Today I would like to tell you about a beautiful story that has turned into a very nice project and has made many people very happy.

 

In August 2020 my friend Margie told me that she met a wonderful woman named Jane when she lived in London England and the two of them became good friends. As things sometimes work out in life when each one of them (Jane & Margie) moved back to the USA ironically they lived only a few miles apart from each other and the friendship continues even to this day.  

 

Margie asked me Ray, do you have any use for a beautiful handmade nativity set ?  My friend Jane has one and she would like to donate it someplace special as it has been a family treasure of hers for many years.  I told Margie yes I will take it but I am not sure where the Nativity set will go and another problem is that all mail to India because of Covid 19 has been suspended and that I can not ship anything right now. Margie said to me that’s ok Ray, I will get the Nativity set from Jane and store it at my house  and when you are ready you can come and get it. 

 

As all of you know 2020 was a horrible year for everyone Covid was everywhere and everything was shut down including international mails. Every day I checked the post office web site to see if sending boxes was allowed to travel to India . 

 

Then one day It said the service will be interrupted and delayed but you are now allowed to ship to India but that it is very limited. 

 

In early Jan 2021 after the holidays I picked up the Nativity set from Margie.  This was the first time that I had seen the Nativity set. It was  beautiful and huge. I knew that it was very delicate and would have to be packed up very special to withstand the handling of transportation of Airlines, Trucks, Trains, and Car to get the Nativity set to the Daughters of the Cross Sisters in Rourkela Orissa India.

 

My wife Patty and I worked very hard one day packing the Nativity set up with lots of cardboard, bubble wrap and tape. 

 

When I went to the post office with the box I knew in my heart that God would have to help me get this special gift to the Sisters and children as I did not want it lost or broken. 

 

I thought that it would take a few months or more for the Nativity set to arrive in India, but to my surprise it arrived in about 6 weeks in early March 2021. 

 

The box went from New Hampshire to New York to Dubai to New Delhi to Kolkata  then on to Rourkela by train where it was then shipped by car to Jashpur India to a small village Convent where the Daughters of the Cross Sisters are looking after many young girls going to school each day.

 

The unopened Nativity box was delivered to the Convent two weeks ago personally by the head provincial Sister, Sister Anupama. She gave the Nativity box to Sister Mary for the Convent. This Convent is new and the Sisters have very little so it is very much appreciated and welcome.