From Florida - to us!

The first box, shown above, contained pillowcases and stuffed animals! That immediately takes a whole lot of pressure off of me to get pillowcases finished! What a blessing. I think the Lord had his finger on that box and steered that one our way - FIRST.

Let me go back.

A courier guy (TNT) had called my husband and told him that he had a box for him! He agreed to go meet him.

Mike and I had thought it was for one of the people staying at the church who were currently gone to Ukraine, but when Mike got home he opened the door and told me, “I will need some help with the box.”

When I walked outside and saw the size of the box I asked him, “Is it furniture?” He just answered, “I don’t know.” Then I walked out to it and said, “Oh look, here’s a little place to put your finger" and I pushed in a little thingy on the side of the box. My husband then said, “Did you notice that it is a U-Haul Box?” I hadn’t particularly. I HAD noticed it was HUGE, though.

Then I saw it - and asked, “Is it one of OUR boxes? Seriously? I thought you said it was for one of the people at the church!”

(I had been wondering why we had to bring it into the house if it was for them - as they are away for a couple of days.) I had thought it could just stay in the truck.

I was so excited, I couldn’t believe it! We got it inside using our hand truck. I mean, this thing was over 100 lbs! When I opened it I found out that it was pillowcases - LOTS of them - and a few stuffed animals.

Then, a few minutes later, after my husband told me he didn’t feel very well but needed to get back to the church since he had left the gate open. I told him to go lie down and I would take some things out of the living room and get the gate - after all, if boxes were going to start coming, well, the living room stuff had better move along.

So, I grabbed the duvet sets and covers and put them in the van and drove to church to put them in the garage where they are supposed to go with the next load out of here. I went into the church to get the garage key (where we are keeping stuff) and it wasn’t in the spot where it was supposed to be!

I called my husband said that I was irritated that the key wasn’t where it was supposed to be!

He then confessed to me that it was his fault - but he hadn’t felt well enough to go up the steps and put it way so he just had it in his truck - but not that day - it was yesterday. So, after saying, “Oh okay - then I guess I can’t be irritated with our guests - it’s not their fault. I’ll come back home and get it and just come right back”.

I had just wanted to get that little task done!

I left the gate open since I would be back in 15-20 min or so. I came home, grabbed a drink and the key to the garage and said “hi” to my husband and got back in the van and went back.

When I drove back into the church property- as I was driving through the gate, I saw a white van with the back door open on the asphalt in the yard! There was a young man walking to the door of the church building - which was locked.

I was shocked. A box lying on its side in the white van with the door open looked just like the other one that we had just gotten!

I piled out of the van and said, “Hello”.

I asked him if he was Fed Ex. Yes. Was he looking for Michael Petersen? Yes.

I told him that was my husband’s name.

In the end, I did have to pay something - some sort of VAT tax - to get it. (About $35.) But thankfully I had it on me. I asked him if he would help me put the box in the back of my van. But first I had to scramble to get enough stuff out the back to make room for the box as I hadn’t unloaded yet, obviously. I asked this guy about the TNT courier that had already delivered one. He said they are a company that works with FedEx.

The young man backed his van up to the back end of the minivan and transferred it from his vehicle to mine. He didn’t actually need my help! I then gave him my husband’s phone number for future packages as he didn’t have it.

After he drove off, I was able to move the stuff I brought with me to the garage.

I then called my husband to tell him the story! It was simply amazing to me how the Lord worked that out perfectly! The timing. The fact that I had had to go home to get the key because it wasn’t where it was supposed to be - my desire to get this little project ‘done’ so I quickly went back to the church and arrived back at the exact time he had just gotten there. It was amazing.

I was stunned at how God had made that happen. Perfectly.

Normally I’d say, “Well, the guy could have called and we’d meet him like the ‘other’ courier” - but he didn’t have my husband’s phone number! He had no contact info.

I came home after making a few stops.

A bit later, Rachael told me via chat that we were expecting three boxes today - so after dinner Mike went back to the church and worked on his trailer - he’s making it more waterproof.

But no one else showed up. We did not get a third box.

I came upstairs to the computer and started working on sending some forms customs wanted— for some of the other boxes. Hopefully they will get released soon.

However, it was wonderful that I was able to open these two boxes by myself, and evaluate what I have. Rachael has asked me to take inventory and keep track as we go along.

So I did.

I unpacked those pillowcases and counted (364) and pulled out the quilts and blankets and counted!

Then I began to feel overwhelmed. So much work. So much love. You all are just wonderful!

In this one box we had 28 lap quilts - mostly - and 2 baby quilts. Also 12 fleece blankets and one ‘other’. We also had 11 pillowcases!

I just left it all there and let it all just soak in - I wanted to just look at what was here.

I wanted to deal with everything in the morning!

And so I did.

I went to bed.

To be continued! :)

As a side note - when I went to buy some food for one of the Ukrainian groups we are helping, I explained to the lady at the wholesale place that my husband hurt himself and needed to see a doctor, but we weren’t sure where to go. She told me of a very good one who is local. I called my husband and he went to see him almost immediately and got an appointment for Monday!

Thank you again for coming along on this journey!

Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store here!

Here’s one of the beauties we have!