Christmas came early this year!

Care packages are truly a wonderful thing!!! What a blessing! We were very fortunate to get three within a short amount of time! Its funny because sometimes back home we would leave the mail in the mailbox for a couple of days before we were inspired to walk all the way to the end of our driveway to get it (literally about 20 steps from our front door!) Now, anytime we hear we have mail, we wait anxiously in anticipation before we have it delivered. You see, if you get mail here, it goes only to the post office. Since there are no official street names (let alone addresses), all the mail goes to a central location where residents must go pick up any packages or letters that they receive. Similar to a PO Box in the United States, from what I understand, that is the only option here. Fortunately, Greg and I haven’t had to go there yet, but from what we’ve heard, this is the process: Say someone sends something to a teacher in care of Maranatha Escuela (their PO Box). One of the school administrators will go to the post office and they will give her several slips of paper. The papers have names of the people they have received packages for (obviously people employed at the school). Then, the administrator will come back to the school and hand out the slips to those with packages back at the post office. Next, each person has to go back to the post office (which has very limited hours and long lines), show identification, sign for the mail, then they are free to leave with the item(s)….as long as they can find them! Wow, crazy! We haven’t had to do this yet because we are having things sent to another one of our friends here, that receives the items, then drops them off at our house! (Lucky us!)

Anyway, so about two weeks ago, our friend called and said he would be dropping by with a package. Although Greg wasn’t home, I figured I could do my best resist the temptation of opening the box before he returned. I mean, it was addressed to both of us! I carried the box up and set it on the seat next to me, admiring the thing and pondering it’s contents. Then, I stumbled upon the ‘international shipping label’ pasted on the outside. I noticed that it required the sender to write a brief description of the items inside. When I saw the words “small blender” I broke under the pressure. Could it really be….THE MAGIC BULLET??? I swiftly tore at the corner to reveal “Does any job in ten seconds or less!” and I knew our dreams had come true! We had admired this fine piece of machinery for years as it cycled through the ‘infomercial circuit’ on multiple channels. I screamed excitedly, thought about all of the wonderful things we would make with it, then the guilt set in. I officially opened our first care package…addressed to both of us....without the company of the other recipient! I smoothed over the torn area of the box and tried to rough the rest of it up a little to look like it had a tough trip getting here (hey, that’s believable!) I decided I would be ‘really nice’ and wait to open it until Greg got home, so we could both enjoy the gift together (obviously, I would not tell him I already took a sneak peak). As soon as that thought left my brain, my cell phone rang and startled me. It was Greg…Act cool, you didn’t do anything wrong, be natural…Then like word vomit, it just came out…”Greg, I’m so sorry I opened our first care package and we are officially proud owners of The Original Magic Bullet.” Apparently when he heard the words “Magic Bullet” roll of my tongue, he totally ignored the first part of the sentence (Lucky for me!) I could hear him smiling on the other end as we both celebrated our new piece of culinary equipment! I decided in my mind that I would let him open the next two items we receive in the mail in attempt to make up for my preemptive strike!!!

Not soon after I had my chance! We got two more packages….on the same day!!! AMAZING! Contents included: A library (literally about 20 books and 5 magazines), tea, hot chocolate, cider, cookies, jelly beans, gum, mints, flip flops, a box of Cliff Z bars, a manicure kit, facial products, toiletries, and several other very useful odds and ends. Greg and I seriously felt like kids on Christmas morning! We were so psyched…and still are! It truly is the little things in life that make your day!

Anyway, thanks to you for all of your support! Your prayers, emails, guest book messages, letters and packages are extremely appreciated and provide us with renewed spirit and joy. Everyday is a blessing as we grow closer to the people here, each other, and especially to God. Have a wonderful week, and don’t forget to take pleasure in the little things God gives you every single day!