I know it's been a little while since posting and that is partly due to the fact I hadn't heard from
Sebio for some time. Ma'am Linda assured me he and everyone there were fine and the mail lately was slower than usual. I also know he's in his final year of school and being the good student he is I'm sure he's working hard to finish strong. But it is often his notes and letters that motivate and encourage my posts. This one is no exception because a couple of days ago his Christmas card arrived...just a little past Valentine's Day but that is just fine by me! It wasn't very wordy but the card cover said: "Your friendship is a Blessing". Inside he wrote: "Merry Christmas and happy new year. Thank you for all you gave me a lot of things, your friend
Sebio." Inside the card, as he often does, there was a picture which I'm posting here.
The notation on the back of the photo says: We prepared for our Christmas day. Other than my friends in TX and CA I'm sure most of us east coasters can't really relate to a tropical scene and its relationship to Christmas. But what I think we can all relate to and this translates across the world the holiday means family and food as is indicated here. Just in case you aren't sure,
Sebio is the one in blue.
While we're on the subject of Christmas and since it is known as the season for giving this seems as good a time as any to mention the following. Friends & family have asked about sending things over with me for
Sebio and his co-children and I'm very grateful for their generous offers. But in reality there are a couple of points I must have people consider. First the expense of sending things with me. Not only will it weigh down my bags but at certain points we must pay extra for them. Also I don't know exact sizes of things for
Sebio and the other children. I received an offer of sneakers but honestly I have no clue about sizes. And might I also add one comment here; this trip is completely the responsibility of and paid for by each of us going. No one is sponsoring or subsidizing mine nor any of the other women's expenses. And they can add up, airfare, hotel stays when we first arrive and before we leave, food, vehicle rental, help with our part of the expenses while we stay at God's Town etc.
So here is my suggestion for anyone interested in sending something for the children or helping us along with our trip, you can send a donation. You can make a notation of how you would like it to help in the memo such as buy things for the kids, help with expenses etc. I know the plan is to take the kids shopping so it would be great to have some extra funds to spend on them. And your donation can be made out to One Heart which is the church's mission fund and recognized for charitable donations, therefore tax deductible. For those of you who know me if you'd like to send it to me and I'll
forward it to the church that is fine or if you'd prefer to send it there directly yourself email me and I'll give you the church's address in PA. Since I've mentioned before I can't say exactly when we're going but if you'd like to do this it should be done soon and if you want a more exact idea of when we're going email me and I'll tell you directly.
While I'm anxious about the trip in general I'm very excited at the idea that I'm going to be able to show
Sebio the blog. They don't have
Internet at their location but I'm going to be able to go with him to an Internet Cafe in town and show him the blog that he and his co-children are the stars of. And speaking of this here blog...it has now been viewed in a second country, the Philippines. Small world finding out my boss' wife has a person on her staff, Arlene, who is from the Philippines. She sent the blog link over to her relatives who have also offered to meet us and be a point of contact there if we can find time in our already busy schedule. It truly is a small world after all, isn't it?
loved by people there but very expensive to purchase in the Philippines. I'll be zip-locking Hershey's cocoa canisters to take with me in my suitcase. And as a bonus for anyone who does donate some to me I promise to bring back a recipe that they use it in over there. I've heard there is a rice dish it's used in, hope I got that right! Heck I'll make up a recipe if I have to; but would appreciate anyone who'd like to give me some cocoa to take. And before someone suggests it, I did try and contact Hershey's but got nowhere on a donation of it.
loved by people there but very expensive to purchase in the Philippines. I'll be zip-locking Hershey's cocoa canisters to take with me in my suitcase. And as a bonus for anyone who does donate some to me I promise to bring back a recipe that they use it in over there. I've heard there is a rice dish it's used in, hope I got that right! Heck I'll make up a recipe if I have to; but would appreciate anyone who'd like to give me some cocoa to take. And before someone suggests it, I did try and contact Hershey's but got nowhere on a donation of it.
