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Well, the last I wrote had to do with visas for the students from the Dominican Republic. We're still in limbo on that one. Information has been sent, names and numbers faxed, and we're still awaiting word about a meeting with a "diputado" (legislator) who might be able to help us. At the very least, the students there reapplied for their visas, and this time received permission to come for 3 months, but not until April. Our last two students arrive today, from Panama and Nicaragua. Classes will officially begin tomorrow, although informal training, organization, and activities to get to know people has been going on for more than a week.



We did find a 25-passenger bus for Institute use, and it's already passed the test by going to Panama and back! We took our students there for the International School of Youth Ministry, and subsequently the International Youth Conference, both in conjunction with Christ In Youth. It was a tremendous time of service, learning, and bonding for the group. It's good to be back in San Jose, though, as Panama was quite hot.


We ourselves, the King family, have a bit of a speed bump to deal with at the present time. On Friday last I went for our next appointment at the immigration office. I'm not sure I wrote about the last appointment, when they scheduled me for a follow-up visit -- on a Sunday! That kind of gives you an idea of what the system is like here, when they stamp your paper with a date that isn't even a working day for them! If that didn't alert me, the word "rechazado" (rejected) written in ink should have tipped me off. But I asked them as I left, more than once, "When should I come?" They told me I could come on Friday or Monday, my choice. "And this word here, "rechazado," should I be worried about that?" No, by no means should you be alarmed. Just come for your next appointment." At my next appointment, last Friday, I received six official notices of our application for residency in Costa Rica rejected. And they were right, I didn't have any reason to be alarmed or worried, as it wouldn't have helped anyway! Our next step is to consult with an immigration lawyer (I thought we did that when we started, hmmm.) and file an appeal. After that, who knows? Shouldn't I just say, "Everything is going to be alright?"

Visas for Dominicans

No, that's not credit cards for monks and friars, it's permission for students from the Dominican Republic to come and stay in Costa Rica for a while. We've had some immigration bugaboos here of late, and I've mentioned that via some various avenues as an item that might come up in conversation with God. I wanted to let anyone who's interested know that we've not made any real progress yet, but we haven't been eliminated from the playoff picture just yet. Apparently, according to our legal sources here, the immigration track has been closed to us, since visas were applied for and then denied. But the political track is still open to us, and that is what is being pursued. There is good reason to believe that one of the congressmen here is favorable toward religious causes, and is in fact a believer in Christ. They tell us that he can make a couple of calls and get permission for our students to come, because both of the mainstream parties here need his vote to get anything done. So it comes down to a political favor, I guess. The apostle Paul wasn't above playing his Roman citizenship card when necessary to avoid a beating, so I guess we can ask a public servant for help in an immigration matter.

At the same time, I need to say how great it is to have here with us the students who have already arrived from Mexico and Honduras. We're still hoping for Costa Ricans and some Panamanians after the CIY Youth Conference. The students that are here up to this point are really excited, busy preparing drama and music for the conference, and an incredible encouragement to us all. So we're going to be grateful and enjoy to the full the opportunities we have, and not fret for what we can't control. Thanks for reading!