Sending Packages
Friends have asked how to send packages and we do need some items that we can't obtain in Africa. Write us to ask what we need most or see the suggestions below.
Here's information about how to send things:
Find Out about our mission field
All packages: It is best to record the package number or tracking number of any package you send. Sometimes it takes months for packages to get to us and if you can send us the tracking number the post office here may be able to find it sooner.
Packages in envelopes
We
can receive 6 by 9 inch or 9 by 13 inch envelopes duty free at any time as
long as the weight is under two pounds. An envelope under two pounds sent
by airmail costs about four dollars to send.
It’s
best to send things via AIR MAIL rather than by surface mail. This speeds
up mailing time, often by months.
Write
“N.C.V” on the envelope. This stand for “No Commercial Value” and
will help us not have to pay customs on anything.
To
send things to Sarah, her school has instructed that she receive things in
only “flat rate envelopes” whatever that is. And write N. C. V. on
them too. Sarah’s address is below.
Packages in boxes
We usually have to pay customs duty on packages that are sent to us. These duties are sometimes more expensive than the value of the item that is sent. So it is best to avoid sending a large box unless you are also able to send a gift to help pay the customs charges. Also, sometimes we know of a missionary container that is on its way to Zambia. If so, we can let you know where to send your package to be placed on the container and then it will arrive to us duty free. In short, its best to correspond with us about sending a package. Let us know you are sending it and after it arrives we can let you know if there are any significant charges.
There is also, something called a “flat rate box” in which we’ve heard you pay about $37 to send a rectangular cardboard box that the post office supplies and no matter what the weight or contents it gets through at that rate.
Sending Books
To send us a good number of books find out from the Post Office about sending them through a special book rate, perhaps in a mailbag.
hipping ContainersS
To send very large items or many things we can sometimes contact a ministry that is sending over a large metal shipping container. These containers are either 20 feet or 40 feet long. It can take over a year for items sent to us in container to reach us.
What can you send?
That’s a good question. We have a list of items that we need but can't purchase here. We'd be glad to email you an updated list or you can click here to access a list: List of specific things needed.
Here’s some ideas of things that are always welcome:
. Good cassette tapes or CDs from your church services
. Christian books
. Christian music on cassettes or CDs
. Videos or DVDs. (We have an American system VCR
and DVD player.)
Write and ask us if you’d like more ideas or if you would like to know what type of music or video one of us would prefer.
Here’s the address to send things to:
Ken & Sue Sawka
Postnet Box 373
P/Bag E891 Manda Hill
Lusaka, Zambia
For
Sarah:
“I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me...They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable to God and pleases Him.”
(Philippians 4:18)
Family News About us Prayer and Prayer letters
How to Contact us Response Page Take a Missions Test