Comments on: Are My Letters Really That Important?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:55:21 +0000

I know that I am guilty of this! I encourage/ask my kids to write to me. Even if they are in a reciprocal country, I want them to know that I look forward to their letters and enjoy getting them. As a kid, I was one of those kids that always sort of wondered if I was bugging people or if they wanted me around or were just being nice. I think that for these kids knowing their sponsor actually WANTS their letters, and looks forward to them is huge. So it may be for them that they just really want your letters; perhaps they feel that if they don’t ask, you won’t write. You never know.

But I can assure you that, unless something really unusual is happening, yes, your boy is getting your letters!

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:49:35 +0000

I ALWAYS talk about letter writing when helping a new sponsor sign up (I’m an advocate). I always say, “Many children value the letters more than the money. They treasure your letters; there are stories of children who had to evacuate their homes and all they wanted to get was their letters.”

It’s crucial that people understand this. My dad was a sponsor for years and never understood that the letters were important. Now he does and just signed up for the online account so he can write online.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:45:26 +0000

If the financial sponsor discontinues the sponsorship, then the correspondence sponsor will get first dibs on sponsoring the child. I had this happen and it broke my heart that i couldn’t take on another child at the time. But they do give you a chance before simply putting the child back in the system.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:04:45 +0000

I’m sure that’s probably a big part of it. Yeah, I’m curious about the reciprocal letter system as well. (I read somewhere else around here that Kenya is on the current list of reciprocal countries – I have another child in Kenya and his letters are definitely not reciprocal, although they are very sweet and full of detail when they do come.) I’ve also heard of the plans for the new reciprocal system for next year and am interested to see how that turns out.

By: Ken M.

Ken M. — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 02:45:52 +0000

Sharon, my children don’t always answer my questions. I think the main reason is because they aren’t on the reciprocal letter system. By the time it is time for them to write to me, months have passed and they don’t remember that I asked a specific question. I read that sometime next year, most if not all countries will be on the reciprocal system of writing. I will be happy about that. Right now my children only write 3 times a year and sometimes I feel like I don’t know them.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 01:12:38 +0000

Garry, no, he doesn’t… but I just thought maybe that was because he is young and might not be used to letter-writing (yet!). I’m sure he’s getting the letters…. i was just surprised that he would say that, but Ken is probably right – most likely he is just telling me to keep writing.

By: Ken M.

Ken M. — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 22:35:30 +0000

Even though I write to my children on a regular basis, a few of them will still tell me to write and send pictures. Its seems that they always look forward to receiving a letter and pictures regardless of the amount of times I write. This may be the reason why he always tells you to write. It’s exciting for him to be told he received a letter and he wants to make sure those letters don’t stop coming.

By: Garry

Garry — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 21:58:03 +0000

@Sharon Does your boy answer your questions? That is one way to know that he is receiving your letters.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:27:43 +0000

My 8 year old keeps saying “Please write me a letter!” I write to him CONSTANTLY. (I hope this doesn’t mean he isn’t getting my letters, though I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t?)

By: Ampika

Ampika — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 02:40:47 +0000

Of course, I can gaurantee that sponsor letters are very important and meaningful to children. I’m one of staff who is working with child & sponsor letters in Compassion Thailand. Thailand is also a reciprocal country. I can say that a child who usually receives sponsor letter, he/she tends to write a letter better and better each time. On other hand, It’s kind of hard if a child rarely or never received a response from sponsor to think of/write a good content especially, when is young. I encourage Compassion sponsors to write to your children. It doesn’t have to be long and nice prepared just showing something that you still love and care for them or just send one of your photo. PS. it would be helpful if you just simply put the date on each letter you write. Blessings!