My team and I had to go through the fairly complicated and ultimately frustrating process of getting our visas to go to South Africa. There are three consulates here in the States (in LA, in DC, and in Chicago), and you have to apply to one based on where you live. The consulates all have different paperwork that they require you to have, so the process can get pretty crazy - what I had to have to apply, some of my other teammates didn't have to have, and vice versa.
But luckily, the Chicago consulate's requirements weren't too hard to meet. We had to have a letter of invitation from the organization we'll be working with in SA, and a letter from AIM, and a letter from our home congregations, and a physical form filled out by a doctor, and passport pictures, and a travel itinerary...the list seemed to go on and on! But my team and I were really lucky, because we had a handful of people to help us with this crazy process - the AIM team from last year's class helped us, our coordinators, the mom of one of the girls currently there, and our parents, of course - so it wasn't too hard to keep it all straight.
I sent mine in on May 01, and just got it back yesterday. It was such an awesome feeling! That's the last final detail I had to cross off the to-do-to-get-ready-to-leave list. I have most of my support raised, and I've visited most of my supporters. I was most worried about getting my visa, but God is good. God is very, very good and He is very, very faithful.
I think I just needed a reminder.
-Tara
PS: Please remember my team in your prayers, because only 3 of us have gotten our visas so far. The other 4 visas are very important to our team and to how things will work out over the next few months, so pray hard for us! And remember -
Visa. It's more than just a credit card.
:)
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