Monday, September 12, 2011

love all packed in a box (3 things☺)

 #ONE ☺
we got a package ☺
from a far country...
(someone was traveling
and willing
with luggage space
to tuck these in!)
*note* because any and every one who has ever lived overseas
(or at least in a 3rd world)
knows better than to trust the postal service
green sticker or not
and customs fee
earrings for the girls
Sucre dark chocolate
chuno - a dehydrated potato made on the Altiplano of the Andes mountains.  This is an either love or hate food item ☺. 
 How are chuno made you ask?
Potatoes are laid out on the cold/frozen ground.
barefoot Indians - Quechua/Aymara walk across the potatoes crushing them.  I was never completely sure if the black color they turn was from being freeze dried...or from the dirty feet.  *maybe think raisin...or fine wine* Delicious when cooked by Great Grandma with raw peanut sauce. 
(don't judge the food before you taste! laughing. In our family we try new food.)
 quinoa - a very good for the health grain
yucca flour - this is the recipe I use to make Cunape ☺
1 round of Queso Fresco (Super Walmart normally has this)

1 cup yucca flour
 1 egg
salt, water, milk as needed
need dough with fingers until soft (not too sticky) 
Make them into little balls and insert your thumb into the bottom to make a hole (this helps for it to not stick to your pan). Place them on top of a non stick pan or a floured pan.

bake at 405 (I forgot to convert from C to F the first time in the oven so they would have been little rocks...oops)
for 15-20 minutes
# TWO in number of things I want to say in this post ☺
Ok, if this little package from far away could make me SO happy
just imagine how happy you could make your missionaries (WHAT?! you say you don't know a missionary family? find one. have them over when they are "home". add them to skype. put their picture on the refrigerator. expect nothing of their children other than that they are natural sinners like your own ☺.  pray for them.)
Send them a fun package of things they may not be able to find where they are!
1.  1st thing to keep in mind.  It is usually best to find someone traveling. 
Ask the missionary how to best get it to them.
(I remember a church sent us a package at Christmas one year. It would have cost more than it was worth to get it out of customs...so we didn't. talk about disappointment.)
2.  Find out exactly what they are missing! (chocolate chips, ranch dressing mix, stickers, etc. etc.)
3.  AMAZON, I-tune gift cards are GREAT!
4. Don't every underestimate the love and encouragement that being thought of can do for someone who is far from "home".

#THREE
Which brings me to why I love Samaritan's Purse Christmas Shoe boxes.
We like to get the plastic containers w/lid so that they can be re purposed to store any and every thing!
My family tells me I am too practical when I start packing mine in August with the back to school crayons, color pencils, stickers, art supplies, socks etc. etc. ☺I have been known to tuck in little sewing and shoe polish kits (if you have traveled overseas you will see little children earning a few pennies shining shoes...THAT's why ☺.)  The remainder of my household pack their boxes full to the brim of candy (right next to the toothbrush on the bottom). 
What do you all like to put in your Christmas boxes?!

3 comments:

  1. Glad you got the package sent with loads of love!!! Enjoyed reading the rest of the post and also your suggestions.

    Did you make the cunape? Hmmmm how yummy.

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  2. I love the idea of sewing and shoe shine kits! I like trying to get an outfit into the boxes, as well as soap, toothbrush, pencils and some fun stuff.

    Thanks for the tips about loving missionaries. :)

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  3. Great post, Annette! How fun to get a package of foreign goodies! You're right about what a blessing it is to get packages when you're a missionary overseas. We used to send care packages to the girls who worked as missionaries in the orphanages in Ukraine. It's been awhile, so you've inspired me to gather up another package for them!

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