Is it 'C h i i e' or 'C h i l e'?
The error showed up on Chilean 50-peso pieces for the year 2009.
Engraver Pedro Lizana told The Associated Press he unknowingly left off the bottom part of the letter "l" when, in December 2008, he was hurriedly fixing a minor deformity in the original mold for making the dies to stamp out the coin.
The coins were released to the public last year but no one at the mint, including himself, knew about the error until a coin collector called in October to point it out, he said.
Once informed, officials at the mint fixed the stamp for future 50-peso pieces, but sent another batch of bad coins to the Central Bank without telling officials there of the error, Urzua said. Those coins never were released to the public, he said.
Various officials at the mint, including the head of Urzua's department, asked "that we not say anything to anyone" about the error, he said.
The Central Bank, which issues the coins, did not learn of the error until it was reported by the newspaper in December, the same month that Urzua was fired, the engraver said. The head of his department was fired in January.
The press department at the mint said Friday that officials would not comment. No one could be reached at the Central Bank.
The 50-peso piece is just under an inch across— making it difficult to immediately see on the faulty coins that Chile is spelled "Chiie."
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After reading this article and chuckling a little to myself, a thought came to my mind. That thought was this, "Am I making the wrong impression of who God is to the Chilean people?"
A serious question for a missionary (or any Christian) to honestly think through. While making the wrong impression on a 50 peso coin could be stated as an honest or minor mistake, but making the wrong impression of who God is MAJOR.
Are my actions teaching others the right impression of God?
Are my attitudes teaching others the right impression of God?
Are my reactions teaching others the right impression of God?
Is my family life teaching others the right impression of God?
Is my ministry teaching others the right impression of God?
These questions, and many more, I have been asking myself lately. Please pray that our family will make the right and proper impression of who our Eternal God is, as we minister to people around us here in the Temuco area.
1 comment:
David,
Not just a question for the missionary to ask himself, but one every believer ought to consider. Too many of us follow a god of our own creation, even many of us who name the name of Christ. If we do not reflect to others the God of the Bible, we misrepresent the One for who we serve as ambassadors. If such a one were serving on foreign soil (as we are), he would likely be called home (and not to receive accolades).
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