Normally, flying around the world is challenging, but manageable, especially once you’ve done it a few times. But these days, it seems like stresses are mounted upon stresses, and making it safely and sanely to your target destination is no small feat.
I’m actually putting together a growing list of all the details necessary to handle prior to departure. Since I leave for Uganda tomorrow morning, things are fresh on my mind, and my list is growing. I’ll only list a couple of the recent challenges in this email.
COVID testing. Before being allowed to board a plane departing America toward your target destination, the airlines personnel will want to see certain documentation of negative covid tests.
Depending on the location (each country has different requirements, and even those requirements frequently change), the test needs to be taken recently, in some cases within the last 24-48 hours, and it needs to be a certain type of test (usually PCR). The problem is that usually PCR tests take 3-7 days to process in the lab. So much digging is required, and bucks forked over, to find a rapid testing facility that does the right kind of test. This proof of negative results will be required each leg of the journey. Then, after arrival, oftentimes another test is required, and before departure to return to America, yet another test is required, again within a certain window of time before the flight home.
Having done all the testing, securing the right air tickets, having arranged all the details for training with national leadership, transportation, accommodations, training venue, materials, food for trainers and training participants, etc., etc., it seems like all should be in order. But one important step that I’ve been dealing with for the last few days is the visa.
Each country has different requirements, and those requirements frequently change. Until recently, Uganda granted a single entry tourist visa upon arrival. But that has now changed (as I learned) and now they will not allow you to board the plane toward Uganda without first securing an e-visa. To do this, there are many hoops to jump through, a tricky website to navigate that keeps shutting down, payment to a bank that locks up and your credit card is flagged because it looks like fraud, and delays with processing that are nerve-wracking. When it looked unlikely that we would receive our e-visas before our departure, Holly had our prayer team on high alert, and I was writing and calling with officials in Uganda and Washington D.C. working to get my and Pastor Wescott’s visas processed. Finally, we just received confirmation late in the day today that our visas were approved, so off we go. Whew!
Well, I don’t want to add stress to your life, but it has been another step in the faith-building journey of missionary life. Perhaps the most important thing is that God is on the throne, He reigns supreme, and for Him all this is small potatoes. We trust Him, and will continue on by His grace and for His glory among all peoples.