Post office boxes and policemen

YAY!! We are so excited to FINALLY have a p.o. box!! There is so much paperwork here just to get a p.o. box. Lines to stand in, photos to take, photo ids to copy. Then come back a week later and stand in line again. And pay some money. And come back again and pay a little more money and finally get your key!!

Oh and Scott almost got arrested!!! No kidding!! As he waited in line he noticed a sign of things not to send via the Ugandan post office. One of the items was particulaly humorous along with the photo of the item, and Scott asked the women at the counter if he could have a copy of what not to mail. She said she had no copies to give so he took out his phone and took a picture of it. About 2 seconds later a security guard approached him asking him what he was doing. About 2 seconds after that 2 Ugandan policemen in full camo and armed with AK47s asked him the same question while escorting him to the "little room" in the back. They asked him why was he taking pictures in the post office. Who did he send the pictures to?, Was he working with Al Shabaab? (an Islamic terrorist cell in Uganda) Where was his passport? For those of you that know Scott, you know that he usually deals with stressful situations by making jokes to lighten the mood. Well, common sense got the best of him and he decided this was not the time to practice his terrorism one-liners. The policemen took turns leaving the room to make and answer phone calls for about thirty minutes. Scott showed them all of the pictures on his phone, showed that he had not sent pictures to anyone, then deleted the ones he took in the post office. In his denial of knowing anything of Al Shabaab, they pointed at Scott's beard assuming he was Muslim (about the 8th time since moving here that Scott had been mistaken for a Muslim, as men in Uganda don't have facial hair except for Muslim men). They finally agreed that Scott was not a terrorist and was telling the truth then explained that taking pictures of any state building, inside or out, is cause for immediate arrest and jail on suspicion of terrorism (good thing to know). Later that day Scott shaved.

ANYWAY....all that to say, we have a post office box! Now before you rush out and start mailing us things :) let me tell you a few guidelines for mailing stuff to Uganda:

1. The mailing address must be addressed to Brian Scott Rackley (not Scott Rackley, not the Rackley family, or even Kelly Rackley...Brian Scott Rackley).

2. From America you have to fill out a customs form saying what's in the box and what its value is. Here's the catch....the total value cannot be more than $49 or we have to pay INCREDIBLY HIGH taxes on it (like if the total on the customs form is $150...we have to pay $150 or more to be able to take the box home with us). So what are your options? Either list the items at Goodwill prices or divide the shipment into several boxes (with each box's total not being more than $49)

3. No sending electronic items (we pay high import taxes on those) or any type of pork product (there goes those pork rinds I love so much!! ha!ha!)

I think that's it! Pretty simple, right? The people at the post office should be able to help you find the right size box and the cheapest price. We tried looking online, just to get an idea....but it's probably easier to just go in and ask.

So what's our mailing address?

Brian Scott Rackley

PO Box 33064

Kampala, Uganda

Africa

What would we like to have sent? I've mentioned some specific things to several people...but here are a few items that we just can't get too much of:

rice krispie treats

reeses mini pb cups

reeses pieces and pb m&ms

milky ways and three musketeers (snack size)

extra fruit flavored gum

bubble gum

gummy worms (sour and not sour)...we sound like such junk food junkies! (grin!)

children's books (paperbacks are totally fine!)

Top Ramen chicken flavored noodles (not the soup cups)

Creamy peanut butter (in a plastic jar...Jif and Peter Pan are completely fine!)

coloring books

inexpensive children's computer software (you know the kind that are $5 or less?) Kindergarten and preK level

Oh yes....I forgot...mosquito wipes!!!

Thank you so much to everyone who's praying for us, supporting us financially, sending up facebook messages or emails! We appreciate you SO much!