A few weeks ago, I was not allowed to get on the boat from Uruguay to Argentina because my visa was expired. I was in shock and hated that woman who didn't let me in so that brought a memory to mind.
According to my journal on May 8, 2007 I received a call from Books Dame letting me know that Katherine Cabrera, a girl from Bolivia was not allowed to enter El Salvador because she didn't have a tourist visa. Apparently all the others who came with her were Americans and they could get their visa as they entered El Salvador but not Bolivians. I called the Consul General Herrera, in San Francisco at the time. I knew who he was very well because he is a Latter-day Saint. He told me to find out who the immigration officer, Sargent was that she saw, the Airport Director and the Director of Immigration, Nadine Albergue so he could talk to them and he did, but to no avail.
What the immigration officer told Kathy was to wait inside the airport overnight to take the first flight the next morning to San Francisco so she could see the Consul General. He called me to tell me that he would be waiting for her and as soon as he stamped her visa, she could go back on the next flight to El Salvador. Anytime this sort of thing happens, the airline gets penalized by not checking in on the proper visas when traveling internationally. They need to be current since rules change all the time.
I called my sister Liz who knows people in high places to see if anyone could do something. Like the Secretary of State but she said: "the only person that could let her in is the President or Vice-president and they are both in Washington. " The Consul General told me that he was calling the Secretary of "Gobernacion" that deals with this type of problems and not to call the President or Vice-president since I knew them personally because they are going to do whatever the Secretary of "Gobernacion" says needs to be done and he thinks he will not let her in. He was a little annoyed that I was calling everybody I knew.
I decided to still make one last call. I knew sister Lilliana Hernandez and I knew if she could help, she would. She was the Vice-Presidents's secretary so she sign a document with the permission from her boss, the Vice-President to let her in with a visa waiver. She was to be picked up and taken directly to the nearest Immigration office to get her passport stamped so she would be legal entering the country.
What did sister Hernandez resolved? Kathy didn't have to go back to San Francisco and waist two days getting a visa that could have easily be given in El Salvador and for this act of kindness by an angel, I am so grateful. The next month I was in El Salvador meeting the help International kids and said hello to Kathy. I also thanked sister Hernandez, the fact that sister Hernandez who has since passed away and was a faithful Latter-day Saint, helped resolved this issue was a miracle.
What a busy day that was but felt so good to know I tried to do anything to help this young woman and even when I was asked to not bother anyone. I followed my gut feeling instead because I knew sister Herandez could help the situation as long as it was in her power. I felt so good inside knowing that I had done something no one else could do because no one can ever enter a country without a visa.
I want to say to sister Hernandez who is in heaven. I miss you. You are literally an angel.
Con amor,
Vero
