Money Matters- 11/16/06

Alright this is something we are just going to put out there for everyone’s information. We aren’t soliciting for money in any way, but Christmas is coming, and in the past we have received checks as gifts from family, so we wanted everyone to be familiar with how best to send us money during this Holiday Season.

So far we have received several checks from friends and family and we have appreciated them very much. However, dealing with checks is a bit frustrating here, as the good ol’ Blue Creek Credit Union isn’t an actual legitimate Credit Union at all, but more of a “Mennonite Money Storage and Supplier,” so it took them two months to verify funds on our last check and deposit the money into our “account.” If you have already sent us checks for Christmas, thank you so much for thinking of us, don’t think it will go unappreciated. It will just mean we can have a little extra money when Valentine’s Day rolls around!

I asked the manager of the “Credit Union” if we could deposit Cashier’s Checks for guaranteed cash, but they did not know what a Cashier’s Check or Money Order was. After explaining to her what it was, she calmly explained it would still have to go through the regular verification process. For those of you who just have to know, this means the check goes from Blue Creek to Orange Walk, Belize. From there it is shipped up to Canada-yes, Canada- and then, to whichever state in the US the check is originally from, before clearing your account and being verified by the Canadian bank and deposited to the bank in Orange Walk. Then, someone from Blue Creek has to travel to Orange Walk and look at the deposit receipts to see if our deposit is on it, then we get our money. Oh yeah, that’s not a frustrating process at all. In the end, your check has traveled more than the Israelites, who wandered in the desert for 40 years.

The best ways we know to receive money are three ways that seem risky, but really are the most convenient for us. One, is to send a check, but leave the “to” line blank. That way we can just write it over to one of the 30 businessmen in Blue Creek who go to the States every month—they will give us cash for it and they will deposit it in their own account on their own time. But knowing everything that is involved, I wouldn’t want my checks traveling all over the world. So, the other way is to send a Traveler’s Check-- also not written out to anyone. This way we can just cash it at the “Credit Union.” But, if it’s written out to us, for some reason, it would have to go through that silly verification process. Don’t ask me why, I know that doesn’t make sense, but remember, it’s not a real bank. Finally, the last way to bless us this Holiday season with a gift of money is to just send cash. I know, I know, this is sooo risky as cards are often opened in Belize, just for the sole purpose of checking for money. However, if you were to send it disguised somehow- Auntie Reda and Mom have proven they are very good at this- it may work. Plus, we have gotten many cards and none of them seem to have been opened at all.

It feels a little odd to be writing so forwardly about money, it seems so presumptuous, but I just thought it was an important base to cover. Everyone has continued to be so supportive of us through e-mails, packages, cards, comments on our blog, and letters. We appreciate each word from home. Even though we are having an amazing time here, we miss each of you!