It has been over a year now that I moved to
Swaziland (I cannot believe how fast time has gone) and the biggest challenge has been to get my temporary resident permit (trp) or what I call my work visa.
It is basically so that I can live in
Swaziland legally otherwise I have to cross the South African border every 30 days because Americans can get unlimited 30 day visitor visas.
March of last year I began this process of compiling the paperwork only to be denied starting in August because I didn’t have the right stamp or I didn’t have the exact documentation.
It doesn’t really make sense to me why they wouldn’t want to help me stay here – I’m pouring into their economy, providing jobs for Swazis, fighting against the HIV/AIDS pandemic yet they are making it so difficult for me to stay.
Upon arriving back in
Swaziland this time, my first order of business was to turn in my application and get my permit.
This brings us to last Wednesday (they only accept the permits Monday through Wednesday).
I went to print the last document and it would not print and I finally had to give up for that day!
It doesn’t help that my relationships with printers are not good – ask any of my college roommates
J
).
In the following days I mentioned to one of my friends that I was still trying to get my TRP and she told me of a guy, named Magugu, who helped other Americans get their TRP and I just had to drop it off at my friends office.
This rainy morning I set out for
Mbabane early and went to the office and left the application for my friend to get into the hands of Magugu.
I got back in the car and as I was backing out a big Mitsubishi SUV drove slowly behind me.
I thought they were driving by and I continued to back up slowly and then I realized they had parked behind me so I slammed on the breaks and probably could not have fit my pinky finger between my car and the other car. I knew that with a manual plus a wet road even if I tried to go forward the car would slide back and hit the car so I just decided to wait until the other car left.
After a few seconds the driver of the SUV walked up to my passenger window and I told the very large Swazi man I was sorry.
“Did I hit your car?”
“Yes you did and you owe me 1,000 Rand ($150)”
“I hit your car, I didn’t even feel it?”
“Yes and you owe me 1,000 Rand” “But I didn’t even feel it hit, I’m so sorry”
“Okay, since you are a lady, I will let you go.
And you really did not hit my car I was joking”
“Oh, funny, you scared me” “I was just joking, you looked like you were in a hurry so I wanted to slow you down a bit”
“Oh, I forgot, ‘There’s no hurry in
Swaziland’”.
He laughed and I said “Ok” and began to roll up my window and he said “By the way, if you ever need a temporary resident permit let me know” “WHAT!?!?
I do need my TRP, I just left my application in my friend’s…wait a minute, what is your name?”
“Magugu” he answered.
I ran up to the office with Magugu following quickly behind and I handed him my application.
As I was writing this I got a phone call from Magugu telling me they had accepted my application and I would receive my permit in 3-4 weeks!
Praise God!!
Another way God used this was that Sunday I asked Futhie, Swazie’s sister, to pray for my TRP.
I don’t know why I asked her, I don’t usually talk about struggles I’m having with them, mainly because they don’t ask but for some reason I told her about it and she said she would pray and fast for the next two days.
So today when I called and told her the story about Magugu she was amazed – “Oh my prayers!
Oh my prayers!
Praise God!” she said.
Then it hit me, God used this “thorn in my flesh” to show Futhie that God is trustworthy that He hears her prayers and that is awesome!
Praise the Lord!
I just wish he would have told me sooner, I would have asked Futhie to pray back in July
J
, just kidding.
