The Pixie Sticks Connection

When we decided to sponsor one of the kids at God’s Town I was looking forward to sending care packages like I did when Aaron was in Iraq. I had gotten to be quite a master of finding fun cool things to send and knowing what could survive the approximately 8 day travel time to reach him in the sand box.

Unfortunately I was informed that the only thing I could really send over to Sebio were flat envelopes. Linda impressed upon me to send anything that could travel flat in a large yellow envelope. This was for several reasons, one of which was they must pay for boxes that they receive over there. Well that was out I didn’t want to put any undue expenses on them there. Also boxes could be stolen and or gone through and items “removed”. Ok, didn’t want that happening either….so flat mailings it is. And as Linda said when you don’t really have anything, you are happy with whatever you receive.

I can’t tell you the aimless time I’ve spent in stores trying to figure out; what will mail flat, what will survive the nearly 3 weeks it takes to get there and the biggest question “what the heck do you send a 17 (now 18) year old boy in another country. How do certain things translate?

My first attempt at mailing that flat envelope over of course included a letter. I was informed that book covers would be great. Do you know how hard it is to find book covers, at least ones that don’t include the face of Hannah Montana on them?? Paper is expensive so I did send some of that but how fun is getting paper?

I knew I wanted to send over something Sebio could share with his co-children and what kid doesn’t like candy, no matter where you live. So now, what candy will make the 3 week trip and the heat once it arrives? From mailing over to Iraq I knew gum was a good choice, especially the coated, chicklet type. But then I spied them, pixie sticks. They brought back great childhood memories of hoisting those babies up in the air to allow all the sweet, gritty goodness to slide down into your mouth. I made sure there would be plenty to share. But of course then I was overcome with the question, would they know what they are? How to eat them?

The photo here shows Sebio holding OUR envelope (yes, I can tell by the outside label even in a small photo). And there they are his co-children, pixie sticks in the absolute perfect slide into your mouth yummy goodness position. Doesn’t Sebio, proudly handing out that candy, have one of the biggest smiles you’ve ever seen? I have been told he didn’t always smile like this.


Of course here I was worried about the kids knowing what to do with the pixie sticks, but it seems it was really the gum I should have been concerned with. The story is that little Sara there, who by the way is sponsored by Aaron’s Aunt Sarah in PA, really enjoyed her gum from my first flat envelope. Unfortunately I guess she enjoyed it so much she went to bed with it in her mouth and well, it has been said she woke up with it in her HAIR.

Next time: Sebio, the photo journalist & drummer.