3 Children Share Their Top Letter–Writing Tips
We know letter writing can be a challenge for all of us. So we went right to the source and asked children what letter–writing tips they would give their sponsors!
Join the Letter Writing Club on Pinterest
Pinterest is a wonderful place for us to connect as sponsors and share letter writing ideas. Building on the online letter writing event that Compassion has on the second Friday of every month, we’ve created a new Pinterest board for letter writing and you are welcome to join us as a contributor.
Sponsors Share Their Best Letter Writing Tips
For the best letter writing tips, go straight to the experts: sponsors! Recently we put out a call on our Facebook page asking for the best advice about writing to children in Compassion’s program. From practical to unique, their letter writing tips will inspire you to send a note the child you sponsor — and […]
Your Best Letter–writing Questions and Answers of the Year
This year, we asked your most burning letter–writing questions to those in the know! Here are your best questions and answers of the year.
How do Cross Cultural Differences Affect Letter Writing?
Writing is not usual in Nicaragua. At school, letter writing is taught but never practiced. So it is difficult for tutors and children in child development centers to get in the habit of writing letters three times a year.
3 Great Letter–Writing Ideas for the New Letter Delivery Process
Starting this month, Compassion is implementing a new sponsor letter delivery system that will speed up the amount of time it takes to receive a letter! These exciting changes mean some changes to what can be delivered.
Letter Writing Inspiration
As Compassion sponsors, we have the opportunity to pour love into the lives of the children we sponsor with encouraging and uplifting words in every letter we mail to them. The words in our letters can make a difference. Here’s some inspiration for your letter writing so you can be an inspiration to them!
Share Your Letter Writing Ideas: #compassionletter
Over the past year, on our Second Friday Writing Club board on Pinterest, many letter writing ideas have been pinned on how to make wonderful paper items for our sponsored children that can be mailed. You can join in the creativity by pinning and sharing your fun and inspirational ideas with #compassionletter!
The Lowdown on Reciprocal Letter Writing
As with many aspects of our ministry, we have a set of standards for the letter–writing process. When I talk about “standards,” what I mean is certain expectations that we’ve given to every church partner. However, as with anything involving fallible humans, this does not guarantee it will always happen.
A Letter–Writing Plan for the New Year
The timeline for when you should write the child you sponsor about upcoming holidays and different topics can be confusing. That’s why we decided we’d start the year off with a handy letter–writing plan to help you understand how to time your letters.
4 Ways Letter Writing Benefits You and the Child You Sponsor
OK, so I need to make a confession … I’m not as good as I should be at writing letters to my sponsored child. And I make all sorts of reasonable excuses for it, too: “My life is already so busy with my work and kids that it’s hard to find the time.” “I […]
4 Tips for Writing Your First Letter
[…] packet for this new member of your family. As you look through it, you read the section titled “Write to Him” and you think, Wow! I can’t even remember the last time I wrote a letter, let alone sent a card to someone! What in the world am I supposed to write to this child?
How to Write a Letter from the New Compassion App
[…] honest, sometimes it is hard to find the time or energy to sit down, find a pen, think about what to say, and then write out a letter to my sponsored child. What should I write? What do I ask him? How long will it take me? How do I log on to my […]
Where to Find Great Letter–Writing Ideas
A couple of our blogging friends have put together some great topics and sample letters to help all sponsors feel more comfortable in writing to the children they are investing in.
Top 5 Pinterest Ideas for Letter Writing
It’s the second anniversary of our Second Friday Letter Writing Club! And we want to celebrate by sharing our favorite Pinterest ideas from the last two years. Wonderfully fun and beautiful ideas to include in your letters to your sponsored child!
Write Your Child the Second Friday of Every Month
Members of the Virtual Child Sponsorship Letter Writing Night group in OurCompassion have committed to write letters to their children on the second Friday of each month. The group provides letter–writing ideas and/or craft projects to use as a theme when writing.
Letter Writing 101
Writing letters is a crucial way to build a relationship with your sponsored child…but also one of the most challenging. In this infographic we have everything (and by everything, we mean some of the things) you ever wanted to know about letter writing.
How to Go From Guilt to Gratitude With Your Letter Writing
If you haven’t written to your sponsored child for a while — or ever — you’re not alone. So don’t feel guilty. Read their letter and be reminded of the difference you’re making in their life; then write a few lines in return before life gets in the way. You’ll go from guilt to […]
Helping Kids With the Letter Writing Process
[…] In the community of Barrio George, children learn to read and write around the age of 8, which is why many sponsored children don’t normally write introductory letters themselves. The Letter–writing Process The letter–writing process starts in the country office, where a Sponsor and Donor Service associate receives the request for new-assignment letters through […]
A Fresh Perspective on the Top 3 Letter Complaints
So many of our sponsors consider writing letters to the children they support to be their ministry, a way of encouraging children in poverty through the love of God. But sometimes it can get discouraging. Sponsor Hannah Hinojosa shares a few of the perspectives that keep her encouraged and writing, despite some of the […]
How I Learned to Stop Procrastinating and Get Back to Letter Writing
I’m not sure that I should be admitting that given that I work for Compassion, but there it is. At 31, I’m part of a generation of Canadians for whom letter writing is virtually a foreign concept. Facebook? No problem. Twitter? Easy. E-mail? Sure. But to sit down and write a letter? That’s different.
This is What Happens When You Send a Letter to the Child You Sponsor
In the United States, we don’t really think about it much because it’s so easy — you mail a letter or a package, and a few days later it arrives in the mailbox or on the doorstep of the person you sent it to. But mail and package delivery in the developing world is […]
Experiencing Letter Writing Day in Haiti
Sponsored children need encouragement from sponsors who believe in their potential to do well. Words of encouragement in a letter can make all the difference.
The Impact of Letter Writing
More than four years have passed since Haminton (age 11) wrote, with the teacher’s help, the first letter to his sponsor. His relationship with his sponsor has grown over the years as both of them share their heart and experiences through their letters.
What Do Chocolate, Clubs and Hope Have in Common?
A few years ago, we launched Compassion’s Second Friday Letter Writing Club. We wanted to create a place for sponsors to share letter–writing ideas and stories about the impact of letters on the children we serve. We’ve been amazed at the response. More than 180 of you joined our collaborative Pinterest board, collectively pinning nearly […]
5 Awesome Apps to Help Your Letter Writing
Writing the child you sponsor from the Compassion app just got easier and more fun with these awesome apps!
Letter Writing: Lost In Translation
[…] your smartphone. Log in to My Account to write a letter online How to Write a Letter from the New Compassion App Check out these resources for letter–writing inspiration: 80 Letter–Writing Prompts Letter Writing 101 Infographic 3 Great Ideas Letter–Writing Ideas for the New Delivery Process Pinterest Board: Letter Writing Ideas Infographic Illustrations: Luke Flowers […]
The Journey of One Letter
Have you ever wondered how your sponsored child’s letter gets to you? The long journey it takes from Tanzania or Thailand to Connecticut or California? There’s a lot more to it than you might think! Samuel Llanes, Guatemala’s Field Communication Specialist, gives us a peek at the journey of one letter from Guatemala to […]
Who Helps the Children Write Letters to You?
