Every once in a while, the things the kids we sponsor have written to us make us pause, laugh, and thank God that we get to be a part of their lives. Sometimes these one-liners are written by the kids themselves; other times, it’s a bit lost in translation from their native language to ours. Here’s a collection of the most adorable things the kids have written to us:
1. “I work hard in school. But I like the parrots at the zoo more.”
2. “I am sometimes mischievous.”
3. “Do you know about Mickey Mouse? Is he a real mouse?”
4. “I am very sad that my chicken has sadly just died. We will be attending her funeral on Friday”
5. “I wore a track suit when I went out to the pool.” (after being asked if she wears a uniform to school)
6. “I send you a bear hug with the tenderness of a monkey.”
7. “What kind of rice do YOU grow?”
8. “Do you have a goat?” (The sponsor wrote back, “No.”) “Then I will pray for you every day that God will provide you with a goat.”
9. “I hope to go where the butterflies live someday because I like them, one day a butterfly was on my head, I walked slowly so I do not move her and it was funny.”
10. “If you someday come to see me in Haiti, we will consume corn together.”
11. “I wish you would take good care of your health and eat food that has 5 group of vitamin.”
12. “I want to be a teacher because I want to be able to wear heels.”
13. “I have been at home all week pestering the goats.”
14. “I drew some cricket players for you but I also grew some flowers because you are a lady. Which do you like best: cricket or flowers? I think flowers are pretty but cricket is exciting so cricket is better. God thinks cricket is better too and He is good at cricket.”
15. “I love you as a fish loves water.”
16. “Have you ever been to a park? There are bars called monkey bars but you can go on them even if you are not a monkey.”
17. “Do you believe in mermaids?”
18. “I felt sad when my doggie died. One of the funniest moments I have had in my life was when my brother had pee in the bed and I laughed a lot. If I was an animal, I would like to be a butterfly.”
19. “My mother just had twin babies. They are very noisy, so I have to plug both of my ears with my fingers so I can sleep. That’s one ear for each baby. My fingers sure are tired! When will it end?”
20. “That is so nice that you have a dog. I have never had a dog before. Are they good to eat?”
21. “Last month we had a census. I was counted.”
22. “You looked very pretty, but the only thing I like about weddings is the food.”
23. “Here, the weather is hot and we would like to be in cooler places, but when it is cold we want to be in warmer places. I know God created the weather too and we don’t have to complain. God does everything perfect.”
24. “Thank you for the pictures of Japanese food. Udon looks like tapeworms. You shouldn’t eat tapeworms.”
25. “I saw the soccer world cup in South Africa on television. You told me your husband can play soccer very well so I think I saw him play!”
26. “I like to climb my house’s roof to fly kites but my grandma doesn’t let me do that.”
27. “Please pray for my mother to have more strength and energy so she can sell her stinking fish.”
28. “In my home, my goat gave birth to 2 lamps. One male lamp and one female lamp”
29. “I tell you that I got very good grades, and thank God I am getting a vacation next week.”
30. “I say goodbye with a strong hug of bear.”
We turned some of our favorite kid sayings into a beautifully – and maybe a little silly – illustrated infographic. Check out Lost in Translation!
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After a year of letter writing, we got into a happy letter writing rhythm with our 12 yr old little girl in Ethiopia. We shared with her that we loved to swim (living in a eastern coastal town!) and also love our large indoor dogs. Our sponsored child immediately wrote back, “I do not like to swim. I only have a chicken for eggs and it lives outside”.. I can just imagine her raised eyebrows when she read our letter and wondered about her “crazy” American sponsors!
I had shared with my 9 year old in Haiti that we had celebrated our 33rd anniversary. He writes back and asks me what we are going to do for our 50th anniversary? Even I hadn’t thought that far ahead. But a 9 year old boy? Couldn’t stop laughing. Then I wrote back and told him maybe I will come to Haiti to attend HIS wedding for our 50th!
In the introduction letter from my sponsored child Gashema, he told me that our President Barack Obama was his hero. I thought, aha! I will write to the White House and request a signed picture of our President. I sent the packet which contained a picture of the White House, their dog, and his family to Gashema. A few months later I was excited to receive his response letter! He kindly thanked me for the photo, and he thought that I had a very nice family. I love that kid.
It’s hard to pick a favorite…the “stinking fish”, the kid that goes on his roof to fly kites, the one whose mom had twins, or the one who only likes food at the weddings. So funny and so cute!
