I checked the incoming emails last evening, and, lo and behold, one was received: an email from our abogados, (law firm) entitled "VISAS."
Merci, our receptionist there at Coloaustro, let us know we were able to obtain our long awaited permanent pensionado Visas. We were informed as to the payment to be made to our Facilitator Joseph Guznay's bank account in Quito, and by what date (this coming Friday). Once that payment is made, the Visas will be sent to Coloaustro in Cuenca for presentation to us. That should occur on the following Friday.
So. . . we will be able to travel to the USA this August with our permanent Visas in hand placed in our USA Passports after all! We praised God above for this news and sang the Doxology.
The Cedula cards, a kind of national identification card here in Ecuador, will be issued two days after we obtain our Visas in our hands, according to everything we've read here on the subject from fellow expats. We will be wise to laminate them after making photocopies of them according to our usual expat sources on the 'Net. Losing your original Cedula card can be a pain to replace. Worth it as well to make copies of your permanent Visa and carry it with you for everyday activities - easier and less hassle to lose it than your original US passport/Visa. Traveling internationally, of course, one needs - and must have - their original Visa and passport. The airlines check them before you board your flight. Very important to keep your original documents in a secure place where you know where they are located, and to use the photocopies for everyday business. . . for example, when you purchase items. Now I will be able to finally show my Cedula card to the store clerks and not look like a green "just off the boat" extranjero. Progress at last!
Thanks to everyone who has faithfully prayed for us concerning us obtaining our Visas. We walk by faith, not by feelings, or sight, or trust in mere mortal men. Obedience to what God has called us to do here in Cuenca and in Ecuador is what matters. We have much work to do teaching and volunteering among the poblacion - population - here, and we need to be about that work. First, however, we have plans for that trip back to the US. We wisely did not change our return airline tickets to Quito and hotel reservation in Houston, and have those details set.
We immediately realized that we can - and should - go back to our original plans, arriving in mid August and leaving in late September, as originally envisioned. Sorry to everyone we won't have time to see. . . but we have our life to live here in Ecuador. We'll be back sooner rather than later with a trip centered around Michigan folks with California possibly visited as well. We'll undoubtably place plenty of cell phone calls outside of California while we are back Stateside in our visit.
So if you live in California, it means we are still likely to see you in person, if at all possible, schedules permitting on both parties' sides. If you live in Michigan or outside of California, we hope to at least place a phone call to you. We don't have the extended time envisioned by "Plan B" to visit in person this trip. Next visit is much more likely, however. . . don't lose hope!
The big lesson in living in Ecuador we have learned is to, above all, be patient, flexible. . . and don't lose hope! Things do get done in Ecuador, though not on your time schedule. If you cannot adapt to these facts, you are frankly better off living somewhere else. But hey. . . we're adapters here in Ecuador!
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