On today’s Compassion Letter Club blog, meet the dedicated tutors at Pentecostal Child Development Center in Honduras. They’ll encourage you in your letter journey with a behind-the-scenes look at letter–writing day and how they help the students connect with their sponsors!
What Children Really Want to Hear From Their Sponsors
Even sponsors who have been writing for years still ask, “What should I write about?” Well, instead of us giving you ideas of what to write this month for the Second Friday Letter–Writing Club, we decided to share from a trusted source what children really want to hear from their sponsors and the importance of […]
On Letter Writing: Would You Rather … ?
The topic of letter–writing always sparks lively discussions. It even seems to spontaneously come up in posts on other topics. So seeing as we genuinely value your input (and OK … I admit … in an attempt to stimulate a discussion), I hereby pose the following question to you: Would you rather receive more […]
The Letter’s the Thing
When it comes to Child Sponsorship and letter writing there is a ‘Seen’ and ‘Unseen’ element at work on several levels.
20 Good Letter Writing Prompts
Sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin a letter to your sponsored child. Here are twenty questions to help you get your letters started.
20 Letter–Writing Prompts You Can Use
Children don’t always have the skill to carry on letter “conversations.” Giving them information about ourselves is a good place to start.
What Can I Share in Letters to the Child I Sponsor?
Ideas for writing the child or teen you sponsor are a very popular topic on the Compassion blog, on Pinterest, on Facebook … pretty much everywhere. Here are some great things to try … as well as avoid.
A Child’s Letter: From Maria to Her Sponsor
Letter writing is essential for the special one to one relationship between children and sponsors. In this video, Maria from Bangladesh just found out that she has a sponsor and eagerly writes her first letter. Come on a journey with us and see how Maria’s letter gets to her sponsor. You can also view […]
Changes to Our Letter–Writing Process
May 17, 2012: This post has been updated for clarity purposes. We feel strongly about correspondence between you and your child, and we know you do too. It’s the only way to truly speak into your sponsored child’s life and for you to get to know them and influence their development. We are committed to […]
Letter Writing: An Investment of Time and Love
[…] well. He does very well at school.” Today is a special day for Mario and the rest of the children at the center. Today they will write letters to their sponsors. Mario has a special relationship with his sponsor. What It Takes to Put a Letter in the Mailbox Children are required to write […]
What to Do If It’s Been a Long Time Since You Received a Letter
Have you ever been so excited to receive a letter from the child you sponsor, but it feels like it’s been forever? I’m sure a lot of us have. And it’s highly likely that you might feel that way during this global pandemic. Here’s when to reach out to us if it has been […]
20 Letter–Writing Prompts About Food and Your Local Church
When you need an idea to get your next letter started, you might turn to one of these questions.
Writing Letters Is Inconvenient — And That’s a GOOD Thing!
Writing a letter is inconvenient. But that’s what makes it so beautiful. Inconveniencing yourself can be a gift to the child you sponsor. And it can also be a gift to you.
Desperately Waiting for a Letter
My head drops and I feel the tears clog my throat. My friends are all around me, buzzing with excitement and comparing letters. The rest of us who didn’t get a letter get quiet and walk away.
3 Helpful Christmas Letter Ideas for This Year
It’s Christmastime for the Compassion Letter Club! Don’t face your writer’s block alone. We’ve got you covered with these helpful ideas for what to write to the child or teen you sponsor this year in your Compassion Christmas letter.
Pinterest Letter–Writing Club: Father’s Day
Last month we asked you to join the letter writing club on Pinterest and I was so excited by the wonderful ideas you pinned to the Second Friday Letter Writing Club board. I even included a couple of these items in my letters. So now it is time to introduce our theme for this month: […]
5 Ways to Be a More Consistent Letter Writer This Year
[…] that could impact the child you sponsor in a huge way. My challenge to you is to write the child you sponsor through Compassion consistently this year. Letters remind children that they are cared for, loved and remembered. Your words provide seeds of hope for the potential in that child. What could be a […]
The Real Ministry of Child Sponsorship Lies in Letter Writing
[…] our help to combat the lie of poverty, the lie that says, “You don’t matter; you’re just not important.” I know that, for too many children, a letter from a sponsor is the only chance they may ever have, outside of their child development centers, to hear the truth that they do matter and […]
Letter Writing: Love Has No Borders
Letters are the closest connection that a child can have with her or his sponsor. The donation you faithfully give each month provides the financial support for your child’s development, but your letters provide beyond the material — needs such as love, hope and possibilities. If poverty had a face, in Brazil it […]
Letter–Writing Ideas
[…] quite right, but she certainly illustrates the point I want to share with you today. The children we sponsor want to hear from us! They need our letters, our photos and yes, even our e-mail. One-on-one sponsorship is set up to give each of us the opportunity to shepherd and encourage the children of […]
Your Important Letter Questions Answered by Those in the Know!
We’re asking the very people who process, deliver and read your letters the questions you’ve always wanted to know. What are your letter–writing questions?
Stop Feeling Like a Bad Sponsor for Not Writing
Feeling a twinge of guilt for not writing to the child or teen you sponsor? If you think that makes you a bad sponsor, we want to tell you … you’re not!
A Minute to Write a Letter, Part Two
Rendel stayed to the back of the small crowd of children, hoping — but knowing that his name would not be called. It had been three months since letter–writing day.
Letter Writing Ideas From the Moody Bible Institute Scholars
Tony, Richmond, Michelle and Jimmy share some tips on what you should include in the letters you write to your sponsored children. Watch the letter writing ideas video and subscribe to Compassion YouTube for more stories.
Letters from the Heart
Wolly was a sponsored child in the 1970s and 1980s. At at our Child Letter Campaign in East Indonesia, Wolly shared how his sponsor’s letters gave him strength to reach his dreams.
20 Letter–Writing Prompts About Family and Current Events
Explaining about ourselves is a great way to start letters and build relationships. Try answering these questions about yourself and current events.
A Sponsor’s Letter: From Gayle to Her Child
A lot needs to happen before a sponsor like Gayle can receive a letter from her sponsored child. In this video we see the sponsor side of the sponsor-child letter–writing journey.
40 Questions to Ask in Your Letters for Every Season of the Year
Do you sometimes find yourself in a letter–writing rut? Need some inspiration for writing letters to the child you sponsor? Look no farther than your calendar! Here’s a list of questions to ask your sponsored child based on seasons and holidays.
Translating Love: An Interview With a Letter Translator
Compassion has thousands of staff and volunteers around the world, working faithfully to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. Read insights from one of our letter translators who translates the thoughts of sponsors and children with so much love and dedication!
The Most Desired Thing
A short message from the sponsor could play a vital role in the life of a child. The letter is not only a piece of paper, but it is a tool that builds a friendship between a child and a sponsor. It can develop a heavenly bond of love.
What’s Stopping You From Writing a Letter to Your Sponsored Child?
