This comes as exciting news to all of us, whether email, facebook or twitter posts, or honest to goodness "snail mail"! It's especially exciting when you live overseas and know that someone took the time, effort, and money to send you something in the mail!
We recently were expecting a package in the mail (Speed the Light equipment sent to us by the Iowa Ministry Network -- thanks to Iowa youth!). It was shipped by UPS which, because they don't actually have an office here, is therefore handled by a local carrier when it reaches Bogota.
Kevin was keeping track of the packge online, and it finally arrived in Bogota on a Thursday. So we started watching and waiting and expecting it the following week.
Monday came and went, with no package.
Tuesday, as I jumped in a taxi to go to the grocery store, I let the guard know we were expecting something from UPS and that I would be back in an hour.
That afternoon, the guard called to let me know that the delivery truck had indeed come while I was at the store, but that we had to pay customs fee, so the package could not be released. The guard gave me a phone number to call to verify the information and make arrangements.
Wednesday, with the cash tucked away, I expectantly waited for the truck to return. Finally, about 3pm, it came. He confirmed Kevin's name, I gave him the money, I signed in three different places, he signed a receipt, and he left. The package was one-fourth the size and weight I expected. I called Kevin with the good news, but while talking to him, I realized it wasn't addressed to us!!!!!
We had the wrong package!
Since I didn't recognize the name on the package, I called the guard and found out that the named individual lived in another house down the street!
Because the local carrier doesn't use the UPS tracking numbers, once they'd communicated with Kevin the afternoon before, they just assumed they were giving him the package he expected! We believe ours, indeed, was what they had attempted to deliver the day before, because the dollar amount for customs was the correct amount, but in the meantime, another package had been put on the truck, at the same address. When the truck arrived, the guard assumed it was the same package and sent him to our house!
"What are the odds," I asked myself, "in a city of four million people, that TWO packages would be sent from the United States via UPS, would be addressed to two houses in the same housing complex, and would arrive for delivery at the same time!?!?"
I will skip all the details, but after days of phone calls, both to the UPS in the United States and to the local carrier, both by Kevin and the Bible school secretary, one week later Kevin went directly to the carrier's office, returned the incorrect package and retrieved the new package.
The purpose of this blog is to give you a window into life in another culture and some of the joys, frustrations, and humor we experience in living life. I don't know if, in trying to keep this "brief", I've portrayed how complicated and interesting an experience this was! But it took Kevin bringing two cultures (US-based UPS practices/policies and Colombia operating systems) together, and showing up unannounced at the office to finally receive our package!
We are relieved that this experience was all eventually resolved, as we were looking at the definite possibility of losing the package and/or the money!
Thank you, God, for being concerned about all the details in our lives, even UPS packages!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Not Your Typical Easter Dinner!
It's unbelievable that Easter Sunday has come and gone!
Easter is one of those holidays that we can become homesick, because we miss the traditional American Christian/Evangelical church celebrations -- Easter Sunrise services, church cantatas, classic Easter hymns (such as "He Arose").
And then there's Easter dinner - ham, potatoes, green beans, eating too much, as though we didn't learn our lesson from Thanksgiving and Christmas family dinners!
When we first came to Colombia, and we realized Easter wouldn't be "typical" for us, not just in the church service, but also around the dinner table, we decided to make it feel as close to "home" as possible. Colombians do not typically eat ham they way we Americans (or at least Iowans) do. The best I could do for a ham was to buy a four-inch slice (or "chunk") of ham lunchmeat from the deli counter. I would wrap it in foil and put it in the crockpot, along with three potatoes, and then fix a quick vegetable when we got home from church. This was becoming our "typical" Easter dinner.
But this past weekend, it didn't turn out that way.
Kevin was scheduled to preach two services Easter Sunday morning. Because we'd had a busy week of ministry with visiting US pastors, he'd not had a lot of time to prepare for the sermon. Saturday, therefore, was spent mostly studying and preparing. Between needing to give him the time to do that, and the very rainy day we were having, we decided rather than going to the store to buy the "chunk" of ham, we'd just go out for lunch. After all, who said you had to have the typical Easter dinner at home?!
Resurrection Sunday finally came! Kevin preached an awesome message, with many people responding at the altar, including several first-time salvation commitments. After the second service, we discussed where we would go for lunch. Trying to think of something "different," rather than our normal favorites, we decided upon one of our pizza favorites (for those of you who know us really, really well, you know that pizza is always a hit and a unanimous decision in our family!).