I laughed so hard at the Udon “tapeworms” warning!! Thank you so much for sharing these. I am one of those who did not write for a long time. I just didn’t know what to say. Finally, I got brave and tried it, and now I can’t wait for the next letter to arrive! If you haven’t written yet, just imagine yourself waiting month after month to hear from someone, and think of the wonderful, joyful surprise you will cause when you open your heart to show love to the child you’re supporting! Don’t wait any longer!!!
They are so wonderful, the kids and the photos. Grazie infinite, from Bahia, Brazil!!!
Several years go, one of ‘my precious kiddos’ wrote, “I love Bible school. Last Sunday we learned God loves everyone. Even SINNERS!!!!” We quote her and laugh about that to this day!
Thanks so much for the opportunity to connect with these incredible kids and families.
Best & Blessings,
Marie
thats so cute
We live in Kansas and one of our kids said he liked to swim in the ocean and asked if I like to swim in the ocean near my house when I told him there were no oceans in Kansas he was shocked
One of my children who has since graduated from the program told me he liked to swim in the ocean and asked if I like to swim in the ocean, I live in Kansas and I told him I wasn’t near the ocean and he found that hard to believe. I went on to explain that there are no mountains except for Mt Sunflower which is just a little over 4,000feet. He also found that hard to believe
After telling our child that our family was moving across the country for my husband’s job and asking him to pray that we would make good friends he responded, “I’ll always pray for you and your friends on your works so all the villagers can accept the coming of you.” ? So precious. We have met many wonderful ‘villagers’ on the East Coast.
I had fun reading it. I was a sponsored child of Compassion International from the Philippines and I really praise the Lord for using people to change the lives of children. My life was change and will never be the same again. Thank you for all the sponsors all around the world who never get tired of supporting and loving all the children. Your labor will never be in vain. God bless you all.
#releasedfrompovertyinJESUS’name
I can’t wait to receive our first letter! I sent our child a letter and pictures of our families and family pets. Can’t wait to get ours!!
I loved reading these. Hoping to get a letter soon from our sponsor child. 🙂
My girl in Lima, Peru asked me if I liked animals and did I have one. I told her I liked to feed the birds and then she told me she didn’t like animals with beeks.
Emmy from Tanzania told me she prays that I have long lips. I laugh
Thank you all for being faithful to write letters to your sponsor children. I just returned from a mission trip in partnership with Compassion in the Dominican Republic. It was so sad to hear of many, many stories of children who seldom if ever receive letters from their sponsors. After visiting projects in the DR, I can tell you, children wait for you letters!! They bring hope into homes and communities that desperately need something to hope for. Please be faithful in writing! It makes a tremendous impact… and, you can be blessed with the sunshine they return!
Two of the above quotes are from my kids – N0. 2 and No. 14. Thank you very much for including them. One of my kids wrote in a letter, ” I am very worried that God’s rats will attack me when I am naughty. the problem is, I am often naughty so I am always worrying about rats.” It took me a while to work out he had confused “rats” with “wrath”!
we loved the one about the goat! 🙂 <3 awesome!
I love these! They had me laughing! 🙂 Thanks Sam!
Just received a letter from our Lina in Colombia, “People at my neighborhood are kind, respectful, gossipers.” Interesting! Going to have to read through her Spanish to see what she may have really meant 🙂
The beautiful young lady that I correspond with in Rwanda told me that she would like to see me “eyes to eyes”. It made my day!
One of my children wrote to me that Jesus died on the cross and on the 3rd day he was resuscitated! My daughter’s sponsor child, age 5, in the middle of the letter randomly told his tutor to tell her “he wants you to know he likes to eat cake.”
This is too adorable!!!! 🙂
My child’s teacher (writing for her) told me to pray for her at school because “she is very naughty.” she’s great with friends but doesn’t always listen to her teachers. I busted out laughing and said a prayer thanking God that MY CI kid is the spunky one!!
so cute…my girl from Burkina Faso ( Africa) says they had very cold Christmas, about 19* C ,she is asking is our Christmas in Canada same cold?!;0))
Daniela in Colombia: “My neighbors don’t like to share very much”
Our nine year-old from Ecuador called Easter, “Resuscitation Day”.
“I study in a school and there I do not like to write there but I like to write to you…”
My little girl in the Philippines said she enjoys playing with her baby brother because he is jolly to her.
Our little boy in Bolivia has a lot of help with his letters. We were told that jelly is his delirium.
My Sela from Papaua wrote “Those who pray a lot get a lot of blessings. Those who pray a little get a little blessing. Those who don’t pray get no blessing”. Just loved it.