[…] to Jhun, the child we sponsor through Compassion International. From the outside looking in, we’re great sponsors! Jhun’s adorable pictures are on our fridge, his most current letter is usually stacked on top of the mail on my table, the Compassion website is bookmarked under my browser, and I pray for Jhun. I do. […]
Great Advice from Sponsors on How to Write if You Never Have
Don’t feel embarrassed if you’ve never written a letter to the child you sponsor! You’re not alone. Here are some simple, no-pressure ways to get started if you’ve never written before — or if it has been a while since you’ve written — from other sponsors just like you.
A Minute to Write a Letter, Part One
A Minute to Write a Letter is a fictional story written by Emalee Warner who was inspired to write it after learning about sponsored children who never receive letters from their sponsors. Rendel followed the other children eagerly. Today was their child development center’s assigned letter–writing day. He was not nearly as excited as […]
The First Letter Builds a Cornerstone
[…] to our Global Ministry Center in Colorado. There, all the new sponsorships are posted in the Correspondence Tracking Application (CTA), an application that keeps track of all the letters going back and forth around the world. Once the information is in the CTA, Ericka Samayoa, a Sponsor and Donor Services Associate in Guatemala’s country office, is […]
An Improved Way to Write Your Sponsored Child
Compassion is rolling out a new and improved way to send some love to our sponsored children! This all-new online letter–writing tool allows you to create bright and beautiful messages with 33 different background templates to choose from.
How Long Does It Take for My Letters to Be Delivered?
Let’s be honest, getting a Compassion letter is such a joy that we all – children in the program included – want our letters to arrive quickly! But what goes into the process of getting letters to and from sponsors and how long does it take? We asked the folks who have the answers!
How Important Are Sponsor Letters?
For Compassion-sponsored children in Bolivia, one of the most special days at the child development center is Letter Day. Receiving a letter from a sponsor makes these children feel cared for and reminds them that they have a person in another country who loves them.
A Heartfelt Thank-You Letter From a Mom
[…] Mimi, shares the heartfelt thank-you note she wrote to staff at her daughter’s child development center. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, her husband has been in a leprosy colony and the migrant mother has struggled to provide for her family. Read her letter and be inspired by the impact you are having on families like hers!
Read a Grandmother’s Hopeful Letter to Her Baby Grandson
[…] was delivered prematurely via emergency surgery as his mother, Cindy, battled COVID-19. Tragically, Cindy died the day after — leaving Deinner’s grandmother, Bridis, to raise her baby grandson and his two siblings. Bridis shares her daughter’s story and expresses her hopes for Deinner’s future in this letter she wrote for him to read one day.
Sponsored Children Love Your Letters!
[…] each child and help them to read the letter. We explain anything to them that they are unable to understand. After reading the letters, we arrange a letter writing session. The children sit together inside the church and write to their sponsors.” Seven-year-old Tithi has a sponsor from the USA. Receiving any letter from her […]
A New Sponsor’s Journey: We Received Our First Letter!
We finally got it! Our first letter from our sponsored child through Compassion International! Even though we were a few months into the child sponsorship journey with Compassion (researching the organization, praying about sponsoring a child, and then finally sponsoring two children) there was still a piece of me that had felt distant from the process. Yes, […]
How to Write Your Sponsored Child No Matter Their Age
No matter the age of the child you sponsor, we’ve got some ideas for you to make letter–writing just a little easier! Just scroll to the right age and start writing!
By the Calendar: 12 Ideas for Writing to the Child You Sponsor in 2022
[…] everything else. I use my wall calendar to help me determine the months when I am the least busy, and I make a note to write my letters to my sponsored child during those months. This works for me because it helps me to prepare. I can add notes from my sponsored child’s last […]
Why Aren’t My Sponsored Child’s Letters as Engaging as I Hoped?
Why are some letters from sponsored children personal and relational while others feel formulaic and impersonal? In this article, we think through some of the reasons this might be your experience and refocus our hearts on the purpose of letter writing.
Second Friday Writing Club: Share Your World
[…] where we sponsor children, I know the children in the child development program around the world are curious about our country too. And this makes a great letter–writing topic to share this month for our Second Friday Letter Writing Club…the United States of America! Share your world with these fun U.S.A coloring ideas: Send your […]
Why Do My Sponsored Child’s Letters Seem So Impersonal?
Questions about letter writing are the most common ones I hear in the contact center. Many sponsors call or write us because they are frustrated with the quality of the letters they receive from their sponsored children. A few days ago, I spoke with Judy because she was upset that her sponsored child, Carlos, doesn’t […]
Are My Letters Really That Important?
[…] myself and was finally able to communicate with our guests. At the end of the visits, I’d be sure to get an address, and I would write letters and then wait and wait and pray that they would send a letter back. Some of them did, and I was always so excited. I wouldn’t […]
Second Friday Writing Club: Playtime
[…] and clean environments. Board games, outdoor games, imaginative play, and more! This month, let’s find fun games and creative play activities for playtime for our Second Friday Letter Writing Club board on Pinterest. Here is some inspiration to get us started: Is Checkers one of your favorites? Share this printable Checkers game with your sponsored […]
We Asked Alumni to Write 1 Final Letter to Their Former Sponsors
Vitoria was the first child I sponsored with Compassion. In her photo, she had pigtails and a shy smile. I wrote letters to her where we talked about the grades she made in school and her dreams to be a veterinarian. I watched her grow up through letters and photos for over a decade. […]
3 Ways to Write to the Child You Sponsor
Paralyzed by the thought of mailing anything? Tired of technology? There’s a writing method for you. Here are three easy ways to make writing the child you sponsor a breeze!
How to Write Your Sponsored Child in a Time of Crisis
Writing letters to your sponsored child during a crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, requires a little extra thoughtfulness and sensitivity. That’s why we’d like to give you a few tips for writing letters to your sponsored child right now!
Sponsor Letters Can Be a Family Affair
[…] place them next to the sponsor’s questions in the book. By doing this, our staff can easily check the accuracy of letters. As far as the actual letter writing, some children are able to write letters themselves and others are not. Fabrice is one child at the development center who can read and write his […]
How Often Should You Write to the Child You Sponsor?
You just wrote your first letter to the child your sponsor. Now what? When can you send your next letter and how often should you write to him or her?
What to Expect from the Letters From the Child You Sponsor
[…] over the phone, via email, or online about the children they sponsor. And often there are questions about the letters sponsors receive from them. Building a relationship through letter writing is one of the most important things you can do to offer hope to the child you sponsor. So here are a few of the questions […]
Writing Hope: A Story in Three Acts
[…] number of assets predicts thriving better than “poverty, family structure or other demographic differences.” The third act? Affirm children, both near and far. Sponsored children who receive letters do better on the Search Institute’s self-esteem scale, and sending just one letter every six months makes a difference. Try this to strengthen and build hope […]
Celebrate Back to School With Your Sponsored Child
As your kids head back to school, here are some fun ideas about this fall season from our Second Friday Letter Writing Club on Pinterest of what to write in your next letter to the child you sponsor.
