Airmail Friends
By Julia A. Keirns
Bradley and Sebrala are friends. There isn’t anything special about a friendship between two boys, but there is when they live on opposite sides of the world and have never met or spoken to each other. What kind of friends could they possibly be? They are airmail friends.
Bradley is ten years old. He lives in a small town in Ohio and has a cousin who is a missionary in Yetebon, Ethiopia. Her name is Greta. She teaches Music, English and Bible classes to children who have never gone to school before. Bradley was interested in the children Greta was teaching, so she had one of the boys in her class write him a letter.
One day a letter arrived in the mailbox addressed to Bradley. On the front of the envelope was a large word in red letters that said AIRMAIL. He opened the letter and read what it said.
Dear Bradley,
Hello. My name is Sebrala. I am a boy. I am 12 years old. I am brown. I am a student. My teacher is Miss Greta. I live in Ethiopia. I have 2 brothers and 3 sisters. I like dancing, football, singing and walking. Please write back to me. Okay, goodbye.
Sebrala Jemal
The printing was difficult to read. Sebrala had never gone to school before and now he was learning to speak and write two different languages. Bradley was glad he did not have to learn how to write his letter back to Sebrala in Amharic. Amharic was the language spoken and written in Yetebon.
When Bradley wrote back to Sebrala, he printed neatly and told his new friend all about himself.
Dear Sebrala,
Hello. My name is Bradley. I am a boy. I am 10 years old. I am white. I am a student and my teacher is Mrs. Young. I live in Ohio in the United States. I have one brother and one sister. I like baseball, running and riding my bike. I like to eat pizza. Thank you for writing to me. Your friend.
Bradley
Bradley and Sebrala write letters back and forth a lot now. It takes two weeks for a letter to reach the capitol city of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia by airmail. Then it is a four hour drive south of Addis Ababa to the missionary school where Sebrala attends. He must pick up his mail at the school because he lives in an area where there are lots of homes spread across many acres, but no other buildings or roads.
Bradley has learned a lot of things about Sebrala and Yetebon, Ethiopia. Their football is like soccer in America. Where Sebrala lives most families do not have electricity or televisions in their homes. Sebrala lives in a hut and has to share his bed with his two brothers. He does not have very much food, clothes or toys.
Bradley and Sebrala are two boys who live worlds apart but have become friends. Airmail friends.
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Storybird review – “What a fun little story! I am glad that the boys can connect and be friends via airmail. Keep it up!” Reviewed by kimberlythesecond