Thank Goodness for Positive Changes

When we arrived in Chuuk, the FSM Postal service office was here.  Kind of a rough look'in place in side, very hot, dark and dusty from the roads.  There really was very little organization and a lot of packages got lost. 

We thought it was a little crazy but wait . . . it is going to get even funnier.  One day we were driving by and someone was taking the Post office sign off the building, we were like, huh?  Wonder if they are getting ready to paint it or something?  Nope - they were moving only they didn't tell anyone.  It took us all about 1 week to find the new location.

Yup, this is the place - This place made the last place look like an amazing beautiful palace.  This building was the hottest place we ever saw, it was like a sauna sometimes. They had a fan on but it only rotated the hot air.  The poor postal workers were always sweating big drops.

For packages they had to go up steep stairs, they had NO organization what so ever, it was completely crazy.  We felt so bad for these workers.  They also had to get everyone's mail.  There were NO mail boxes here.  This place was always busy - you would walk in, write your box number down on a clipboard and wait until one of the postal workers was available.  Sometimes it seemed like you had to wait for hours to know if you had mail or not.  If you had to pickup packages it could be even longer because they would have to locate them.  We really are not exaggerating.  This was totally insane and the busiest post office we have ever seen.  Many of the people here have relatives who send them large boxes of stuff all the time so there was always a line up.

Oh what a great wonderful day when the brand new post office opened in Chuuk. Air conditioning, clean and postal boxes. The last post office killed off one of the workers we think because he did not come to this one.  He was pretty old and we don't know how he did it for as long as he did at the old one.

This is Johnson and he normally never smiles.  Most times he seems kinda ornery, but today he had a new haircut and Sister Tiffany told him it looked nice, thanked him for his help, then asked if we could take his picture.  He was very nice to us and said Yes.  He is also very happy with the new Post Office.  Even though we have a new post office and things are not getting lost, you still should tape up your packages really well.  

 Again folks, remember to put a letter in that package.  There is always room for the news from back home even if its about the lawn dying or the dogs that bark next door.  Missionaries all want to hear about whats going on back home.

This is an example of how you can make sure it will not get smashed or broken into.  Remember it has a long ways to come. It's a loooonnnnggg journey.  Keep in mind it is hot and humid here, don't mail any parishables, or things that can melt.  If you are interested in great things to mail your missionary, check out the list we put together back in August 2012.  The list would work probably for all the missionaries serving on Chuuk, Yap and Kosrae because  they are the most primitive.