Comfort Found in the Words of Her Sponsors
With no money, a drunken, violent father and a community plagued with malnutrition, one little girl found comfort in the words of her sponsors. This powerful story reminds us once again of the importance of letter writing.
That Letter You Need to Write
[…] is the senior pastor of the Church of the Holy Spirit and enjoys photography and any sport where you get to hit something. If you’re interested in writing a guest blog post, we are happy to consider publishing it. Read our guest blog post guidelines. Young child holding a soccer ball next to a […]
6 Ways to Write Your Child As If You’ve Met Them
[…] so many sponsors tell me that their relationship changed after meeting their sponsored child, I began to wonder how. And it turns out, what changes most is letter writing. So, even if we’re never able to meet our sponsored child, we can learn how to improve our letter writing from other sponsors! Keep reading for […]
How Do One Sponsor’s Letters Offer Support?
In the Philippines, godparents are not blood relatives, yet they are looked upon as second parents. Through letter writing, one sponsor has earned that position in the life of her sponsored child.
How to Teach Your Kids About the World With a Pen Pal
[…] more letters. And that gives you a positive response whenever they say they’re bored this summer: “Why don’t we write to our pen pal?” Learn how you can use writing letters to your very own international pen pal to teach your children, while brightening the day — and life — of the child you sponsor.
6 Teens Tell Us What They Like to Hear in Their Sponsors’ Letters
[…] to the teenagers they sponsor. Do my words make a difference? Does the young person I sponsor enjoy writing back to me? Do they actually write the letters I receive from them? And youths in Compassion’s program have the same questions about their sponsors: Do they enjoy writing to me? Are they real? To […]
5 Reasons to Write Your Child – No Matter What
[…] Joan who would always send me cards. Every holiday I would peek into the mailbox and see her familiar handwriting on that heavy white envelope. She sent a Christmas card. Birthday. Easter. Fourth of July. No holiday went by without a letter from Aunt Joan. And each one made me feel special. Loved. Remembered. Encouraged.
Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones
[…] thing I’ve ever said to my children, it needs to be countered with five to ten positive things. We should change the rhyme to: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will always help me.” Let’s explore the importance of letter writing and the power of your positive words to the child you sponsor.
How Are Your Compassion Letters Delivered?
[…] your letters are intimately cared for by Compassion staff and volunteers like these in Ghana. They have seen firsthand how the process of sharing two lives through letter writing can be life-changing for a child and his or her sponsor. And they go to great lengths to facilitate that relationship! Make the day of the […]
Love and Valentine’s Day in December
This month, the Second Friday Letter Writing theme is love (and Valentine’s Day). We would love for you to join us in finding some great items to send to our sponsored children.
How to Write Your Sponsored Child from Your Phone
Update: Download our app from iTunes or Google Play to make writing a letter from your smartphone even easier! You’ve been snapping a bucket load of pictures of your kids as they head back to school. Standing on your front porch. In front of the bus. By the flagpole. They’re beginning their new yearly […]
How to Write Letters to Teenagers
[…] know what is appropriate to mail to their older sponsored children. So this month, we are launching a new Pinterest board we hope you all will enjoy: Letter Writing to Teens. It’s filled with inspiration and ideas on how to write letters to teenagers. A few examples: Start your new communication style with this simple […]
How to Get to Know Your Sponsored Child’s Family
[…] taking a trip to visit them (although, that would be WONDERFUL in a post-COVID-19 world). I’m talking about building a relationship with your sponsored child’s family through letter writing! There are two different types of situations in writing your sponsored child’s family. You are sponsoring a child who’s too young to be writing their own […]
Do My Letters to the Child I Sponsor Actually Matter?
Your letters to the child you sponsor matter! But don’t take our word for it. Watch these Compassion alumni talk about what letters from their sponsors meant to them in this month’s Compassion Letter Club.
Write to a Child
What is a child correspondent and why is letter writing so important that correspondents are necessary? Isn’t financial support enough?
What Can I Mail to My Sponsor Child?
If your love language is gifts, this is a hard one for you because you want to be able to send material items along with your letters to show the child you sponsor that you love them. Today, I am going to share with you five things you can mail with your next letter.
Child Sponsorship: What Happens When a Child Leaves the Program?
We’ve noticed variations of this question – Can I stay in contact with my child if he or she graduates or leaves the sponsorship program? – popping up in several of our posts about letter–writing. So we approached our contact center to help answer it.
Top 10 Reasons to Write Your Sponsored Child
It might seem like just words on a page. But something in your letter will change your child’s thinking, draw him closer to God, encourage her to dream.
Who Translates Your Words of Love to the Child You Sponsor?
So, you want to write a letter to the child you sponsor, but you don’t speak his or her language. Who takes care of this? How do you make sure your original message still gets across? How does the translation process work? Don’t worry, this year on the Compassion Letter Club, we’re taking your […]
Count Your Blessings
November is the time of year that many people contemplate the blessings they have in life. This month’s Second Friday Letter Writing Club theme focuses on gratitude and blessings.
Three Birthday Card Ideas for Your Sponsored Child
UPDATE, April 8, 2016: Since the publication of this post, letter–writing guidelines have changed to speed up the delivery of letters and as a result you may not be able to send some items through Compassion’s correspondence system. Before you send your letter, please review our letter–writing guidelines. Everybody has one. Old or young, […]
Not Too Soon for Christmas
[…] celebration look like for our sponsored children? Do they have special Christmas traditions with their families? Do they decorate their homes with Christmas decorations? Do they attend special Christmas services at their churches? Because it can take months to get a letter to your sponsored child, it’s not too soon to write about Christmas now!
An Inside Look: Correspondence at Compassion
Since implementing the new online letter writing tool, we receive about 7,000 web letters each day compared to the 1,000 or so we received daily before the tool was implemented.
Conversations with Alumni: What if I Don’t Write My Sponsored Child? [VIDEO]
Here on the blog, we’ve talked a lot about the importance of letter writing and how much your words have power in the life of the child or teen you sponsor. And we’ve talked about how, sometimes, it’s the absence of words that has power too… leaving questions like: Am I thought of? Why did […]
Elves, Genies and Compassion’s Ministry Paradigm
So to follow up on the clock analogy, what makes Compassion tick? Which gears and teeth make Compassion run and how? Are there letter–writing genies in the basement? Does Compassion’s headquarters even have a basement? Do Santa’s workshop personnel kick it here during the off-season addressing and licking envelopes and sleighing over to Togo, […]
Pastors Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Impact of Your Letters
At the beginning of the year, we asked you what you wanted to know about writing letters to the children you sponsor. And for today’s Compassion Letter Club, we’re going to answer a question on Instagram that many sponsors wanted to know. “Are sponsored children truly happy to receive letters?” — @agrant302 We are […]
Christmas in October
It’s just the beginning of October, but mail to our sponsored children takes time to arrive, which makes now the time to be thinking about the Christmas letter you send to your child.
How Much Love Can You Fit in an Envelope?
