Publishing a Newsletter on the Road

This wasn’t the first time we published a newsletter on the road.  Last time we were in Ontario we did it too, but that time we were a lot more settled, and actually brought along our printer and did the whole production ourselves.

This time, things were a little more fun.

We started by printing what we could before leaving Mexico – green response cards, updated Ministry Vision brochures, and envelopes.  Those we printed in the spring and took with us.

With the help of our friend Davíd Gomez, we had our picture taken in front of our house here in Ixtapaluca in May.  The picture was sent to Dallas, where Alfie Pfeifer at the CAM International Communications Department processed it and had it made into prayer cards (at SAMS Club, I think).  Thanks, Alfie!  These cards we picked up on our way through in Dallas.

So far so good.

This time we had no printer with us, so I decided to go to an unnamed but major office supply store.  This was tricky, because we weren’t really in one place long enough to get this done.

So, one day we travelling through Waterloo, Ontario.  So I dropped off the newsletter to be printed (made one fix on the fly – typo) and also ordered some envelopes (the ones enclosed in our letter).

Those little envelopes enclosed are a size we can’t get in Mexico.  But I had a template, exactly the way I wanted it.  The unnamed office supply store actually had to outsource the envelopes, so it would take 2 days to complete.

That day we were at the home of some friends in Lasalle, Ontario.  I had a small quantity of envelopes that were supposed to have the CAM USA address on them.  Since the office store only did large quantities, I only ordered the envelopes with the Canadian address.  Our good friends let me print out the CAM USA envelopes at their house!  Thanks, Gary and Kim!

Then I got a call… in the carwash (had to get them to hold until I got through the car dryer).

It was the unnamed office supply store.  They had lost my newsletter file.  Could I email them another one?

Well, no – I had no internet access… at least, not in the carwash.  But I would have something by the evening, so I managed to send the file in time.

But how was I to pick everything up?  Fortunately, we were visiting friends on Friday in St. Jacob, just north of Waterloo.  I stopped by then to pick up the goods.

But alas.

The unnamed office supply store and the outsource place didn’t print the envelopes right.  Instead of using my template, they went for something totally different – and something totally useless to me!

Refund – and I bought some blank envelopes.  That’s why most of you ended up with blank response envelopes.  Sorry about that.  I know you’re capable of writing the address on yourself – just trying to be professional.

This was the night before our holidays.  I found a postal outlet, bought stamps, and we stayed up late putting it all together.  Shari’s Aunt Elaine was a big help – thanks Aunt Elaine!  🙂

We got them all done, and as we drove to camp the next day we swung by a post office and put them all in the mail box (except a few that needed changes of address that we had missed, and so on).

Normally I consider writing and sending a newsletter about a day’s work.  This one, obviously, was special!  But it was actually kind of fun too.  And it’s fun to see all your names, and think of you, and sometimes we pray for you while we get your letter ready!

And now you know how you got that one!  😉

And next time, I’m going to Office Depot.