Sundrop!

They have Sundrop in Rwanda! Just kidding! I sure wish they did though. But I did get a package from home complete with Sundrop, Chex Mix, and Cheez-Its! I waited for quite a while for this special package, and I have to tell you the story! So, I've figured out that the postal system here, although not as blatantly corrupt as the postal service in Kenya, they still have their discreet ways of getting what they want! It's supposed to take a little under one month for a package to arrive from the States. Well, I had been waiting for this special one since the first week of September when it was mailed. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Each week, when our headmaster's wife would come from the post office with a box, I kept thinking it would be my lucky day because I've waited long enough. Nope, not my box. And then I heard stories of missionaries saying they are still waiting on boxes to arrive that were sent last January and last April! Suddenly I didn't feel like complaining anymore. But I did know that there would be contact solution coming in this box, and I desperately needed some, so I wasn't going to lose hope.

We figured out that theres this great big ledger notebook at the post office where they manually write down every single package that arrives in the country. People said that theres a chance if you go down there, they will let you scan through the book, and try to find your name and package. So I went. It started off too well...the man spoke nice English...he was kind and apologized and gladly gave me the book to start thumbing through. Thankfully it only took me about 10-15 minutes to find my name! I jumped for joy! It's me, It's me! Do you have my package? He then sends another man back to this big "package" room. I wait. He brings out a package for a Dutch man. Then a package for a Japanese lady. Then two other boxes for other random people, before I got impatient and asked if I could go back there with him to find my package. He said sure. So I go in this giant room, with absolutely no organization, boxes stacked everywhere and all over the floor, and I start hunting. I notice that it's odd that ALL these boxes are large priority boxes, and most are from the U.S. Hmmm...interesting. There was not even one small box. So finally after only 20 minutes of seraching, I find it! It had a thick layer of dust on it, but thankfully it was intact and hadn't been opened. In the process, I found boxes for 2 missionaries I know that had been waiting since April and July! Crazy! So I take my box out there and sign the paper, and start to walk out.

Thats when things get ugly. The man stops me, and sends another person to guard/block the door. Then, with a sly look on his face, demands that I pay him a "storage" fee of 10,000...which is about $20. I laughed in his face, and told him in Swahili and English that I wasn't paying a bribe, I knew my rights, and I was leaving with my box. They blocked the door. I got firmer and firmer. My face and neck started turning red like it does and I told him how bad he was and that he better let me go now with my box. He started grabbing the box from me. I grabbed it back. We played "tug of war" for a few seconds, then he won and he laughed and said he was hiding my box until I paid the money. He laughed and said, ok, just pay 5,000. I said I refuse to pay any bribe. Let me go. Then I was starting to get so mad a couple tears were coming down. Then I called my headmaster who lives around the corner, and his wife said she would come up there to help. It was almost closing time. They said I had to leave. I said I won't leave until you give me my package. They started to push me out and close the door. I pushed my way back in. They called for their guard with his AK-47 to come and intervene. I said give me my box and I'll leave. Then thankfully, Roberta showed up. They know her and see her face every week. As soon as they saw her, and knew she was the headmaster's wife, they said, ok, just pay us 570, which is $1. We paid it and they brought my box back out from hiding. I was still so angry and red, and just glad to have Roberta there to help at just the right time. It was another fun day at a foreign post office. But it did bring me much joy being able to tell Nicole and others that I actually saw their boxes! Yes! They are there! And I drew them a map of the box room to navigate through and successfully advocate for their packages. Ah, Africa. I love it! All of it! :-) And the Sundrop tasted just as sweet as it would have in September.