Comments on: The Lowdown on Reciprocal Letter Writing

By: Kees Boer

Kees Boer — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:49:08 +0000

That’s a wonderful idea Naturinda. I love it. I’m not sure why the child hasn’t written you. Or why the letters haven’t gotten to you. The child is supposed to write at least 3 program letters/year thus far. I would contact the Compassion office of the country that you sponsored the child with. with the USA, that would be ciinfo@us.ci.org. I’m not sure about the other countries, but each one has a website and you can find the email address there or some way to contact them.

By: Jacquie Parella

Jacquie Parella — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:24:06 +0000

Please e-mail us your concern at ciinfo@us.ci.org so we can look into why you have not received any correspondence from your LDP student!

By: Naturinda Elnathan

Naturinda Elnathan — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:25:56 +0000

Friends, personally, I was sponsored by compassion for the last 18 years. Joined Leadership development programme, and completed. While at University, I initiated the idea of sponsoring a child. we took up one child in Ethiopia called Esset Miliion. two years down the road, this child has never written to us. where is the problem?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:21:02 +0000

Thanks – I’ve only just seen this and it is helpful AND reassuring. I thought/hoped that it would be a commonsense thing – and that seems to be the case from his letters (he’s very excited about telling me how many he’s got, but apart from two letters around his birthday, it seems to be one or two a month even when he’s in full on writing mode (he seems a talkative little chap, I wonder if he’d write even when he hadn’t heard from me to be honest!)

I work on the principal that most of my letters are quite short and sweet, and though I do ask questions, I also send letters which are simply a “thinking of you and praying for you today, and wanted to tell you that I love you” kind of thing, assuming that the child will get, in many ways, just as much from a simple letter like that. Jumanne certainly seems to appreciate the post, which is great: one of his letters said that he knows he is precious “for your love proves it so”. That’s gotta be good

Anyway – it’s late here and so I am waffling horribly! Thanks again

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:11:16 +0000

I was under the impression those countries were “moving onto reciprocal”, rather than necessarily having got all the way there.

I try to write to all my kids whether or not they often reply.

I would do this anyway, I think, but what really made my mind up was reading someone’s post about seeing their sponsor child being read a letter. They had had very few letters, and were wondering if those letters were really having any impact.

Then, someone took a video of their child reading the letter.

The child was transfixed and evidently overwhelmed and overjoyed to receive the letter.

Those who do not seem to respond may be those who need the love the most. Reciprocal letters are nice, but the important thing is the love that can be poured into these children’s lives. The love, the letters, the pictures, etc that come back? Those are icing

By: Sarah

Sarah — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 23:46:47 +0000

I try and keep to once-a-month-ish, but sometimes it’s more – and of course, it is sometimes the case that letters get held up and arrive in a bundle anyway. My little Tanzanian boy, who seems to be the one who’s definitely on reciprocal (whether it’s official or not, he writes all the time!), often says he’s received 4 or even 5 letters, which he is replying to in one go.

I’ve wondered and worried the same, with regards to writing “too often”. I just adore writing and sending letters and emails and I worry between overwhelming them, and on the other hand wanting to shower them with love. It’s one of the reasons I have, between sponsorship and correspondence, 7 children to write to – makes it less likely for any one of them to be TOO overwhelmed!!

By: seena

seena — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:48:59 +0000

thanks for the update, Kees!! we look forward to hearing from our little girl there!!

By: Kees Boer

Kees Boer — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:50:45 +0000

Seena, you should be also happy to know that the regularly scheduled program letters are almost ready to be sent to Colorado Springs. So, you should get that letter in about 2 months.

By: seena

seena — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:52:16 +0000

thank you, Danielle and Kees. Danielle, you are absolutely right. Becuase we recieved a letter so soon, it seems like it is taking longer!!! Yes, we did some math and did realize it will be mid July when we receive another mail-so we need to be patient:)When our daughter sees the little Compassion logo/symbol, even as a tiny dot in some remote part of any letter or magazine, she excitedly says, Y esica!!! so as you can see, we are all just eager to hear back. Kees, I think you had already looked into her info for me before. At that time you had not visited that center-but you may be there now so here’s that info again:)- BO426. Thanks again and GOD bless.

By: Kees Boer

Kees Boer — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 03:21:34 +0000

I’m glad you write her with the email, because that comes to her a lot faster. She should have her letters. The letters on the way back take much longer. But I can tell you from being here in the centers in Bolivia, that she does write you back. I see it all the time, children writing to their sponsors. I am sure she is also very excited about your letters and that you also sent her a gift is a huge blessing for her, that you love her that much. Remember, the letters from Bolivia to your home, take anywhere from 2 to 3 months. I was just at the Compassion Country Office of Bolivia yesterday, and I saw some letters that my children had written to me. It was nice to read them. (I can’t take them, they have to be logged in Colorado Springs too, otherwise, they will try to search for the letters, that are lost) Every letter gets logged and treated with the greatest care. But I know that those letters will take about 2 months to get to me. I’ll be back home and receive them. What project number is your child? (The first three numbers after the letters BO