[…] we all need a little reminder that someone out there loves us. SEND A NOTE TODAY › Want some ideas for your letter? Visit Compassion’s Second Friday Letter Writing Club board on Pinterest for downloads and fun ideas from sponsors that will help you give encouragement with each letter you send! How Much Love Can […]
Recommended Posts
[…] Sponsorship Program: What Does Research Show? What Happens When a Child Isn’t Sponsored? How Are We Different? What’s the Reality for Mothers Around the World? Join the Letter Writing Club on Pinterest A Cup of Cold Water Research Shows: Child Sponsorship Through Compassion Works We Have a New President and CEO Top 10 Reasons to […]
Nine Most Common Correspondence Questions
[…] children. Your child’s letter takes a similar process back to reach you. Sorting letters in our office in Inda Why does my child not answer my questions? Letter writing can be a difficult concept for a child to understand who has always communicated verbally. Here’s a great post with lots of information, Why Do My […]
A Wedding Surprise Highlights Her Incredible Sponsorship Story
[…] their family — is truly the most humbling experience. I will never be the same because of the love that they’ve shown me.” The Powerful Influence of Letter Writing Kristen credits letter writing for the special bonds she shares with her sponsored children. For Mateo specifically, Kristen says it was the letters that mattered. It […]
You Can Copy These Sample Letters!
[…] for you to COPY, (yes, you’re allowed to be a copycat), and simply change the details, like names, to customize to your life. If you also find letter writing a breeze, write a sample letter in the comments below, and between us there should be plenty of samples for others to choose from. Dear Gasore, […]
Not Convinced Your Letters Matter? Meet Kenenisa.
[…] I read it to him over and over again and he never gets tired of it.” Kenenisa says his favorite activity at the child development center is letter writing. With help from Misganaw, a volunteer at the center, Kenenisa draws and colors the letter template he will send to Aljon. Since he doesn’t know how […]
5 Fun DIY Christmas Cards
UPDATE: Since the publication of this post, letter–writing guidelines have changed and as a result you may not be able to send some of these items through Compassion’s correspondence system. Before you send your letter, please review our letter–writing guidelines. It’s that time of year! The time when you wish stores weren’t putting up […]
Any Last Words?
Grab the last letter you received from your sponsored child and share the closing sentence with us.
How to Encourage a Mother in Poverty
It’s the second Friday of March and that means it’s time to share letter–writing ideas! Our Second Friday Letter Writing Club is designed to inspire and connect sponsors with the children they sponsor through letters. And this month, because Mother’s Day is sneaking up on us, we want to send some love to the mothers […]
What Is Christmas Like for an Unsponsored Child?
“They wonder why they don’t get a letter or a card. Of course we explain the situation to them and tell them it’s because they don’t have a sponsor, but that’s not enough for a child. This is something that makes unsponsored kids feel very sad and even discouraged.” — Yovi de Racines, Secretary […]
Let’s Talk About Easter
This year, Easter Sunday falls on April 20. So this month, let’s send an Easter themed letter and paper craft items to our sponsored children.
Child Sponsorship Is About Relationship Building
[…] because there is still the need to express love through time. When they accepted the responsibility as sponsors, it is a must to set a time for letter writing. It is through this that the sponsored children will be updated about them. It is through this effort that children will know that they are greatly […]
Three Things All Sponsors Should Know
[…] He doesn’t make a move without discussing it with me. He is my son. Jennifer Holcombe, Sponsor Donor Services Communication Specialist Compassion partners with the local church. Letter writing is a very important part of sponsorship. Even if the child’s letters are not that engaging, children absolutely cherish letters from their sponsors. When people call […]
What If This Was the Fate of Your Letters?
[…] advocate, I felt a responsibility to protect all other sponsors from what I experienced. You amazing sponsors out there who put your heart and soul into writing letters. I didn’t want anyone to hear this story and have it stop them from writing their sponsored child again. Let me explain … I had been […]
7 Curious Questions for the Child You Sponsor
[…] deeper direction. They can help you get more of a glimpse of personality and begin to truly understand who this special person is. For this edition of letter–writing inspiration known as our Second Friday Letter–Writing Club, we took our cue from Teresa Dawn in Canada who, in addition to sponsoring three children, corresponds with 45 […]
Four Sponsor Sacrifices of the Heart
[…] my first two sponsored children, along with Denisse. I have written about Tausi previously in relation to the gifts we give our children. I had her first letter two months after I began sponsoring her — possibly sooner — and she was so expressive, so excited, so thankful for my sponsorship. I fell in […]
Your Top 5 Compassion Stories of 2021
[…] midst of challenge, their strength was undeniable. Their resilience was inspiring and their faith unshakeable. Who are these women? Take a look. 3. Sponsors Share Their Best Letter Writing Tips We put out a call to our Facebook community asking for the best advice for writing to children in Compassion’s program. Several people answered with great tips on […]
Musician Mike Donehey Shares Why (and How) He Writes to the Kids He Sponsors
[…] one letter from their sponsor can be life changing. So Mike hopes that he can be of some encouragement to his fellow sponsors when it comes to letter writing frequency: “To a lot of people, it feels like pressure. … But the thing of it is, every kid tells me it doesn’t matter: I’d rather […]
Child of Compassion
[…] After catching their breath, they went inside and sat down. Ismene loved school. She loved learning how to work math problems. She loved learning how to combine letters together to make words. She had been so excited the day she read her first sentence. Classroom in Haiti But Ismene was worried. Her grandparents might […]
How One Remarkable Mailman Encourages Sponsors on His Route
[…] Republic of the Congo from 1980 to 2003. Photos by Rachel Kara. This article was originally published by Compassion Australia. How Child Sponsorship Helps The Importance of Letter Writing Sponsor a Child My Account How One Remarkable Postman Encourages Sponsors on His Route Kosto A man in a yellow shirt smiles at the camera. Kosto […]
The Moment When 2 Sponsors Saw “Behind the Scenes”
[…] be 26 years before she realized the magnitude of her decision to become part of Norah’s amazing story. But Bonnie began building their relationship right away through letter writing. READ: Part 1 of Norah’s story “The Front-Row Seat” Jeff and Bonnie Four years later, Bonnie met and married her husband, Jeff. Vaguely familiar with Compassion, […]
How to Use Snapchat for Pictures to Send to the Child You Sponsor
[…] pictures to send in her Compassion letters. At the time, I was trying to figure out a fun way to get my own kids more involved in letter writing — outside of having them sit down on a regular basis to write to Fabian, the boy we sponsor in Ecuador. Reading her post, I thought, […]
It’s Your Birthday, and I’ll Write If I Want To
Time to celebrate! It’s been a year that we’ve been sharing monthly letter–writing ideas, printable items, and crafts to send to your sponsored child on the Second Friday Letter Writing Club board. I’m excited about the ideas that many of you have been pinning for us, great ideas that can be mailed to our sponsored […]
10 Creative Ways to Include Your Sponsored Child This Thanksgiving
[…] magnets on our fridge. This place is often seen in our home because we love to snack all day long. Seeing their faces reminds us to write letters and pray for them. Having your sponsored child’s picture displayed publicly over the holidays will spark conversations with visitors about child sponsorship. Their picture may even […]
My Favorite Thing the Child I Sponsor Wrote Me Was…
[…] told me that he had been especially praying for me and lifting ME up! I will always remember that. God was blessing me through him.” – @greenawaltcheryl Letter writing is a two-way street. Sometimes traffic on one side is faster or slower than the other and other times both lanes are moving in sync. But […]
When It Comes to Sponsorship, How Much Does Age Matter?
