Dangerously close

The guys made it here to the Synod office, passports in hand, and we slugged through all the applications and got them filled out and submitted. In order to schedule the interviews we needed to pay the $160 per application first. We tried to speed up the process by paying for them all using my PayPal account, but it turns out the embassy still has you wait until after 1:00 PM the next business day. Ramiro is going to put the money in our BAM account when he gets back to El Estor. I would have liked to have the interviews scheduled before everyone scattered, but I have phone numbers for all and email addresses for two of them. Hopefully we can tie this all up on Monday from Cobán.

You’re right about the fact that Jane’s statement in her letters of invitation clearly identifies who is paying for the trip. I’m really not sure why we got the request for a letter stating who is paying when it was stated in the stuff I already uploaded to them. In response to their request for “a letter from the organization in Guatemala”, I cobbled a letter together from Jane’s letters of invitation, changed some of the verbiage to make it a letter from the IENPG, had it printed on IENPG stationary, and had Isaias sign it (a scanned copy is attached for your records). Hopefully it will meet the requirements they are looking to fulfill.

I think we’re getting dangerously close to getting this done. The guys, as well as Rosa Marina, are a little concerned about the fact that we won’t be able to be with them when they go in for their interviews, but Ramiro thinks they can handle it OK. When I get their interview dates I’ll let Leslie know just in case she’s around when they come into town. She may be available to accompany them, but I was glad to hear that they think they can handle it on their own.

That’s about it. It’s been a pretty full day. We’re heading back to Cobán tomorrow.

Blessings to you all!

Richard and Debbie Welch