So our Easter Sunday dinner ended up being 1969 Pizza ... with ham!
I got to thinking later that day how "untypical" our Easter Day had been, but then I realized...
When God raised Jesus from the grave, it became an "untypical" day, not only in Jerusalem on that first Easter Sunday, but also on the Christian calendar. I realized that God doesn't want me to have a "typical" Easter Sunday, or any Sunday for that matter!
Every Sunday should be a day to celebrate Christ's resurrection power, Christ's healing power, Christ's saving power, Christ's delivering power, all as a result of that first Resurrection Sunday over 2,000 years ago.
So next year, I don't expect we will have a "typical" Easter, but that's okay!
Easter is one of those holidays that we can become homesick, because we miss the traditional American Christian/Evangelical church celebrations -- Easter Sunrise services, church cantatas, classic Easter hymns (such as "He Arose").
And then there's Easter dinner - ham, potatoes, green beans, eating too much, as though we didn't learn our lesson from Thanksgiving and Christmas family dinners!
When we first came to Colombia, and we realized Easter wouldn't be "typical" for us, not just in the church service, but also around the dinner table, we decided to make it feel as close to "home" as possible. Colombians do not typically eat ham they way we Americans (or at least Iowans) do. The best I could do for a ham was to buy a four-inch slice (or "chunk") of ham lunchmeat from the deli counter. I would wrap it in foil and put it in the crockpot, along with three potatoes, and then fix a quick vegetable when we got home from church. This was becoming our "typical" Easter dinner.
But this past weekend, it didn't turn out that way.
Kevin was scheduled to preach two services Easter Sunday morning. Because we'd had a busy week of ministry with visiting US pastors, he'd not had a lot of time to prepare for the sermon. Saturday, therefore, was spent mostly studying and preparing. Between needing to give him the time to do that, and the very rainy day we were having, we decided rather than going to the store to buy the "chunk" of ham, we'd just go out for lunch. After all, who said you had to have the typical Easter dinner at home?!
Resurrection Sunday finally came! Kevin preached an awesome message, with many people responding at the altar, including several first-time salvation commitments. After the second service, we discussed where we would go for lunch. Trying to think of something "different," rather than our normal favorites, we decided upon one of our pizza favorites (for those of you who know us really, really well, you know that pizza is always a hit and a unanimous decision in our family!).
So our Easter Sunday dinner ended up being 1969 Pizza ... with ham!
I got to thinking later that day how "untypical" our Easter Day had been, but then I realized...
When God raised Jesus from the grave, it became an "untypical" day, not only in Jerusalem on that first Easter Sunday, but also on the Christian calendar. I realized that God doesn't want me to have a "typical" Easter Sunday, or any Sunday for that matter!
Every Sunday should be a day to celebrate Christ's resurrection power, Christ's healing power, Christ's saving power, Christ's delivering power, all as a result of that first Resurrection Sunday over 2,000 years ago.
So next year, I don't expect we will have a "typical" Easter, but that's okay!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
A Wedding in Colombia
We recently had opportunity to attend a wedding here in Medellin. Because some have asked what cultural differences there might be in the ceremony, I thought that would be a good topic to blog!
I will preface by saying these are my observations, based on the 10-12 weddings we have attended, all of which have been Christian weddings. I have no knowledge of what takes place in a non-Christian ceremony.
The bride prepares herself at home, rather than on location, and eventually arrives by taxi.
The wedding typically starts one or one and one-half hours late. It's usually blamed on the bride, who arrived late due to heavy traffic! The wedding we recently attended started just 55 minutes late, with the officiating minister arriving just 40 minutes late.
Speaking of the minister, he is not recognized in a legal capacity to unite individuals in marriage. The "legal" ceremony typically takes place the week before in front of a justice of the peace. The minister then performs the exchanges of vows and commitment before God and witnesses.
The ceremony may be held in the local church, or an auditorium or meeting hall may be rented. It is common that the location/room for the wedding will also be the location/room for the reception, and will therefore be arranged such that the guests sit at tables to watch the wedding.