[…] are sponsored by other children or teenagers. Regardless of their sponsor’s age, children are happy to have someone overseas caring for them, someone to communicate with through letters. Josué is in the 2 percent of registered children sponsored by someone close in age. A soft smile and a sparkling glimmer in his eyes were Josué’s […]
“You Give Meaning to My Life So I Want to Give You a Better Life”
[…] sponsor stopped sponsoring him and Vitoon prayed to God for his new sponsor. That was when Richard came into his life. “Richard sends me a bunch of letters and that’s why we have a great relationship. In his first few letters, Richard told me that he was 82 years old, he had two cats […]
How to Encourage A+ Excellence In Your Letters
[…] the help of education? How do we look out for those who might get left behind? How do we help them stay in school from afar? Thankfully, letter writing allows you to maintain a personal relationship with the child you sponsor and cheer them on from miles away. Through this outlet, you can remind them […]
How Are Children Told That They Have Been Sponsored?
[…] a child has been sponsored. It takes 60 days from the time the country is notified that there is a new sponsor to when the first child letters arrive in our Global Ministry Center in Colorado Springs. In East India, for example, the Sponsor Donor Services (SDS) Associate generates the list of newly sponsored children from […]
Making New Friends with Letters
[…] distance or culture. As these children accept their sponsors as friends, they don’t get to see them in person, yet they form wonderful bonds. The exchange of letters between a child and sponsor initiates a relationship that can make a huge impact on both lives. Sponsors are encouraged to write often to their children. A […]
10 Center Directors Share Why Your Letters Matter
[…] words encourage, inspire and motive you — write the child you sponsor a letter today! WRITE A LETTER TODAY! › Photo by Yrahisa Mateo. The Importance of Letter Writing What Does a Compassion Center Director Do? My Account Frayner and Brisnel in the Dominican Republic Two children sit outside on a porch, reading letters. Letters […]
3 Easy Kids Crafts For Letters
[…] much! What fun creations have you and your own kids made for your sponsored child? We would love to see your ideas for our Second Friday Letter Writing Club Board on Pinterest. Love to Pin? Join us as a member of our Second Friday Letter Writing Club board, where pinners share ideas related to […]
International Day of the Girl Child
[…] she is living in. As you think about the International Day of the Girl Child tomorrow, and this month, you can find inspiration on our Second Friday Letter Writing Club board on Pinterest to encourage the little girls and young ladies whom we sponsor. Have you told your sponsored child that she is a masterpiece? Tell […]
3 Public Speaking Tips That Improved My Letters to My Sponsored Child
[…] to make an emotional shift (with humor, sentiment or anticipation). As I worked with his advice, I realized that these same tips could also be applied in letters to Luis, the child I sponsor. Here’s what my public-speaking experience taught me about sharing my story — and how it helped me write more authentic […]
Do My Letters Make a Difference?
[…] memorize Scripture. You tell them Jesus loves them. You tell them you love them. It’s interesting, though, that no matter how often we talk about the difference letter writing makes, we constantly hear how amazed our sponsors are when they get it for themselves. Picture via Ruth Simmons at gracelaced.com Sometimes, like on a blogger […]
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty through Education
[…] because it taught me how to act in class and how to lead my fellow classmates.” But there’s one more skill Sarah learned at the student center: letter writing. Each and every child was scheduled to write at least three letters a year to their sponsor. The children were also told to write back whenever […]
How to be Involved with Child Sponsorship on a Tight Budget
[…] involved. One new sponsor told me she was impressed to see how Compassion is committed to serving Christ and serving His children. She mentioned that she keeps the letters from her sponsored child in the welcome-kit folder I had given her. Compassion Board I purchased a world map from Barnes & Noble to create a Compassion […]
You Asked, We Answered: Facebook Q&A
[…] – Bobbi Yeah, they do. It’s never fun for a child to miss out on a letter or gift. That’s why we put a HUGE emphasis on letter writing and gift giving. We even have a correspondence program to write letters to kids who never get them. Email us if you’re interested – [email protected] So […]
Youths Share Why Letters Are So Meaningful
There’s something about a handwritten letter that is deeply meaningful. But we don’t always know what impact a letter might have. As a sponsor of a child living in poverty, you can have an incredible opportunity to have a positive impact in their lives. We asked photojournalists to interview young people around the world […]
The Day 6-Year-Old Sophia Learned to Dream Without Limits
[…] pasta, rice and soup. I’m very, very, very sad because we can’t go to the center in the pandemic. I really miss going there.” Longing for a Letter Beyond the center volunteers, children are also encouraged by their sponsor’s words in the letters they receive. But for more than two years, Sophia didn’t have […]
That Unforgettable Time I Met My Sponsored Child in Guatemala
[…] children and sponsors spend together on sponsor trips varies. What Makes Compassion Distinct Facts About Guatemala Sponsor a child through Compassion Prayer for Children The importance of letter writing Write to the child you sponsor Learn more about sponsor trips Genesis, a young girl with curly hair, sits by a completed Minnie Mouse puzzle. Genesis […]
Purifying Fire: Burning Away Our Impurities
[…] girl in Central America, wrote them three times a year but never responded to any of their questions. They were questioning whether the girl ever got their letters, and consequently, they were questioning the authenticity of Compassion. I explained to them how some child development centers engage in reciprocal letter–writing, helping their kids respond […]
Share the Bible with Your Sponsored Children
[…] why fellowship with fellow believers is important to you. Remind them that you are praying for them and their families. For this month, on our Second Friday Letter Writing Club Board on Pinterest, we would love for you to help us find Bible-related pins that would make great items to send to our sponsored children. […]
25 Powerful Photos of Children’s Rooms That Will Move You
[…] Facts About Brazil Compassion in Thailand Compassion Survival Fact Sheet Compassion in Kenya Facts About the Philippines Compassion in Ethiopia Compassion in Colombia Facts About Kenya About Letter Writing Compassion in the Philippines The Difference Between Joy and Happiness Compassion in the Dominican Republic Compassion in Bangladesh Compassion in Ghana Compassion in Burkina Faso Indonesia […]
My Sponsor Wiped My Mother’s Tears Away
[…] condition, but I was a life. All I needed were positive messages of hope to grow out of it. It is the relationships that sponsorship promotes through letter writing, not so much the money, that ends poverty. Think about it this way: A child runs to a parent for protection not because he has see the […]
New Updates to the Compassion App: How to Easily Engage With the Child You Sponsor
[…] my biggest reason for not writing him is that I just don’t feel like I have the time to sit down and get comfortable and write a letter. The thing is, I know I’m not alone in that feeling. Actually, we’ve heard similar comments from lots and lots of sponsors. You all have told […]
Who Translates Your Letters?
