Operation Mozambiquan Visa

Mission Outline:

At the end of January I planned to travel to Iris Zimpeto in Maputo Mozambique to visit the Children’s Centre that has been established there and get some practical tips for the new work being undertaken in Madagascar with Iris Indian Ocean. I had discovered that the cheapest way to get from Johannesburg South Africa to Maputo, Mozambique was by Greyhound Bus. This meant that I needed to organise a Mozambiquan visa before I got on the bus. The Mozambiquan Consulate was in Pretoria about an hour by train from Johannesburg and from what the website indicated would be a two-day mission. One day to pay for the visa with a 24 hour waiting period for it to be processed for pick up.

This is the craziest story thus far in my life as a missionary and my own real life version of the Amazing Race.

Part 1:

Challenge: Catch Gautrain (pronounced how-train) from Rosebank Station Johannesburg to Hatfield Station, Pretoriato arrive at Hatfield as early as possible as the Mozambiquan Consulate in Pretoria is only open between 8-12pm

This was the easy part of the mission as I had caught the Gau a number of times previously. My gorgeous friend Dikelo dropped me off at the station on her way to work. I even managed to swipe my card, walk down the stairs and get straight onto a waiting train.

Challenge Complete: Time: 8:45am

Part 2:

Challenge: Travel on footfrom Hatfield Station to the Mozambiquan Consulate

I had google mapped my trip before I came and then used that to write myself a mud-map of how to get to the Consulate. It’s not really safe to take valuables with you when you’re out and about and so I’d deliberately done this knowing I wouldn’t have my iPhone with me.  I knew it would be a bit of a walk and figured it was worth it as any exercise is good in my book! I felt very safe as I walked, was slightly concerned about how far away the Consulate was as time ticked on but figured that I’d find it eventually. Got a little lost but asked someone who said Edmond St was straight ahead after 2 robots.  I’m so glad that somebody told me robot is the South African way to describe a traffic light! With much excitement and relief after a 45 minute walk I arrived at the Consulate.

Challenge Complete: Time approximately 10:40am

Part 3:

Challenge: Apply for a Mozambiquan Visa

The Consulate office was a very informal affair. I had imagined counter tops and queues for kilometres and instead there were no other people waiting in the Consulate officeexcept one guy smoking a cigarette in the courtyard. The counter tops I envisaged were nowhere to be seen and in their place I was able to walk right into the official’s office and sit on a chair and give her my visa form which I’d printed out previously. (See the blog post God’s favour again). She asked for 2 passport photos which I had brought with me from Australia “just in case” I needed them. (a.k.a God at work in my life) I had no idea how paying for the Visa worked as there was no mention of its cost on the website or how you could pay. I figured that they would have an EFTPOS machine or an ATM in the building or something…

Contestants the Amazing Race begins in earnest now…

The official took my passport and used a rubber band to attach it to my form. She then gave me a small slip of paper wrote 750rand (about $75AU) and told me that I needed to deposit this money into the FNB Bank account written on the slip and return to her with the deposit receipt by 12pm. (when the consulate closes) I asked her where the bank was and she said- “not close by, maybe at Sunny Park Centre” and then vaguely pointed in an easterly direction… Time 10:50am

My heart started to race and boy did I start praying! I’m on foot remember! I exited the embassy and walked down another main street and asked someone if they knew where Sunny Park was. He said it was very far about 5 robots away.  All the traffic was going in the wrong direction to where I wanted to be so no taxis as it was a one-way street. I tried to catch a taxi bus parked in a side street but he wasn’t interested and couldn’t direct me further. After about 10 minutes walking in what I hoped was the right direction. I came across what looked like an FNB Bank and sat relieved in a chair and used my blackberry which I had brought with me to transfer some money between accounts. While I was doing that I looked up and asked what I thought was a security guard if you could make deposits here. He turned out to be a Policeman and he said he wasn’t sure and was wondering the same thing. He asked and we discovered that no you couldn’t make deposits here. I told him about Sunny Park and he said“ yesyes… keep walking down this street not far… 3 robots.” Thankfully those robots were close together and with some intermittent jogging and fast walking I managed to get to Sunny Park… Time 11:15am.

 I went inside the building the wrong way and ended up on the ground floor instead of level 1 where the bank was which turned out to be total favour as there was an ATM so I could withdraw cash. Was so glad I had as the queue to get cash from the 3 ATMs outside FNB was so long! As I walked into the teller area my heart sank. The queue for this humongous! At least 30 people were in front of me and with only 3 tellers behind the wall of glass I knew I would be standing there for a while. I started praying and this quiet peace settled on me. I figured if the worst came to the worse I could deposit the money and come back tomorrow to finish everything. Not ideal, especially as my passport would still be at the Consulate but it was doable!

