Boxes!

When we moved to Ecuador we decided that we'd like to bring a little more stuff with us then we did to Brazil. One is because we now have kids and we wanted to bring some of their special toys, books and so on. And two is because there were a few times when in Brazil that we wished we had brought other things with us. So instead of paying extreme amounts of money to add a luggage to the trip, we decided to mail us our stuff here so that when we got here, they would arrive soon after.
However, now after being here two months and not getting our boxes when we thought we would, I sometimes wonder if it would have been easier and cheaper to just have brought the stuff as extra luggage. We sent four boxes of stuff here and only received one, which as it turns out was the one we expected to arrive last. All the others were stopped at the customs at the post office in Quito. Turns out that they supposedly were all overweight and couldn't be shipped to Cuenca. So we were asked to fill out some paperwork and bring it to Quito.
Two weeks ago we went to Quito with everything that they had asked us for but then we were told they needed other paperwork to show that we are staying in Ecuador for a long time. Well, we thought we had done everything during that week we were in Quito, even extending our trip because we thought that we were going to get the boxes yet returned to Cuenca without them. Unfortunately, they asked for one more piece of paperwork and gave us till the 19th to comply or we wouldn't get our boxes ever or even get them sent back to Canada. We even discovered that technically two of the three boxes were not overweight but because they arrived on the same day and on the same plane, those two boxes were joined together making them overweight. It was a very frustrating week and very hard on the kids as we spent numerous hours at the post office in Quito with nothing to show for it.
These past two weeks that we have been back in Cuenca, we have been trying to get our paperwork done and finally sent it to the Representative of the customs in Quito on Wednesday. Today, Travis was able to talk to someone in the post office who got in touch with the representative, who told him that they were unable to confirm with the customs if the paperwork is enough to get our boxes. So again we wait to find out if we can get our boxes. Monday, Travis is supposed to go back to the Post Office to find out if this last paperwork we got done is enough and then we would head back to Quito to pick up our boxes. This time we won't bring the kids as one they are now in school and two we don't want to get there and for the customs to say no and then have one more thing to do when we get there.
The main thing that we have in those boxes are the books and notes that Travis needs for the work that we will do here. As well, they contain some sentimental items from both Canada and Brazil to help us remember those special places and to also remind our kids where they were born. If it weren't for those two main things, we would be tempted not to even worry about the boxes but in lots of ways we really want to keep those things, we don't own a lot but the things we do own mean a lot to us.
So please be in prayer that God will work in the hearts of those who make the decisions about releasing our boxes and let them be happy with everything that we have provided to prove we plan to stay here for many years. Please be in prayer that Monday brings good news that we can go get our boxes and that we have a safe trip to Quito and back.