Delayed in Nairobi

Well, it's Tuesday morning as I write this and we are still in Nairobi. We arrived here Sunday night and were supposed to be in Korogwe Monday night. We have experienced a series of road blocks that have kept us here longer than expected. The first issue was with the car we hired. The owner was supposed to bring the car on Sunday night so we could leave early on Monday. Late Sunday night, he called and said he wasn't able to do bring the car that night and would bring it by 10:30 the next morning. 10:30 Kenyan time is really an hour or two later. Korogwe is 9 hours away from Nairobi plus the time at the border and if we didn't leave until 12:00 or so, we wouldn't make it to Korogwe before dark meaning we would have to stay the night in Moshi and incur hotel expenses.

Gordon quickly began working on plan B: Find another vehicle. He made a few calls and found someone with a car we could use. It was more expensive than the original car we hired, but we didn't have a choice. After some discussion, we decided we should delay our leaving by one day. That would give us time to sort out the car issue and deal with our other potential roadbolck - Nala's paperwork.

To cross the border with Nala, we need her vaccination records, a health certificate from a vet and transport documents from the Ministry of Livestock. The vaccination records were no problem. We have had that since we got her. George went to get the health certificate from the vet we used in Kisumu and he said we would have to pay $250 to get it. That is extortion and highway robbery. We of course could not afford that and wouldn't pay it if we could because that is outrageous and wrong. George then went to the Ministry of Livestock in Kisumu who told him we needed a letter from Tanzania allowing us to bring the dog. We spoke to a few people in Tanzania (including two vets) who said that letter doesn't exist. Tanzania needs the health certificate and vaccination records only. They suspected people here were just trying to get money from us. Not knowing what to do, George went back to the Ministry of Livestock who told him he would have to go to Nairobi to get the health certificate and other papers.

Our plan was to go to the Ministry of Livestock in Nairobi Monday morning when they opened, get the papers and leave from there for the border. When George got there, he was given the run around. They told him he had to get a letter from Tanzania and a health certificate from a vet. He found a vet who said the only Health Certificate he knows of is on the back of the vaccination record (which we have). He didn't have another letter to give us. However, if we wrote a letter, he would be willing to stamp it for us. So, George had to race back to where I was (at Gordon's house with Nala) so I could type a letter for the vet to stamp. Time was becoming a problem now. George had to get the letter to the vet and go back to the ministry of livestock before three. By the time he got the letter from the vet, the ministry was closed. The worst part of that is Tuesday is a Kenyan holiday and all government offices will be closed. The transport docs could not be obtained on Tuesday. It would have to be Wednesday at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the owner of the original car we hired said he couldn't get the car to us on Monday at all, but it would have to be Tuesday. We decided we can't rely on this guy and decided to go with the second guy Gordon found. The next problem: getting our money back from the first guy. We had already paid for the car and needed that money to pay for the second. We are still waiting to get the money back.

After re-evaluating our situation Monday evening, we decided we would delay until Wednesday. We met with the owner of the second car and paid a deposit. Now the plan is to get the car on Tuesday night, pack and leave the house early on Wednesday, go to the ministry of livestock when they open at 8:00 and try to get the transport docs. Once we get those, we will leave for Tanzania.

We have been talking with a vet in Tanzania (again who has never heard of what is being requested of us) who may be able to get a letter for us. I sent him the vaccination records, the health certificate and a sample letter for a vet to stamp and he is going to try to get us something today.

This whole experience has been exhausting and discouraging. However, we know the Lord has allowed these things to happen this way for a reason so we are trusting Him. For some reason we were not supposed to travel on Monday or Tuesday. We know God knows best and we, therefore, are finding peace in that.

Please pray that we will be able to get the letter from the vet in Tanzania, that the car shows up Tuesday evening, that we get our money back from the first car guy, that we get the transport docs for Nala and that we are able to leave early on Wednesday for Korogwe.

Thank you for your prayers. We know we are not alone in this.