Of Visas, Stress and In the Meantime...

Something so simple as a piece of paper with a stamp. That’s all I need. A visa for Sudan. So simple, and yet so complicated. The arena of international politics seems very childish to me right now, except that instead of a ride on the swing the stakes in these playground antics are people’s lives. Life is easy to dictate when you’re living in an office and never encountering the dust and grime of the real world. Being a jerk and refusing a visa is such an easy thing, and it is easy to be heartless. But when you get your toes in the sand and stick your nose in the stink of life, donning that heartless attitude isn’t as easy.

It always frustrates me that a government that is dubious about the safety of its own people refuses access to people who want nothing but to help those in need. I have no political agenda, I have no sway in the international scheme of things, so why should you blame me for international policies? Give me the visa. I’m learning your culture, your language, I love your people, many of them are like family to me, I’m facilitating the improvement of the way of life for thousands of your people…so I’ve got two words for you: come on.

Before Sudan, I would have poo-pooed the affects that these kinds of situations have on the human psyche. Being held in limbo is stressful. Stress hurts. I have learned this more deeply in the last two years than I could ever have imagined. Stress is real. I’ve decided not to ‘mess around’ with it anymore.

So here’s the deal: I am supposed to fly out of the country this Friday, the 13th, but due to the fact that I do not have a visa yet, I will probably not be sticking to that itinerary. I really do not know when I shall return to Sudan. It is my hope that it will be soon. I’m already itching to be back at work, I miss my team, I miss the sense of adventure, I miss being in the thick of it all. Insha’allah I will be there soon.

In the meantime, I am home, seeing folks I care about, riding my motorcycle, reading the news on Sudan (www.sudantribune.com is a good one by the way), enjoying the fall colors, trying to relax, reading, etc.

I’ll keep you all updated as I know it.

Regards,

Jonathan