Today was a day. A day filled with cultural experience, a good dose of frustration and a whole lot of love from new friends. As part of our paper work we need to file for a new birth certificate for our sweet girl before we are able to leave the country. To do so means we must visit a home affairs office. Upon arrival at said office this morning we found a line up out the door....to which there was no particularly defined end...after been jostled from point to point...all of which were claimed to be the "end" of the line up we found ourselves at the front. By this point both kids were squirming....almost 100 people filling the office spilling out the door, other babies crying....and a home affairs staff that apparently had no clue what we were doing. It soon became apparent that we were getting nowhere.
Filled to the brim with frustration...in the words of our social worker....the morning's experience was complete "rubbish!" What does any good North American family do with two wailing children? We headed to Mcdonalds. Having learned by this point that while the food is great and the price comparably good in many fine eating establishments in South Africa the service is slower. Romantic if on a date.....potentially catastrophic if dining with kids on limited patience. Consoling ourselves with fast food we decided to try again at another office.
So back to Westville we did go. This is the area where our bed and breakfast for the past three weeks is located. We stopped in for a quick visit hoping to stretch our legs in the back yard of the B and B before heading off to another long line up but were so blessed by our prior host. She was an absolute angel for our family today. Serving us coffee, feeding our son, entertaining our children, providing a play pen for a much needed nap for a little girl. Being our family when we are so far away from our own. She ended up taking me to the office so Tim could stay with the kids somewhere more comfortable....which in the end backfired and required a quick trip back to pick him up. With more waiting, more confusion, more explaining, and a little "persistance" from our South African angel the papers we needed were filed, receipts obtained and we should be on our way to the next step.
Today a reminder that this journey has not and will not be easy...is any journey in parenthood? But, we will be equipped....God will provide. Today His provision came in the form of a South African hostess willing to rearrange her day completely to help some clueless Canadians navigate the South African system.
On a similar note, many of you have been asking how to pray. Here are a few things we would love some prayer for:
1) We have yet to receive Ada's citizenship....we would LOVE if it could come this week. We cannot apply for her passport until we receive her citizenship. Passport applications take up to 7 business days. We are booked to come home on July 25th and would really love to do so.....but it is looking a little less likely.
2) As the citizenship aspect is really out of our control pray that we will find the necessary flights and accomodation if needed (i.e. if we need to extend our stay in South Africa).
3) Pray for health for our family. Yesterday we made a visit to a doctor. Ada has been fevering and not really eating much for almost four days. She is now on antibiotics and responding really well. Her fevers have broken and she is smiling and starting to play again. Please pray that the rest of us stay healthy and she continues to get better.
Filled to the brim with frustration...in the words of our social worker....the morning's experience was complete "rubbish!" What does any good North American family do with two wailing children? We headed to Mcdonalds. Having learned by this point that while the food is great and the price comparably good in many fine eating establishments in South Africa the service is slower. Romantic if on a date.....potentially catastrophic if dining with kids on limited patience. Consoling ourselves with fast food we decided to try again at another office.
So back to Westville we did go. This is the area where our bed and breakfast for the past three weeks is located. We stopped in for a quick visit hoping to stretch our legs in the back yard of the B and B before heading off to another long line up but were so blessed by our prior host. She was an absolute angel for our family today. Serving us coffee, feeding our son, entertaining our children, providing a play pen for a much needed nap for a little girl. Being our family when we are so far away from our own. She ended up taking me to the office so Tim could stay with the kids somewhere more comfortable....which in the end backfired and required a quick trip back to pick him up. With more waiting, more confusion, more explaining, and a little "persistance" from our South African angel the papers we needed were filed, receipts obtained and we should be on our way to the next step.
Today a reminder that this journey has not and will not be easy...is any journey in parenthood? But, we will be equipped....God will provide. Today His provision came in the form of a South African hostess willing to rearrange her day completely to help some clueless Canadians navigate the South African system.
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| This little face makes our day more than worth it. |
On a similar note, many of you have been asking how to pray. Here are a few things we would love some prayer for:
1) We have yet to receive Ada's citizenship....we would LOVE if it could come this week. We cannot apply for her passport until we receive her citizenship. Passport applications take up to 7 business days. We are booked to come home on July 25th and would really love to do so.....but it is looking a little less likely.
2) As the citizenship aspect is really out of our control pray that we will find the necessary flights and accomodation if needed (i.e. if we need to extend our stay in South Africa).
3) Pray for health for our family. Yesterday we made a visit to a doctor. Ada has been fevering and not really eating much for almost four days. She is now on antibiotics and responding really well. Her fevers have broken and she is smiling and starting to play again. Please pray that the rest of us stay healthy and she continues to get better.
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