Encounter with 'The System'

This week we have been trying to get Oscar's Mexican passport. The first set of passport photos we took were too overexposed, the second set wasn't accepted as his eyes were closed and they were printed on digital paper, the third set was taken at a studio but they weren't accepted as they were also on digital paper (to save on costs!) and too far away!

We tried to get it sorted on Friday but we didn't have everything we needed. Also payment had to be made in advance at a bank, not at the offices. We are so grateful to Margaret and Robin who did that for us on Saturday (their day off) while we were at the breakfast club. The first bank they went to was closed, the second couldn't do the transaction (which they found out after waiting in line for ages!) and they were finally successful at the third! Our visas are also due for renewal and the lady who sorts that for us wants them urgently. The passport offices are closed for new requests next week so the only time we could go was this morning...but on Sundays they only deal with 80 requests so we went an hour before opening (8am) and there was already a queue!

When the guy came to check that we had everything we needed we found that we needed photocopies of the first few pages of our visas and our passports and that they had to be in black and white, not colour as we had. We also needed new passport photos. The form we had from the doctor wasn't suitable as Oscar had his eyes closed in the signed photo...oh, and we need a reduced photocopy of the birth certificate. Practically everything we had was inadequate or wrong!

Thankfully there was a place nearby where we could get new photos (which took two more takes!) and where we could get photocopies. They also had a couple of toys for getting kids attention which entertained a despairing Tabitha for a while.

Three hours later we were finally leaving the offices. Too late for our Sunday School class! On our way back from church we stopped into the clinic to get another signed form from the doctor which Andrew has to leave in to the office at 8am tomorrow. Hopefully we will get the passport by Thursday. Unfortunately though they held on to our visas and we don't get them until we get the passport which is bad news as we were due to hand them over for renewal tomorrow.

The process of renewal is taking about 6 weeks at the moment which is running dangerously close to the time we leave to go home. It wouldn't be a disaster not to have them but it would be a lot handier for getting back into the country. What is more disastrous is that we can't get a Mexican driving license without our visas and our current licenses expire on April 2nd! A month before we leave.

So it was one of those frustrating weeks. Please pray that this will all be sorted out. That the passport will arrive, our visas will be renewed and we will be able to drive.

I spoke with the doctor about Oscar's reflux and he will be checked over on Friday. There are times when Oscar is fine and other times when he seems troubled with gas and brings up quite a bit of milk. Apart from that he is doing really well and Tabitha is adjusting too. Of course we are tired but we are blessed with two great kids!