Visa Complications

Not an immediate concern but something that could use a little prayer.

The Ukrainian embassy is quite difficult to attain information from. The website is very confusing (with broken links and a copy/pasted mishmash of material) and someone picks up the phone more often to tell you "We are closed" than they do during the four hour period of the day in which they will answer questions. Another intern and I have learned the hard way that getting a Ukrainian Visa for a year will be more complicated than it used to be. But not impossible.

I can spend three months in Ukraine on my Passport, before even needing a visa. This gives New Life Church time to work out how to get me and Jenny (another American intern) one-year religious visas. Unfortunately, they do not have any connections in the Ukrainian State Committee of Religious Matters, which tends to be much more congenial to Eastern Orthodox churches. But since this appears to be the only option, they will pursue that and see what can be done. Once I am in the country and this is taken care of, New Life Church will send Jenny and me across the border to Poland to reapply for our visas.

Please keep this in prayer. Ukrainian government pretty much works on a basis of knowing who to pay to get something done. Otherwise, nothing happens. It's a sad reality but it is reality nonetheless. The whole visa experience thus far has been only a foreshadowing of some of the bumps and aggravation I will run across once I am actually in the country. But that will be part of the experience and growing process!