Immigration....

Upon entering the country you are given permission to be here for 90 days. I arrived on July 29, and my return flight is on December 3. So I needed to go to immigration to request a 30 day extension on my permission to be in the country.

Doing the math, that is still not enough permission to get me to December 3, so I also needed to find out what to do about these extra days, or if I would have to change my flight.

So Porter picked me up Monday morning and we headed to Tegucigalpa, which is a drive which takes approximately one and one-half hours through the mountains. So we head out Monday morning and arrive at the immigration to find that Monday was a holiday and the office was closed!

So we ran a few other errands that Porter needed to do, at lunch at the mall, and headed back to Comayagua.

So we decided to make the trip again on Tuesday, which we did, left in the morning for the drive through the mountains again. We got to immigration and here is where the fun starts....

First the lady told us that we had come too soon. I arrived on July 29, had 90 days so that is 3 months so I did not need to ask for an extension until October 29. (Now to me the first problem with that is 90 days and 3 months are not the same - I am used to counting deadlines and when something says "days" it means days - but this was not the case). Well she thought I had come too soon, she didn´t understand the concept of planning ahead. So first she said that she could only do the 30-day extension from the date we were there (October 16) rather than from the day my 90 days expired (October 29). We went back and forth... well actually Porter and the lady went back and forth because it was all in Spanish and I just stood there not really knowing what was going on. Finally the worker in the next booth said that they could give me the extension from the date that my current extension expired. So they would fill out the paperwork for me to have an extension on my permission to be in the country until November 29.

Porter explained that I had a return plane ticket for December 3 and could we get an additional extension for those days.

Nope, that could not happen.

What would be possible is that I would pay a fine when I leave the country. She said that if I am here for one day more, up to thirty days more, the fine was the same - 1450 limperas (which is approx. $75 U.S. dollars). So hopefully that will be the case when I go through customs at the Honduran airport and I won´t have more problems than that.

But it still isn´t over. So I filled out the paperwork to request the 30-day extension, paid for the extension and then I had to leave my passport and the paperwork there at immigration in Tegucigalpa. And I have to return in 7 days to pick up the passport and document indicating I have permission to be in the country through November 29.

So next Tuesday we will have to make the trip again, and hopefully will have my passport ready at that time.

Life is good!

Puppy is growing and eating and doing great! I had to get a babysitter for him those two days that I was going to Tegucigalpa. He stayed at Scott & Cyndi´s house, and their kids loved feeding him and playing with him. Katherine was very excited on Monday when I told them that I had to go back again the following day, that meant she got to puppy sit again!

I am here at the internet cafe tonight. When I went home at lunch time to feed the puppy the power at the house was out...then I got home at about 4:00 after school today and the power is still out. I am praying that it will be back on when I get home... otherwise it will be very dark in the barrio and at the house! I put my flashlight on the kitchen table before I left so I can find it if I need it when I get home.

Today in our 6th grade conversation class we read a story about Temptation and some of the kids began talking about the things that they are tempted by and how God can help us with temptation. These kids used to just sit and stare at me when I would ask questions, but some are really starting to talk. Talk is the point since it is called "English Conversation Class"! But getting 6th graders to talk in the class, in front of their peers is not cool. So today was a good day with these kids.

Thank you for your prayers and your emails. I love hearing from everyone!