Mail and Cargo

My first mail run to the airport.

First for those who don't know-our mail is sent to a hanger in Florida-Missionary Flights International. The nice people there sort it into mission 'Units'. Then it is put on a plane for either Cap Haitian or Port-au-Prince. Once or twice a week a flight is made to deliver the mail.

Here is one of the planes.

As we live out of town we only have mail delivered once a week -Tuesday. If we don't need to met the plane for packages, Cory can pick up the mail at the home of missionaries next to the school.

This week we had 105 pounds of cargo so we went to met the plane. First, the airport is small. The drive is circular with parking around the narrow median. Then you go through a gate and then pass through a glass door into the building. Inside there were bathrooms to the left, as well as a wall that separated the room. We are in the smaller part of the room. Ahead of us was a glass door and beyond that the plane sitting on the runway. To the right of the front door is a opening that smaller packages can pass though.

Both MFI planes had just come in so we visited with a team from Maine while we waited. One of the staff takes the mail bags around to the front so I went back outside to get our mail. The different missions all have letters and a Unit number on our addresses. The letters were called out. WMPM [Wesleyan Mission Port Margo] is what I listened for. Our pile was bigger than normal as we had asked for our mail to be held in Florida during our stay on LaGonave. I headed inside only to be sent back out by Cory for the manifest-the list of our packages and the weight of each. Oops.

With list in hand I went back in and waited while Cory took our 4 packages to the larger section of the room behind the wall. I almost missed our smaller packages until I heard Cory's name called for the 3-4th time and realized that I should go get the smaller packages being handed in thought the opening by the front door. I'll learn.

Two story control tower but didn't see any people around or in the tower so not sure if it is currently being used.

Dad and Gene had packed a box with tools that weighted 88 pounds-and we knew that they would open that one. The smaller Christmas boxes from Cory's family didn't interest them. Once they saw the top half of the tool box [and some goodies and sweatshirts for packing] they set a customs fee. Cory entered a room right next to the location they check the boxes. Once he paid we were on our way.