Good Day

Just like we wait for the end of the winter cold and snow (which fell in my city only once or twice, and hopefully no more), I have been silent while waiting for my settled status outcome (maybe also for similar to Joseph in the Bible I found that public premature sharing can activate some enemies who may use the info in ways which are not so beneficial and goodwilling to me, hence I have learned to be more careful in my approach when it comes to sensitive topics and the timing).

If you do not know much about it, then we are going to leave EU. There was a referendum and the ones who said "Nay" had it. And then there was a specific Article 50 which had to be activated to launch the process and in exactly 50 days from today we shall whether crash out or leave with a deal. As the circumstances have not been too beneficial for the latter, we are probably heading towards the former. Crashing out.

Some are disappointed and distraught over the idea. The others seem to be happy. Then there are the ones who are worried. And overall there is a wide spectrum of sentiment when it comes to that theme. But one is clear. We are leaving, and the PM will see to it that it will happen.

Now, we should remember that when lobbying for the Leave, the lobbyists told that we shall be like Norway. We shall be like Switzerland. But, as both have their own treaties with the EU, which includes the FOM or freedom of movement, our people who stood for the Leave, changed their tune. As the main reason for them seemed to be to draw a line when it came to immigrants and foreigners per se.

As the above is up to our Government, and Prime Minister Theresa May who went to Brussels in the morning in hopes of opening the negotiations, I shall keep my mouth shut. And overall, as I had no say in the matter, I'd better not. Now, unlike some fellow EU citizens in UK, I do not feel a strong affiliation with the EU either, but nevertheless the EU citizens living here have been affected by the decision, which managed at least somewhat freeze their life and decisions due to prevailing atmosphere of uncertainty. At one moment the Prime Minister announced downright that if someone's application were to be refused, then they have to leave the country and apply from elsewhere. As we had only this one home, and nowhere else to go or turn to, it was somewhat crucial for us to get it right. The Government promised to introduce a new law, for after abolishing the EU law, a legal basis had to be found for the rights of 3 million plus EU citizens living here. As the ones who came even before Britain joined the EU, were still subject to the EU law, which provided their rights here. Since this law was going to be cancelled, a new law was made (and is in theory, still in the making).

So, without a desire to delve more into the intricate legal matters, I could participate with every other EU citizen in the UK in a trial, before the system for the registration and application for a new status, based upon the new law, will be opened a day after the Brexit date. Originally, the system had to be opened already a year ago, but this did not happen.

My daughter could get her status made at the end of last year, with the previous pilot, or the A part of the same pilot, which is also running now. Her pilot had restricted access to the NHS and university workers. As she worked at a local university, she could get everything done thanks to that, and thanks to their aid. For namely, the Home Office devised a special mobile app which run only when you had a special mobile. A mere Android OS was not good enough. And her BlackBerry KeyOne which I hoped to use, when purchasing it, had the needed NFC function. But the app did not work at her mobile. Thankfully, in her case, the university provided help. So, she cleared that hurdle in December. And now was my turn.


So, as I did not have a mobile for the special mobile app, I had to use a Home Office approved centre for a paid service. Thankfully, out of 13 centres all over UK, one was in my city. So, I had my appointment last Monday morning. It was a ten minute time slot, which was clearly not enough time as the app failed to function when it came to my passport. So, the Registrar opted for a manual verification route, which took more time. And finally the ID chip info was not scanned either, which was a pity. She told me to fill in my application and let her know then, as I did not have to send my ID away - instead, she was going to send the verification sheet.

As the page of the Registrar's Office which provided the service stated that usually people did not have to send their ID away, it did not give me a 100% assurance, so I had to wait and see. On day 8 I was getting already impatient. The application system had been generous in my case, as I must have had a big enough digital footprint which must have left a trace. So that came handy, as I did not have to jump through any additional hoops (unlike my daughter, in whose case it took me at least two intense days full of work, to search and sort and scan and compile all her documents, as she had to prove she had been living here at least 6 months every year, and she could upload only 9 documents, max 2 MB - which necessitated some brainwork, as most of the documents were 2 MB and more as to their size. We figured out a way, using Word files where we copy-pasted the scanned documents, converted them to pdf files and then compressed them to an acceptable size. Eventually, as the system failed to ask her about 2016, she had to provide additional proof. So, thankfully I was spared from that, which was helpful, as the application system tapped into some Government databases which had information about me. So, the system offered me my right status as soon as I had filled in all the required info, and everything minus the ID-related, was in my case fast and easy and straightforward, as advertised, indeed.)

