But … you don’t need that form …

After about one year of going back and forth with the government of Ghana trying to get our ducks in a row — it has become old hat.  We don’t get frustrated with the amount of time things take, we don’t get frustrated when the “man with the key” is nowhere to be found, we don’t get frustrated when we are told to go back and get 40 more copies of some form, we don’t even get frustrated when they say that we should take the letter back because it is addressed to the wrong person.  Our patience ha been tested — and not found wanting — at least until today.   Today — we took what was to be the last bit of documentation for our tax exempt status as an NGO and were told — “you don’t need that form today.” Why — because today – we are not buying anything or shipping anything into the country.

Why is this a frustrating matter — because we were told adamantly by several retailers that we need the tax form BEFORE we come to them — and now we find that we need an invoice from them BEFORE we will be given a tax exemption.

They say hindsight is 20/20 —-  well, that surely appears to be true!!!

Patient.