Greetings, good wishes, and the expression of love and hope to a special person are contained in the letters you write to your sponsored child. Letters are a great opportunity to enter the world of your child and family, a wonderful experience and adventure that ties the ties your lives together. The Honduras Compassion […]
Back From Bolivia
[…] imagine and quietly would say: “My sponsor, my sponsor…” Another thing that I noticed with all of the children is that they really study each of the letters I send. One of the first questions they all asked me is where and how is Corgi, my dog. They just absolutely loved him. So, I […]
Christian Blog Video Sitemap
[…] Leadership Development Program Selection Process (12/18/09) Leadership Development Program: How Can it Be Improved? (12/11/09) Clean Drinking Water (12/10/09) Comfort the Afflicted and Afflict the Comfortable (12/9/09) Letter Writing Ideas (12/4/09) World AIDS Day video (12/1/09) Life After Graduation (11/19/09) The Happiest Day of a Sponsored Child’s Life (11/14/09) Living in Two Worlds (11/13/09) Singing […]
Hold on Tightly Loosely
[…] ranted, I raved, I begged and pleaded with Compassion to get me information and to get it quickly. This was a crisis. And then I received a letter from the child. It was not an emotional letter; she wasn’t begging to come live with me or for me to come see her. She wasn’t […]
Growing Up Too Fast
[…] her of things that pertain to that job. What are some ways that you have encouraged your sponsored child to dream their dreams? Join our Second Friday Letter Writing Club on Pinterest to share your ideas! Not a part of our Second Friday Letter Writing Club? Be sure to follow us on Pinterest, then send […]
The Lie of Poverty Is a Double-Edged Sword
[…] to the difference we are making in the lives of our children. Have any of these thoughts ever gone through your mind? My sponsorship is insignificant, and letters to my sponsored child don’t matter. How can a simple thing like a letter make any difference in the life of a child? It takes so […]
What Should I Do if My Sponsored Child Contacts Me Via Facebook?
[…] she sponsored, Erica, had asked to be her friend on Facebook and wanted to know if she could correspond with her child through Facebook instead of writing letters. After all, it would be so much more convenient for her. Sigh. These conversations are always difficult for me. I would have loved to have told […]
You Will Never Know How Much Your Words Matter
[…] believed she could, so she did” framed in my bedroom. I see those words every day. And, as silly as they may seem, they encourage me. Your letters are your cross-stitched pillow. They are treasured. Maybe they’re not framed, but they’re valued. I can’t tell you how many graduates I’ve met who tell me […]
Share Your Favorite Sport with Your Sponsored Child
[…] watch? If you could learn to play a new sport, what sport would you like to learn? Now for a couple of pins from our Second Friday Letter Writing Club on Pinterest to share with you that fit our theme for the month: This looks like a great way to share the gospel using a […]
We’re Losing A Friend, A Part of Our Family
[…] relate to what my family and I are going through. My kids with pictures of their friends, the children they sponsor. Grieving We didn’t know our last letter to Ranjith would be our last letter. If we’d known, my son wouldn’t have written about baseball and pizza! We would have spent every word telling […]
Why This Girl No Longer Thinks She Is a Failure
[…] top five students in her class! Now 10, Sharith likes to study. She also likes to talk about her plans for the future and how, through her letters, her sponsor encourages Sharith to accomplish her dreams. “I dream of being a fashion designer,” says Sharith. “I want to have my own sewing machine and […]
Top 10 Blog Posts of 2016
[…] walls and have given many sponsors, myself included, ideas on things to write to the children they sponsor. And I can’t stress it enough, simply writing a letter means just as much as the words you put into the letter. In fact, if you sponsor a child, go write to him or her right […]
Your Letters Are Worth More Than You Know
[…] adults wonder who might sponsor each child and when. Everyone is grateful when a relationship between a sponsor and child begins. Once a child has a sponsor, letters play a key role in the process. Taking a piece of paper, writing a few paragraphs, and sending a picture or sticker might not seem like […]
A Sponsorship Story for Ordinary People
[…] away. Michelle’s photo was proudly displayed among our family photos, reminding us to pray for her. The most significant truth that was expressed in all of Michelle’s letters was her passionate desire to please and glorify God in all she did. On a more human level, we had an immediate connection with Michelle through […]
How Becoming a Sponsor Gave Me a Heart for Children
[…] button to sponsor my first two children through Compassion — Claudia and Hilary — I wondered: “How will I relate to them? What kinds of stories and letters would interest them? What do they need to hear?” And I prayed that God would give me the answers and a heart for “my girls.” All […]
Like Father (and Mother), Like Son
[…] to the Leadership Development Program. A number of sponsored children would be discouraged to lose a sponsor several times. Losing old relationships and building new ones through letter writing is not an easy task for a child. “As a little boy, I was one of the quiet ones at the student center, but I confess […]
A Christmas Card Drive of Epic Proportions!
[…] home the message they’d entrusted me with, “Please ask them to write to us.” Sponsor or no sponsor, turns out what every kid really wants is a letter. A letter to tell them they are special and loved and beautiful and necessary and that they matter much, much more than their circumstances may tell […]
Top 10 Blog Posts of 2015
[…] that of her friend Helen in New Zealand and Rita in Togo. And I love the way motherhood brings mankind in close proximity like nothing else. 8. Letter Writing: Lost In Translation This infographic is near to our hearts. Not only does it give an endearing look into the lives and hearts of the children […]
Dear God: It’s Been a While
[…] Blogger, Kim at Three Little Larks. Kim won second place for the ‘Dear God’ Blog Month assignment. Dear God, It’s been a while. I used to write letters to you all the time. Now, with the kids, work, and all the stuff I do for you, I really never make the chance to sit […]
What’s in Your Wallet?
