Contact Us

The best way to reach us is by email

Our work email accounts will not incur any cost for us, so please use this address:

tina_weber@wycliffe.org

Skype Name:

tinmarweb

Foreign mailing address:

Joel and Tina Weber
PO Box 1 (233)
Ukarumpa, EHP 444
Papua New Guinea
*(do not abbreviate Papua New Guinea)*

*PLEASE SEE THE TIPS/NOTES BELOW ABOUT SENDING US MAIL*

For those who have asked, here are our special days:

Joel & Tina's anniversary: June 16th, 2001
Tina's birthday: March 5th, 1971
Joel's birthday: August 9th, 1970
Elijah's birthday: September 6th, 2005

Phone:

+675 7302-5198

Our permanent U.S. mailing address:
c/o Mark Boland
2347 Oak Park Rd.
Marshalltown, IA 50158

Tips for Sending Mail & Packages

(If you ever have questions, please don't hesitate to contact us by email.)
Letters
For small items that can just fit inside a letter-sized parcel, it should be fairly straight forward to just go to the counter at the post office and pay the correct postage to get it here. A letter usually takes 3-4 weeks to arrive.

Packages
There are several different ways to ship packages to PNG; however the flat rate boxes (through the USPS) tend to be the easiest (you can pack up to a certain weight for a set price). You can, of course, send any kind of box that you would like. DHL can be significantly more expensive but also much more reliable. If you are sending something especially valuable, then please contact me; I may have you ship it through JAARS in Waxhaw, North Carolina, who will then forward it on to me in their next major shipment. (All overseas mail is now airmail; you don’t have the option of sending by sea.) 

Packages tend to take 4-6 weeks to arrive, but we've heard they can take even longer, so don’t get concerned if you haven’t heard about it in a while! The time lag occurs once the package arrives on PNG shores, not on the sending end, so don’t spend extra money to “rush” a package.

Customs Form
You will have to fill out a customs form with the package at the post office (typically Form 2976-A). Some post offices may have different regulations or preferences, but the following generally applies:

• Check the box for “Gift” on the customs form to describe the contents (rf. #5 on Form 2976-A)
• In order for your box to be considered a gift, it needs to have either a greeting card inside or a letter from the sender to the addressee (inside the box) saying it's a gift.
• Also, you need to write GIFTS in large letters on the outside of the box.
• List out the items you are sending with generic descriptions (you may find it helpful to have a separate list of what you packed so you don’t have to guess at the post office)
• Group similar things under one heading (i.e., “clothes” instead of “2 pairs of socks, 1 tanktop” etc.) Be general, not specific.
• Think creatively when describing the contents; it makes your packages less likely to be “confiscated.” Thus,  any kind of media (CDs, DVDs) should be listed as “entertainment” and food items should be listed as “culinary items”. Use unusual, but accurate English wording (i.e. "confections", instead of "candy")
• You may need to put individual weights next to each item; estimate the weights such that the total equals the weight of the box.

Packing Tips

• IMPORTANT: Be sure to write "GIFTS" in large letters on the outside of the package. This is a new request from the PNG postal service.
• Whenever you are sending perishable items, be sure to pack them securely, such as in double Ziploc bags or Tupperware (both of which we will gratefully use as well!); there is always the possibility of rats trying to enjoy our package while it sits in a hanger or post office!
• Perishable food items can melt in transport, so often individually wrapped items are more likely to arrive intact :)
• Consider what smells might interact with each other when exposed to heat; our store recently received a shipment of food that all tasted (and smelled) like soap, thanks to the other items packed with it!
• Remove original packaging so items take up less space/weight and look less “new” (less likely to be confiscated)
• Expect the package to be handled roughly—breakable things beware!
• Be creative in using the small spaces—lots can get squished between the cracks
• We treasure a personal note/card just as much as the other items. Consider including your photo as well!