But the ID-related made me wait.
And waiting is always challenging to the human mind. Only remember the Israelites and how they turned as soon as God withheld Moses in Exodus 32 at the mountain and he did not return at the expected time. His people turned to the substitute leader and told him to make them a golden calf. And he readily agreed. So, they went and worshipped a golden calf.

In another case Saul could not wait for the return of prophet Samuel.

1 Samuel 13:8-14 ► New International Version
He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter.

So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings." And Saul offered up the burnt offering.

Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.

"What have you done?" asked Samuel. Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash,

I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD's favor.' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering."

"You have done a foolish thing," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.

But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command."


And we are not going to discuss Abraham and his test of time, which gave him Ishmael. And later, God's promise came to pass.
But Ishmael was the attempt of Abraham who heeded to the words of his wife Sarah, and went and made the plan of God happen the best he could in the given circumstances.

But, the plan was Sovereign. And that meant that Abraham was expected not to make it in his own might. He had to wait on the timing of God for the manifestation and fruition of His plan.

But, the test of time made him impatient, and then there was peer pressure. And he felt compelled to take the reins and assume control.
And it was a human attempt to execute the plan of God.

And, there is our side. Preparation. And seeking God for the next step. And when knowing that, sticking to what He tells us to do.
And sometimes the Israelites did not do much, travelwise. They settled.
And as soon as the pillar of cloud in daytime, and a pillar of fire at night, rose and begun to move, they knew it was time for them to move, and take action. And so they went.

Exodus 13:21-22 ► New International Version
By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.


So, in the meanwhile I assumed a low profile, like I did during these two years, when some of the EU citizens here felt as if they were in a limbo (and many Leave voting people here can identify with the feeling now, when they hope for a crash out, but have mixed feelings and a degree of distrust in the intentions of the Government which is meant to execute the plan the best they can).

And today, I got my news. First, at about noon time, a message that my application had been received. Which meant that my verification sheet had made it there, all the way into the hands of the responsible caseworking person. Which was good news. As I was somewhat I would not say worried, but at least thinking whether my verification sheet had maybe got lost along the way, or had a question at the back of my mind - whether the HO approved centre in my city used for their dispatch a special communication channel, and made it via e-mail maybe, or via another electronic and secure and fast route to make it sure it made it there. Or whether they were supposed to use regular mail like the others who actually had to send in their original ID, which would have been a riskier option due to enhanced possibility of the documents getting lost or misplaced.

In any way, the feedback cheered me - as it was good news. My verification sheet had made it there (or otherwise they would not have even opened my application, according to the statement at the end of my submission).

And, about an hour later, or exactly in 57 minutes I had my official confirmation. That thing is done and dusted now. No more hoops to jump. And finally I can breathe and continue my life. As the hurdle has been cleared.

And above, I mentioned the limbo. In my case it affected our moving plans, and some job offers which would have necessitated foreign travel, and freedom to do that, unhindered. And even my daughter went and did her Masters degree which was a good and God-approved step, but was somewhat also caused by the prevailing uncertainty at the time. Thankfully the fog cleared, and the new law was worked out, and will be valid sometime in the future, whether this or next month, when the old law will cease to have effect. Which would have turned us into illegals, from a legal aspect - but clearly, the Government would have also seen to it that some measures would have been put into place for the protection during the time of transition, when the rest of the EU citizens will jump through the same hoop, as it takes some time and effort to process some 3.8 million applications from them. Hence, I thought it was wise to act now, and not wait until the last moment to get it done. Plus, now I no longer have to think about it and can resume my life.


On the other side, a classmate of mine shared a picture in social media. A young lady from Warwick had lost her ID and debit and credit cards and drivers licence in front of a Riga hotel in the capital of Latvia, and an Estonian man who was there because of business, found them. He put a photo into social media, trying to find her, but it wasn't easy. He even turned to UK Embassy in Latvia, and was sent back as they refused to take the documents. So, he turned to Facebook, and shared the photo with her drivers licence. I happened to spot it via my classmate, and did some googling and research and used a bit of my brain to figure out that if there was no account with her exact name, then Olivia could have been also shortened to Liv. And, miracle happened. I found her. Left her a message, and even when her licence photo was somewhat different from the FB profile one, it was the right person, after all. So, a happy end to her, and the founder of her documents, who had gone at length trying to find her. So, God must have given me some wisdom to connect the dots, and locate her via some googling and research skills. A double whammy both for her, and for me here thanks to the Home Office which approved my application and status and helped me be protected from the change of the law before it happens.