a little trip to the post office

I just got back from the weekly trip to the post office. Visits to the post office are always exciting for each of us, wondering who got something (and in Tara's case, how many boxes did she get this time:-)??)? Thanks everyone for the steady stream of letters and packages. There always seems to be something in the box for me whenever I visit the post office, which just makes my day!! Thank you soo much:-)



The deal with packages is that when one arrives at the post office, the workers somehow decide whether it should be sent to customs or not. I really don't understand how they make that decision, but I'm pretty sure it's random. I have gotten all of my packages, except for one, stuck in customs. The thing with customs is that if your package is stuck in customs, you can only pick it up on Mondays and Thursdays between 10am-12p. Not too much time to pick from and much of the time, the lines for the customs official are quite long, so being there at or before 10am is optimal. The fait of your package and it’s contents lies in the hands of the customs official. There is one guy who works there that is really nice. He barely opens the box, takes a couple things out, looks at them with a quizzical look on his face as to what most of the stuff in the box is, then puts them back. I find it quite amusing to watch the different expressions on various customs officials’ faces as each item is examined. Then there is the other customs official. He is a lot more picky, wanting my original passport to look at, examining each of my documents with a careful eye. Not only that, but he has a little helper, who opens the boxes and tells him each and every item in the package. He carefully examines everything. Sometimes I have to try explain in my broken Spanish what something is. They are usually satisfied and quite amused by my explanations. This second official also the one that told me last time I visited, that in order to pick up packages for other people, I not only needed a signed letter explaining why the other person couldn’t make it, but also it needed to be notarized.

So today I go to the post office, with a signed paper to pick up Kaitlin’s package, but without it notarized, because it’s expense, quite a hassle, and I was already running late. I found out I also had a couple packages to pick up, which was super exciting!! My camera lens came!! Quick tangent, my camera lens broke a couple months ago, so Kaitlin has been kind enough to let me use her camera. Well, my family decided to send down a old cheap lens to hold me over until someone was coming down who could bring a nicer one. Knowing that the package should be coming soon, I was praying hard that the customs guy wouldn’t charge me for the cheap lens because if they think an item holds any great amount of worth (at least in their eyes), they can charge you. Well, I walk into the room where the customs guy is and low and behold it was the tough, stern, picky guy who looks through the whole package. “Great!” I said to myself, “how am I gonna explain this camera lens to this guy?” Well, I sent another quick prayer to God, and walked calmly into the room. He went through my first package. No problem. Food. Second package. The camera lens was right there, plain as day. I had mentally prepared a little speech about the lens not being worth that much, but the guy didn’t even really listen. He simply put it back in the case and continued on to the next item. I was amazed!! God is so awesome! I was so estatic I didn’t have to pay anything!!

Well, I was able to both of my packages with no problem. Now for Kaitlin’s package. I prayed again, knowing this was gonna be pretty much impossible. As I started to ask about getting my friend’s package (for which I didn’t have a notarized paper), the guy was already shaking his head, NO!! This was the same guy on Thursday who specifically told me I needed to get a notarized, signed paper before I try to get someone else’s box for them next time. Well, here I am facing the same guy a couple days later with a non-notarized paper. No wonder he’s saying no!! I pleaded with him, saying Kaitlin works all day long teaching at the school and doesn’t have time to come in. Besides, I told him, the box is very important because it has a dictionary for her to use at school. Therefore very very important. As I tried to explain this to the man, I could see he was softening up, hinting at the slight possibility of being able to get the package. Then he asked why couldn’t she come in on Saturday. Well, I then explained that as Adventists we don’t come visit the post office on Sabbath, because it is our day of rest. So, somehow, I know it was all God, he gave me Kaitlin’s package!! I couldn’t help but shed a tear as I watched the official fill out the customs form, knowing that God totally softened this man’s heart, just for me I was so shocked! God totally answered my prayers right in front of my eyes! It was soo cool!

I couldn’t help but smile at everyone I passed as I walked down the street proudly carrying my packages, knowing I just witnessed a miracle. It may not seem like such a huge answer to prayer, but to me, it’s the coolest to see God caring for the little things in our day-to-day lives.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.” –Matthew 10:29