Friday, September 29, 2006

Care packages

First off, Midsummer Night You are so free to ask away anything about signing . . . no promise that I'd have the answer, but I'd be happy to share from what I know.

Missionary Blog Watch is talking about care packaging. He challenges us to list what we'd like to receive in a care package.

My hubby and I are blessed to belong to a church that annually has a "Project Mission Wish" that sends us out a care package filled with the items that we listed, then the church people do what they can to fulfill these wishes and the packages are sent back to us. When I gave birth to our first child - almost everything! I needed came from this mission wish! What a way to wrap you up with LOVE!

We are fortunate to live 2-3 hours from the US boarder, so any random craving can be fulfilled for the most part. Besides, here in Ensenada, Mexico there is a McD's, Burger King, Carls Jr., KFC and a "Cafe Tomas" that is a Starbuck rip-off, and a close copy! Also we have a CostCo, Office Max, Home Depo, and soon to open, Wal-Mart. Not hard up, are we. So the items listed are mostly wishes and things we either can not afford to buy, is frivolous to buy for ourselves, or they just don't stock here, like:

lefsa - if you don't know what it is, don't send it! It's comfort food for me.
Cheese Wiz - you'd think they would have that here, but no.
Cereal - Honeynut cheerios, Life, Lucky Charms, Capitan Crunch
Goodies - like mint fudge covered oreos. They have oreos here, but they DO.NOT. taste the same, the chocolate is just different here, less sweet, more salty.
Microwave popcorn
Kid craft items - glue, finger paint, kid scissors, construction paper, poster board, and the like
Little girl shoes - all types, size 8, especially the going-to-church type shoes
Play-doh
DVD's - anything from the "The Animated Stories from the Bible", or "Boz, the Green Bear Next Door"
Pretty things - like lip gloss, silk scarf, perfumed lotion and shower gel, scented candles, linen spray, other like things to pamper the "me in mommy" :-) Stuff I generally don't buy for myself. Board Games - like Killer Bunnies (really, a nicer game than you think), and CandyLand, and Trivial Pursuit, Clue, Sorry, etc.
Black picture frames - all sizes
CD writable
a good book on manners - and "Dare to Repair: A Do-it-Herself Guide to Fixing (Almost) Anything in the Home" or other make-a-house-a-home type books
Christian books you'd recomend (fiction or otherwise)
Stamps - since we are so close to the boarder we do receive and send our mail state side, so this is an on-going expense.
When I asked my hubby what he'd like in a care package all he had to say was a Gift Card for Home Depo, also do-able since we have state side access.
Classic or good books on audio CD - for those long drives to and fro the states
Home Videos of family - reading picture books "to" our kids, a way to keep Grandma fresh in their memories and have special times even though they are far away.

And at this time I am preparing to put on a deaf women's retreat, with an "Esther" theme where we will be doing "spa" type things for each other - you know, nails, feet, face . . . It aught to be fun, but anything and everything you could think of would be appreciated, should you feel inclined to help.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I miss a lot of those things from the US as well. I have lived in Japan for seven years now and I still haven't gotten used to Japanese sweets. Sadly, oreos here are different too. Just wondering, how long have you been in Mexico? How long are you planning to stay? Please stop by my blog if you have a few minutes!

Anonymous said...

What?! No Cheese Wiz in Mexico?

Mike
http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/

Anonymous said...

So when do ya need this stuff by? ANd shott me your address - I am wicked with coupons and can pick up all kinds of goodies!

Anonymous said...

Wow that is awsome that your church does that! What a wonderful blessing. I have had so much fun seeing the different missionaries you have linked me to...there is such a common bond! It is nice to see that other deal with the same stuff we do....like craving, or just wanting, stuff we can not get down here.

Rhonda in Chile said...

You've got a Carl's Junior? We nust have picked the wrong field!

Our oreos come from Argentina. They're cheap and good.

We had a Domino's pizza nearby for a while. I miss it.

R

Rhonda in Chile said...

You've got a Carl's Junior? We nust have picked the wrong field!

Our oreos come from Argentina. They're cheap and good.

We had a Domino's pizza nearby for a while. I miss it.

R

Anonymous said...

I am only just realizing now, that you are your husband are missionaries. My husband and I are missionaries in Spain (we're from Ireland). I must check out your Mission links in your sidebar.

We just got our first Starbucks in Valencia in the summer!!!