It is also typical to have only two-three attendants with the bride and groomsmen with the groom, each of whom wear whatever attire they have chosen, based on a color theme. The recent wedding was the first wedding we've attended that had more continuity. All NINE of the ladies wore a black dress and black shoes they'd individually chosen, and the bride provided a dark red sash to wear around the waist. The nine men wore black suits. However, it still wasn't how we are accustomed, where the bride and groom choose the attire, the pattern, the tuxes, etc.
When the ceremony begins...
It's common to have an MC, who introduces that the ceremony is to begin and thanks everyone for coming. The bridesmaids are ushered in by the groomsmen and typically line the center aisle. The groom is accompanied by his parents to the front of the auditorium, then turn and face the back. When the bride is ready to make her entrance, the groom and his parents return to the back of the room (about two-thirds back). The bride is ushered in by her parents, and they stop in front of the groom and his parents.
The minister asks who gives the bride to the groom, to which we are accustomed, and the bride's parents respond. Then the parents present the bride to the groom; the two sets of parents greet one another; the bride and groom go to the front of the auditorium, and they sit down, facing the minister. The flower girl and ring bearer sit beside the bride and groom, respectively. The couple stays seated throughout the ceremony, until time for the vows and exchange of rings. The attendants sit with the rest of the congregation, rather than staying with the couple.
The ceremony is similar to one in the US -- a brief message by the minister, followed by the vows and exchange of rings.
Music plays a large part in the ceremony, usually with the entire church worship band and singers -- keyboard, drums, guitars, possibly other instruments, and several vocalists.
After the minister pronounces the couple as husband and wife, it is common practice that one of them sings a song to the other, or the couple sings a duet. It doesn't seem to matter what the level of talent is... It's the thought that counts!
At the conclusion of the wedding, the MC once again thanks everyone for coming and gives instructions regarding greeting the couple, reception, etc. If the auditorium was arranged in a typical "church" setting, with chairs in rows, immediately upon termination of the ceremony, the chairs are moved to the outside walls to make the space more inviting for the reception.
Whether the reception is simple or elaborate (hors d'oeuvres, cake, or dinner), it usually starts with all being served what appears to be champagne (but contains no alcohol) so that all can give a toast to the new couple.
We have never stayed to the very end of the wedding event, so I can't give you any information on how the couple leaves. Usually, because the ceremony starts late and we're tired, we excuse ourselves after we've had opportunity to congratulate the couple and the parents!
This was long, but I hope it was interesting and entertaining, to see how the wedding ceremony is similar and how it is different. Whatever the culture, it is a special time and we enjoy being a part of the celebration, as two people commit themselves and their future to God and to each other!
I will preface by saying these are my observations, based on the 10-12 weddings we have attended, all of which have been Christian weddings. I have no knowledge of what takes place in a non-Christian ceremony.
The bride prepares herself at home, rather than on location, and eventually arrives by taxi.
The wedding typically starts one or one and one-half hours late. It's usually blamed on the bride, who arrived late due to heavy traffic! The wedding we recently attended started just 55 minutes late, with the officiating minister arriving just 40 minutes late.
Speaking of the minister, he is not recognized in a legal capacity to unite individuals in marriage. The "legal" ceremony typically takes place the week before in front of a justice of the peace. The minister then performs the exchanges of vows and commitment before God and witnesses.
The ceremony may be held in the local church, or an auditorium or meeting hall may be rented. It is common that the location/room for the wedding will also be the location/room for the reception, and will therefore be arranged such that the guests sit at tables to watch the wedding.
It is also typical to have only two-three attendants with the bride and groomsmen with the groom, each of whom wear whatever attire they have chosen, based on a color theme. The recent wedding was the first wedding we've attended that had more continuity. All NINE of the ladies wore a black dress and black shoes they'd individually chosen, and the bride provided a dark red sash to wear around the waist. The nine men wore black suits. However, it still wasn't how we are accustomed, where the bride and groom choose the attire, the pattern, the tuxes, etc.
When the ceremony begins...
It's common to have an MC, who introduces that the ceremony is to begin and thanks everyone for coming. The bridesmaids are ushered in by the groomsmen and typically line the center aisle. The groom is accompanied by his parents to the front of the auditorium, then turn and face the back. When the bride is ready to make her entrance, the groom and his parents return to the back of the room (about two-thirds back). The bride is ushered in by her parents, and they stop in front of the groom and his parents.
