INS Visit

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Romans 13:1

We decided we'd make a go of INS on Wednesday, so we'd have all day if necessary. We got there a little after eight, and got to join a little group of people outside waiting to get in. We were all outside because they'd run out of numbers and seats inside. OK, so what's a hundred people waiting? Well, considering only one service window was operating at the time . . .

We were outside an hour before we got in, but it was so nice outside, sunny and just perfect temperature - not hot, not cold, that other than the couple cigarettes that got lit up we enjoyed the wait pretty well. So, that was the first hour.

Then we got in and got to sit down, and David got his laptop out and started working, while Krista played some games on her Palm Pilot. With no food or smoking allowed, and no magazines available, it was a good think to have these modern age cures for the waiting room blues. David had it better, with much more to do, though. We also got to talk with the British guy next to us waiting with his daughter to get authorization to get her fingerprints so she could work, and with the expecting couple also from Raleigh (we both had paused a the same rest area). Plenty of jokes about the incorrect spelling on the marquee board, and about the general bad shape of the INS, government, etc.

Most people were just sitting and waiting, with a few conversations going on around the room. Not too many, so the noise level was pretty low. Some poor guy a couple rows up was getting a nonstop earful from some old guy with the Never-ending Story, apparently. As time went on, a second, then third and fourth window opened up and accepted people, so things moved along a little better.

Lunch time came and almost sneaked on by before David went out to pick up some grub. Of course, the numbers flew along while he was gone, but then got stuck again for another hour or so. All said and done, it was 3 in the afternoon before we got up to the window. "We're adopting, and need to know where our case stands." The guy asks a couple questions, and then leaves for an uncomfortably long/short while, then returns to say that we can hop upstairs and get our fingerprints right now, and then our case would proceed as normal.

OK, upstairs we went. Fortunately, the waiting room was empty, so this wouldn't take long. "We've just come from downstairs, and . ." - Oh! We have your form right here. It's been here all day. Hmmm. Yesterday, David had called Senator Helms' office to see what they could get for information from the Charlotte INS office, since they offer no public phone number. He was told that the fingerprint forms had been sent (2 weeks ago), but that since we were going down the next day, we could probably get fingerprinted then. Apparently somebody had actually set up the fingerprinting appointment for us!

So, we got to spend several hours waiting, talking with some new people, and maintaining a good attitude and testimony. We're just glad nothing has been delayed, and that the result of the day is that all is still on track. We called Georgia at our agency once we were on our way, and she was glad to hear that we'd made progress, and that since Guatemala was on Easter break, we weren't holding anything up. We were relieved, and grateful God is still continuing to work things out so well!

April 2000

A New Family >