This is essentially a follow-up to my previous post.
Apparently there was a big dialogue between the Agency, the Embassy and the lawyer in the DRC. What happened may depend on who you heard it from.
“What? Why? When?”
We were told by the agency that there were communication failures, largely due to cultural differences. Based on what the Embassy says, I think something different is going on.
These problems are not particular to our case. As we interact with others in the process, we hear a strangely familiar story. Missed appointments. Same excuses- the Embassy told me to come back later (it might be because you didn’t have the proper paperwork).
I think I have a really good idea of what is going on, and am frustrated that the agency does not seem to see it too. Perhaps they are just saving face, but that is never a good long term strategy if your business relies on trust. I’d like to see some ownership of the issues, and movement to correct the problems. Instead I get “let’s just focus on getting your children home.” And why haven’t we been doing this the last year?
I go back and forth about addressing this. As I noted before- I feel vulnerable. Amie’s about to travel to a foreign country and have to rely upon the very person I suspect is the problem. But if I call him out now … he could make this drag on even more.
I also recognize that I am not in the best state of mind to address this. I am understandably angry. I’m raw. I am prone, right now, to sin in my anger. I’ve been studying Colossians in preparation for a new sermon series this Fall. The old self wants to vent that anger. I want to go all Hulk on these people. The new self, united to Christ and in the power of the resurrection, knows that I need to be patient and gentle even as I admonish. I have a hard enough time doing this with my son who has a Ph.D. (or is it black belt) in pushing all my buttons. How much harder when dealing with people who are keeping me from my kids. There are months of their lives we can’t get back. I feel robbed of more than money.
So, I feel like Vinnie Barbarino, except my confusion is emotional instead of intellectual. Being on vacation doesn’t help. We have too much time on our hands. Our minds are not occupied with other matters and turn it over too often. I know that realizing this is half the battle, or more. But it is like a whirlpool, a vortex, a black hole sucking us in because we are unable to withstand the gravitational pull. Or is that centripetal force?
Either way, it weighs upon the mind. So, today is a 2-fer. Just because I’ve got too much time…
Perhaps I need to keep in mind the passage from Proverbs I was talking about with Jadon the other day- “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”
Cavs Adopt Blog 