 5 minutes later I noticed the man who had been smoking the cigarette in the courtyard was 4 people behind me. We talked a bit and he told me he had a flight at 2pm that day. He wasn’t able to get his visa on Friday as the Consulate was closed. He offered to drive me back to the embassy when we were done and I offered to deposit his money for him. I was grateful for his offer of a lift especially as it was 11:25am by now and time was ticking… but didn’t have peace that this was a safe option. I just prayed that God would show me what to do. 5 minutes later I watched the man hand the money to someone near the front of the queue to deposit for him.  He apologised to me and said he really had to go andhe promised to tell the consulate lady that I was on my way and I said- “for sure no worries” I was just glad that God had given me a safety net. Time 11:35am

After another lengthy wait there were still about 15 people in front of me and I started praying harder.At that moment I figured I’d go for broke. I turned to the lady behind me and said I’d be right back… Then went to the lady standing at the front of the queue and asked if she’d deposit my money and explained my predicament. She said to ask the guy behind her and so I did and he assented. When it was his turn we walked to the teller together and the teller lady said I needed to have filled in a deposit slip! I was so grateful that the man had a lot of money that needed counting which gave me time to quickly go and grab one and fill it in. I was so nervous standing there filling it in and waiting!  I knew I was being a “queue jumper” which normally I would never do but desperate times call for outrageous acts of faith!As the man finished his transaction I thanked him and blessed him and the teller served me! As I handed her the money and she handed me my deposit slip I knew that God definitely was at work. Time 11:50am

With 10 minutes left until the consulate shut at 12pm. I knew I wasn’t going to make it on foot even if I sprinted the entire way. As I had been standing waiting in thebank queue. I realised that there were taxi cabs at the front of the shopping centre and that taking one of these was my best option. I prayed that I’d have peace and that I’d find a safe driver who could take me where I wanted to go. I ran to the taxi rank and did some fast talking. The second driver I asked said “yes of course I’ll take you- 60 rand ($6.50AU) get in.” As I got in the car I told him that I needed him to be a safe, fast driver and that I’d give him 100 rand ($10.50AU) if he got me back to the embassy by 12pm. (This was as close as I’ve ever come to saying to a taxi driver “follow that cab and step on it”) As we drove it was obvious that traffic was heavy and the taxi driver said it was because it was lunch time. I started praying out loud that the traffic would part like the Red Sea and the taxi driver said “don’t worry Jesus will help us.” I seriously do not know how exactly we did it (except Jesus) the traffic was stop start, there was one robot not working at all which made traffic even slower, But when that taxi cab pulled up outside the embassy it was one minute to 12. I’m not sure who was happier in that moment- the taxi driver with his 100 rand or me!Time: 11:59am

As I handed my deposit slip to the consular official I had even better news- I had thought the visa would take 24 hours to process however the consular official said to come back at 2:30pm that day to collect it!

Challenge Complete exactly 12pm

Part 4: 

Mission: Collect Passport with Mozambiquan Visa from Consulate

After a well-earned rest on the couch at the local McDonalds I walked back to get my visa. It was a very easy process.  I walked back in and collected my passport with the visa glued inside and I was good to go. As I stopped to put my passport back safely into my backpack. I made a passing comment to an elderly gentleman that had come in to collect his passport behind me. “It must be good to have that sorted”. He agreed and walked out behind me. As we walked he continued the conversation and asked me where I was going. At this point I was focused on walking back to the station to catch the train back to Johannesburg and that’s what I told him instead of what he really meant which was where in Mozambique are you going. He said “that’s miles away I’m heading that way let me drop you” I had total peace about getting in his bakkie (ute). As we drove I shared what I was going to be doing in Mozambique and he shared with me that he was a Christian and that he was working in Mozambique. As we drove along I asked him if I could I pray for him he was glad to receive prayer. He wondered if maybe I was an angel because taking me to the station was definitely the best part of his day. I laughed and said that I just loved Jesus and that Jesus wanted to bless him.

As he dropped me off right in front of the station to catch the train I realised I too had been VERY blessed. Walking 45 minutes back to the station to go home would have been an effort as I was exhausted after my Amazing Race challenge earlier on that day not to mention my 45 minute walk to get to the embassy that morning.

As I sat on the train going back to Johannesburg I was reminded again that with God nothing is impossible! Even when the circumstances on the outside look impossible.  Even better what I had thought would be a two day mission turned out to be complete in less than a day!

My Mission Impossible became Mission Possible!

Mission accomplished!
Operation Mozambiquan Visa complete
Time 2:50pm