The Little Bugger and a Fed Ex package

As you may have heard, Rebekah got a little bugger a few weeks ago in the CCM (MTC in Guatemala) and it has wiped her out. She is still recovering but continues to work hard and is loving her mission. I thought some of you with missionaries going to Guatemala or elsewhere may be interested in hearing about my efforts to send a package of vitamins to Rebekah. We just felt like she was not thriving so well on a diet of mostly beans, rice and tortilla shells, (although she LOVES them, she misses spinach and fruit smoothies). With her intestines being torn and so forth, we felt it so necessary to send her some vitamins and a few supplements asap so she can get her strength up. Well, we "Express" mailed it via Fed Ex. We had sent a package to the CCM by US post and it got there with no problem. (To the CCM) But we've heard that it's safest to send things to Guagemala by private carrier so we sent the second package using Fed Ex. When the Fed Ex carrier picked up this second package, she neglected to mention that Fed Ex does not deliver to Quetzaltenango, (the second largest city in Guatemala and where the Mission Home is.) She was actually supposed to tell me that, but somehow, well. . . Anyway, we sent the package and I faithfully tracked it every 6 hours or so. After about 4 days it made it to Guatemala City, where they received it and suddenly the tracking said "Holding, Recipient Not In Fed Ex Delivery Area" I called Fed Ex to find out what that was about and they said that the recipients had to pick up the package at their facility in Guatemala City (a four hour treacherous drive and not possible for a missionary.) Not only that, but she had to pay $40.00 American money in taxes and fees. (Why this package and not the other one I can only guess-with the other package we had no problems) Oh, and they said if we did not pick up the package by the 21st it would be "destroyed" Hmmmmmm..... So, I ended up CREATING AN ACCOUNT with Fed Ex, so that I could pay those fees. (I've heard they will charge me even more money for every day that the package is being held) And out of desperation I asked them if they would deliver the package to the CCM. I am hoping and praying that some missionary there, who is headed to Quetzaltenango will have mercy on her and bring her the package. I will be sending her other "supplements" (OK, Mother's Taffy Cookies-which are her favorite) soon and I am wondering the best way to do that. I know missionaries get packages there, so. . . (to be continued) p.s. The moral of this story is: If you are sending a missionary to Guatemala, or other such place, you may want to stock them with vitamins and supplements before they leave the US.