The minister asks who gives the bride to the groom, to which we are accustomed, and the bride's parents respond. Then the parents present the bride to the groom; the two sets of parents greet one another; the bride and groom go to the front of the auditorium, and they sit down, facing the minister. The flower girl and ring bearer sit beside the bride and groom, respectively. The couple stays seated throughout the ceremony, until time for the vows and exchange of rings. The attendants sit with the rest of the congregation, rather than staying with the couple.
The ceremony is similar to one in the US -- a brief message by the minister, followed by the vows and exchange of rings.
Music plays a large part in the ceremony, usually with the entire church worship band and singers -- keyboard, drums, guitars, possibly other instruments, and several vocalists.
After the minister pronounces the couple as husband and wife, it is common practice that one of them sings a song to the other, or the couple sings a duet. It doesn't seem to matter what the level of talent is... It's the thought that counts!
At the conclusion of the wedding, the MC once again thanks everyone for coming and gives instructions regarding greeting the couple, reception, etc. If the auditorium was arranged in a typical "church" setting, with chairs in rows, immediately upon termination of the ceremony, the chairs are moved to the outside walls to make the space more inviting for the reception.
Whether the reception is simple or elaborate (hors d'oeuvres, cake, or dinner), it usually starts with all being served what appears to be champagne (but contains no alcohol) so that all can give a toast to the new couple.
We have never stayed to the very end of the wedding event, so I can't give you any information on how the couple leaves. Usually, because the ceremony starts late and we're tired, we excuse ourselves after we've had opportunity to congratulate the couple and the parents!
This was long, but I hope it was interesting and entertaining, to see how the wedding ceremony is similar and how it is different. Whatever the culture, it is a special time and we enjoy being a part of the celebration, as two people commit themselves and their future to God and to each other!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Time Flies When You're...
..."having fun" may not be the best completion of that sentence sometimes!
I can't believe it's been over three weeks since I've written! I did so well at writing weekly, but my, how the time flies...
It's been very, very busy.. hectic... confusing... frustrating..., but things, one by one, are finally coming together.
After writing about the good news of getting the house, we officially moved in December 28 (though the movers didn't bring our belongings until the 29th), and then we were unable to sleep at the house until the night of January 1 -- a good way to start off the new year!
The gas line throughout the house was bad (which the owner knew about but never resolved), so an entire new line had to be installed, meaning the kitchen was torn up and there was no hot water, gas for cooking, or gas for the dryer.
Then there has been the visa issue... Kevin spent two days last week in Bogota, trying to get our visas. We still don't having them, but are praying that today will be the day! A Colombian brother is presenting the documents once again today, with powers of attorney from us.
Then there is schooling for Christopher... When we went to register him the day before the new semester was to begin, we were told he would need to take an entrance exam because he'd been gone more than one school year. He passed that with flying colors, and he officially started his second semester as a ninth grader yesterday.
This blog may not be quite as humorous as others. There have been humorous moments, of which I am truly thankful to God! I look forward to opportunities to write more about those moments in the future! But in the meantime, I wanted to take this opportunity to catch you up on what's been happening and why I've not blogged!
Praying for humor in your day today!
I can't believe it's been over three weeks since I've written! I did so well at writing weekly, but my, how the time flies...
It's been very, very busy.. hectic... confusing... frustrating..., but things, one by one, are finally coming together.
After writing about the good news of getting the house, we officially moved in December 28 (though the movers didn't bring our belongings until the 29th), and then we were unable to sleep at the house until the night of January 1 -- a good way to start off the new year!
The gas line throughout the house was bad (which the owner knew about but never resolved), so an entire new line had to be installed, meaning the kitchen was torn up and there was no hot water, gas for cooking, or gas for the dryer.
Then there has been the visa issue... Kevin spent two days last week in Bogota, trying to get our visas. We still don't having them, but are praying that today will be the day! A Colombian brother is presenting the documents once again today, with powers of attorney from us.
Then there is schooling for Christopher... When we went to register him the day before the new semester was to begin, we were told he would need to take an entrance exam because he'd been gone more than one school year. He passed that with flying colors, and he officially started his second semester as a ninth grader yesterday.
This blog may not be quite as humorous as others. There have been humorous moments, of which I am truly thankful to God! I look forward to opportunities to write more about those moments in the future! But in the meantime, I wanted to take this opportunity to catch you up on what's been happening and why I've not blogged!
Praying for humor in your day today!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)