pics tomorrow, out power has not been the best this week I had 3 drafts just trying to get one post out. But I will do my best!!!!
