David Ford's Blog

The Apostle and Chinese Hijackers

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

When I first started writing this a few days ago, I looked out on trees like those in a Tarzan film. We were starting our journey to Scotland for Christmas and part of the routine is to get a couple of days’ break at a hotel near the airport. Medellín’s Black River international airport is an hour from the city, in a 7000ft warm Andean valley.

Today’s missionary faces hazards that would have taxed the Apostle’s brilliant mind. Not only those of air-born travel, but of internet-born messages. As some of you discovered, our email address book and account were hijacked last week by online sellers in China. What was surprising was that some of you believed that I was recommending buying from them, and perhaps someone can explain to me why it was North Americans who thought this.

The canny Scots, of course, sussed a bad deal immediately - the prize response must go to Bill Mitchell, with his reply:

Dear David and Olwen,
I am much thanking you for your sharing kindness. Half you a mootorcycle from ynchenchi bought?
Un abrazo,
Bill.

We’ve now arrived in Lenzie; I look out on leafless trees, but the Scots have found a good deal in the bags, belts and aprons that Olwen’s brought from ‘Zero Stress’. In a couple of days, £950 of them have been sold - which will keep colleagues employed in Colombia, and the Apostle would appreciate the work ethic.

Picture: Hotel kitchen staff during a fire drill