building altars

"In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”  Joshua 4:6-7

building altars stone by stone

11 Dan promises me dinner out every year if I can get in and out of the foreign police with our visas in one shot. I have gone hungry each time.It's not that I don't try. I have every bit of paperwork required of us the previous year, every "i" dotted and "t" crossed. Each year I am hopeful because I am prepared according to the rules and regulations from last year. Unfortunately, each year the rules change in surprising and exciting new ways (sarcasm laid on thickly). So, though I am prepared for last year's procedures, this year has a new set and I must go and fill out new paperwork, get new stamps and signatures and jump through new and more difficult hoops. This year I was clever, though because I really wanted dinner at the new Italian restaurant, Pasta Grande. I picked up the newest guide to renewing your visas with the latest information. I couldn't go wrong....boy, am I hungry...

Thursday evening:
5 weeks into the battle "Renter vs. Rentee"

We come to an agreement, debt is reduced, we needn't move to a tiny apartment, stress gone, all is right with the world.

Friday morning:

a routine visit to the foreign police

We headed to the foreign police to start our visa renewal application. On the way, we stopped at work to get my work permit.  There we received another scary surprise – the woman in charge of work permits told us that there is a new law stating that teachers must have a college degree to be able to receive a work permit. I went to college for 8 years, but changed my major from chemistry to education to theology so I don't have a degree.  They told us that, without the work permit, I couldn’t renew my visa and would have to be out of the country by August 31.  We felt like we were riding a roller coaster – that we were in a fight to stay here.  We were told to go to the Work Office on Monday morning, and see if the official in charge there would be willing to help us.  We spent the weekend feeling like we were Alice falling through the rabbit hole.

Monday morning:

A visit to the Work Office

After a nervous weekend, we went to see Mr. Matoulek at 8AM Monday.  We know him well, and he has been helpful in the past.  Again, we had an incredible answer to prayer that borders on miraculous.  He told us that, based on my 3 years of teaching in Czech public schools, plus my plethora of transcripts (the Czech university system works differently and it takes much less time to earn even post-grad degrees), the Czech government considers me to have a Bachelor’s degree and that he has registered me as having my degree since we came here in 2007. I just never asked about it. He processed the work permit with record speed and, Lord willing, we will have my visa within a few weeks.  We are now breathing a huge sigh of relief.