By guest columnist Amy Crofford
Question: What was the best thing that you've ever gotten in the mail while on the field?
-- Sarah Handley, student, Southern Nazarene University, United States
Response: We have had many incredible districts care for us through the LINKS (Loving, Interested Nazarenes Knowing and Sharing) program from Nazarene Missions International (NMI).
The picture (left) shows the LINKS haul we received on one wonderful Wednesday in Bénin. (Thank you, Indianapolis.) The table is loaded down with M&M's, chips, crafts, videos and more. One box had eight packages of Oreos! We did not get this much every week, but the packages always seemed to come when we needed them most.
One Christmas package full of hard, wrapped candies was delayed. But, God’s timing is perfect. It arrived just in time for us to stuff the candy in our Cinco de Mayo piñata. We were able to share the blessing with all the missionary kids. (Thank you, Upstate New York.) That was a good thing.
How about the colorful shirts and leis from Hawaii? Our boys went to French schools, but many nationalities were represented in the student body. A few times a year the school would have a day to celebrate the national heritage of the students. What could our boys do? American clothes are not that distinctive, comparatively. Cowboy outfits get sweaty in over 100 degree heat. After that package arrived, they happily wore shorts, sandals, Hawaiian-print shirts and leis, proudly saying, “We’re American!” (Thank you, Hawaii.) That was a good thing.
Microwave popcorn was a treat! One church sent us a full-term supply. Later when we did a deputation trip there, they gave us even more. That yummy taste of home built a lasting link between us. (Thank you, Dallas.) That was a good thing.
Books and videos are always a good gift. In our family everyone likes to read. When we lived in a non-English speaking country, we cherished our English books. We read them over and over. (Thanks, Mom!) That was a good thing.
One furlough we travelled from New York to Seattle and made several stops in between. As we drove, we stopped at thrift stores to buy books. When we finished them, usually we would donate those books and buy new ones. Some books, quite a few actually, were keepers. Our car was filled to the brim. The boys could not see each other in the back seat because of the stuff piled between them. We left the books in Seattle and they were mailed to us in Côte d’Ivoire later. (Thank you, Washington-Pacific). We loved it.
One district began with us as missionaries in Benin, then missionaries-in-residence at Northwest Nazarene University and finally as missionaries in Haiti. Eventually all the packages did find us. The DVD Santa Claus Conquers the Martians still makes us groan and laugh. When we evacuated, it definitely got tucked in with the things we took. (Thank you, South Carolina.) Laughter is a good thing.
So many churches and children’s churches sent cards, letters, pictures, stickers and crayons. Showing your care and interest in us is a very good thing.
Not to mention the Christmas fruitcake (you know who you are).
The question narrows it down to the best thing we received. The best thing is something that we still get through the mail, but more often now through e-mail and Facebook. It is a simple heartfelt phrase: We are praying for you.
-- Amy Crofford and her husband, Greg, have served as missionaries in Côte d'Ivoire, Bénin, Haiti and now Kenya. Amy is on staff at Nazarene Theological Institute, and also serves as assistant editor, Africa, for Engage magazine.