You Can't Imagine What it Means

I love how technology has enhanced communication.  Email, a virtual classroom, and an internet accessible database allowed me to work from home in California.  It was the best "outside the home" job I've ever had.  I loved it!  The kids used to ask me why I played on the computer so much.  I guess I was just "playing" and getting paid for it, too. 

Now this blog gives me the opportunity to publish magazine quality color print without a huge printer, paper, and postage.  I still remember the cut and paste newspaper days in college.  What an improvement!

But there's something very special about holding an actual letter in my hand from one of you.  Thank you for sending Christmas cards and notes throughout the year.  Your tangible support is always timely and reminds us that we are simply an extension of our church family at home.  Those letters create a physical link between the U.S. and Uruguay that nothing in technology has been able to replicate. 

The packages with birthday gifts and candy are also amazing expressions of love.  Birthdays and holidays usually make us wonder what in the world we were thinking when we moved here.  We start to feel like we relocated to a different planet.  There's a reason why they're called "care packages"!

Please forgive me for my slowness in gratefully responding with pen and paper.  As much as I appreciate and enjoy the hand written word, my efforts to rummage up writing paper, a pen that works, an envelope, correct postage, and a place to mail the letter all feel as clumsy and time consuming as getting out a horse and wagon to go into town. 

 

In Uruguay, some people still use a horse and wagon to take a trip into town.

When I worked in California, my job required a 24 hr response time to emails and phone calls.  I still try to follow that policy in my personal correspondence, but when it comes to snail mail, I'm slower than a snail!  I have no excuses, and I will try to improve. 

While you're waiting for an envelope to arrive with Uruguayan postage in the corner, you're welcome to shoot me an email or call our U.S. number (that gets rerouted to our phone here through the internet - of course).  If you call and we're not home, your message will be sent to my email inbox where I can listen to it.  And you should hear back from me within 24 hours!