A Letter from Fred

Dear Auntie Sykes,

We are so happy for your new grandchild.  We are so excited for the time to be allowed by God that Fred could sit on that empty chair. (I'm not sure what that refers to, but probably something I said in a letter)  We wish to ride on that balloon someday. (I told him about my experience riding in a hot air balloon)

We like trees too.  They are very beautiful.  Here we hate windy season because many worms are eating those leaves but we have very many fruit trees here.  Do you have a lot of butterflies there now about worms?

I asked him what happens to his baby teeth when they fall out and told him about the practice of putting a tooth under the child's pillow.  We have also a practice here for tooth replacement.  The tooth just pulled must be put into the hole of the post of our house, then wait until a happy small mouse can see it.  As a reward she will give an exchange of brand new, strong tooth and she will let that appear on the exact location where the tooth had been pulled.  This will ease our fear for tooth extraction.

Please pray that Fred will pass his second grade.  Thank you for your goodness.

Love,
Fred's mother

As usual, there was a drawing by Fred of his house.

Letter from Theresa

It has been 3 months since I received a letter from Theresa, in Ghana.  Since she is only 4, the length of time between letters is really determined by the staff of the center where she goes to school.  But it was lovely to hear from/about her finally.  According to this letter, she has I guess 3 siblings (4 are listed, but as one is 30, I suspect it is a parent!).  She is the youngest, with siblings 6, 8, and 10.  (no indication of whether they are brothers or sisters).  
Her letter thanks me for words of encouragement, pictures, stickers, and a Christmas gift and then goes on to talk about her life.

Theresa would like to tell you she is in her second term at school and family are happy.

Hey, Theresa says she enjoyed your story (I told her about my son Ned losing his two front teeth and I asked what the custom is in Ghana when a child loses his/her baby teeth).  It really made her laugh out loud.  In Theresa's culture, children throw their lost teeth on the roof of their house.  They believe when this is done it would make the permanent teeth come out early.

And then there is a picture of "Theresa's backyard flower."  Looks like a cactus.  It also looks like it has swallowed Teresa!