[…] of friends, and we split the sponsorship by using our allowances. I collected the money, wrote the letters to Kimuna, and shared Kimuna’s letters with the “team.” Letter writing was an important part of my childhood and adolescence. I waited anxiously by the mailbox to receive updates on Kimuna’s family, goats, school, crops and soccer […]
Compassion Graduate: From Shoeshiner to National Director
[…] escaped the cycle of poverty in Jesus’ name. WATCH THE VIDEOS Photos by Avery Sass. Effects of Poverty on Children How Child Sponsorship Helps The Importance of Letter Writing Sponsorship in Action Sponsorship in Action Tony Beltran with a childhood picture Tony Beltran holding a picture of himself when he was a child Tony Beltran […]
Top 10 Compassion Blog Posts of 2017
[…] we’re reminded of the One Word that fueled us this year: IGNITE. We shared ways to ignite your compassion, stories of hope, opportunites to act, inspiration for letters to the children you sponsor, and much more. All with the purpose to fuel the fire that God has placed in us. Take a dive back […]
There Is Power in Sponsor Letters … in Your Letters
[…] Saturday to teach the children. God’s love for her kept flowing. She had taken English literacy as her major, which gave her the opportunity to translate child letters for Compassion East Indonesia. Even though she was a student and didn’t have much time every day, she volunteered to translate 100 letters a week, which […]
Namesakes: Why Children in Uganda Are Named After This Woman
[…] two more girls, also from Uganda. Little did Cynthia know how intertwined her life would become with Monica’s. A former postal worker, Cynthia loves writing and receiving letters. She especially loved receiving Monica’s letters over the years, which were never lacking in detail. “Her letters weren’t short; they were newsy and she told me […]
Six Ways Child Sponsorship Can Change the Life of a Six Year Old
[…] And it was enough – more than enough to give us a glimpse into the life of our newly-sponsored child, Elias, as we patiently waited to receive letters from him. My son asked me as we brought home the book after borrowing it from our library. “What’s that girl doing?” My 6-year-old pointed to […]
Friend Carries On Legacy of Sponsor Killed in 9/11 Attacks
[…] never be a part of. “That’s the thing,” says Stacey quietly, gathering the scattered photos, cards and newspaper clippings into a neat pile. “Time keeps marching on. It’s terrifying but comforting.” Photos by Andrew Huth. This story originally appeared in the fall 2016 issue of Compassion Magazine. Sponsor a child Letter Writing FAQ El Salvador Traditions
Leadership Development Program: Getting It Started in El Salvador
[…] the team is the sponsor. In the Leadership Development Program, the sponsor can play an even deeper role for the student, and build a profound relationship through letter writing, encouraging the student to become not only a good professional, but also an active Christian and leader in his or her family, community, and church. The prayers, words of […]
The Spirit Of Words
[…] miraculously outrun sickness – going from sick to healed literally overnight after months of illness. It led me to wonder what else God would do through our letters. I shared with Sam that I had traveled to Honduras with Compassion and that my best friend Tia had been on two mission trips to Africa. In light […]
Thank You for Loving and Protecting 2 Million Children
[…] Thank you to every supporter, church partner, staff member, and volunteer. For every prayer you’ve lifted to God on behalf of a child in need. For every letter of hope. And every freely given gift. You are demonstrating God’s love and changing lives. How the Frontline Church Uniquely Ministers to Children As we mark […]
10 Questions With Edwin Estioko
[…] My wife and I recently met our sponsored child. Meeting her we were the happiest couple alive. 4. What kinds of things can I say in my letters to best encourage my child? (Kalaya G) These children live in the most uncomfortable circumstances where adults around them are drunk, angry or distressed. A simple […]
Too Small To Ignore
[…] your sponsored child lives and give him or her a hug, how do you keep the passion? Maybe it’s reading for you, too. Maybe it’s reading their letters. Or even writing. Perhaps today you can write him or her a letter. Read a blog post about one of my adventures – Song of Hope […]
The Worst Mistake You Don’t Know You’re Making
In high school, I had a teacher, Mrs. Kuntz, who was so tough on her students that we all feared failing her class. Never before had I worried so much about earning a passing grade, but her high standards made me wonder if I had what it took. At the end of the semester, I […]
Always Picked Last (Extreme Poverty Style)
[…] outside their wood-walled, tin-roofed, one-room shanty. So imagine how it brightens a child’s day when he or she goes to the child development center and receives a letter from you — the sponsor. Now imagine a child who doesn’t have a sponsor. When all the children receive letters at the center, one never comes […]
Are You There God? Do You Hear Me?
Excerpted from Compassion Blogger, Emily at With Elephant Grace. Emily won third place for the ‘Dear God’ Blog Month assignment. Dear God, I’ve put off writing this letter for a long time – and to be honest, I’ve dreaded writing it all day. You see, I’m afraid of what will happen when I completely […]
How Do You Fight Human Trafficking?
[…] on several occasions with the authorities from the town and different institutions. Daniela not returning wasn’t an option for them. Still nothing happened. So they sent a letter to a Vice Minister telling him that if in 72 hours Daniela didn’t appear, the community would start an undefined blockade. It was this final pressure […]
Compassion Sunday Goes Beyond One Day
[…] was further moved to find both my pastor and his wife and my associate pastor in attendance. My pastor seemed quite pleased to be writing his first letter to his Compassion child, explaining to me that his wife had been writing, but that this was his first attempt. Beautiful! God is continuing with the […]
Sponsorship Means Fewer Grande, Three-pump, No Water Chai Tea Lattes
[…] dear friend and Air Force officer weep as he looked deployment square in the face while holding his two-week old baby girl. And then I got a letter from Compassion. Weeks before, I learned that one of our Compassion kids, Kevin, had been removed from the sponsorship program. His mom had a good job, […]
Five Reasons Why Sponsorship Is Great for Teens
[…] child has been proof that we make a difference in the lives of others. I love connecting with my sponsored child. Being able to encourage her through letter writing is a tangible way to make a difference, and receiving letters and drawings from her shows me just how much of an impact I have on […]
A Mother’s Hope
[…] you sponsoring her child and giving her child a chance to have a future that the mom never had. Be the answer to a mother’s hope. Sponsor a child today. Compassion International Mobile App Compassion Blog The Love of Literacy Compassion YouTube Sewing Out of Poverty Compassion Sponsor a Child Compassion Letter Writing Prompts Compassion Sponsor A Child
Financial Integrity: How Is My Donation Used Each Month?
[…] and evaluation. These services also cover the costs of staff who direct and maintain the daily activities at child development centers. More personally, sponsorship money also covers letter translation, postage, taking photos of your child and updating you on your child’s well-being. Have Questions? We’re Here to Help! Still have questions about sponsorship costs? […]
Your Child Will Choose You
[…] looks a bit unsure, but he is so beautiful… It’s been almost four months now, and I’ve written to my little boy twice. I haven’t had a letter from him yet, but I look forward to the day when I do. He turned 9 a few weeks ago, and so I bought some brightly colored […]
Homeless No More: One Haitian Mother’s Story
[…] the lives of their children, and their families. With the new skills they have acquired, they exert a positive influence on other mothers in the area who cannot be part of the Child Survival Program. woman holding child woman at desk writing letter woman and child outside home children sitting on chairs around a table
Touching Hearts
[…] that a desire is cultivated to pray even more fervently for the child. I am thankful and amazed that a sponsor and a child, writing a simple letter, could make such a great impact on one another. We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember […]
Seven Ways to a More Rewarding Sponsorship
Every day as I get the mail from our mailbox, I’m hoping for a letter from one of my sponsored children. Letters connect me to their worlds and engage me more deeply in the sponsorships. It didn’t use to be that way. Sponsorship was about writing a check and maybe sometimes sending a letter. […]
We Belong to Each Other: Stories From Compassion Kenya
[…] the stark contrast between the hope and peace behind the gate where the church sat from the evil and stench that was just feet away. An Open Letter to the Maasai People of Najile Church You reminded me that Jesus is in the business of inviting. He pulls us close, no matter how far […]
Compassion Sunday Is Child Sponsorship Taken to the Next Level
[…] still up! Each week someone stops by to either ask about sponsoring, pick up some information, ask questions about a current sponsorship, or tell me about a letter received from a child. It is my act of love to sit at that table each week. To Him be all of the glory! The little […]
The Power of Words and Actions
[…] and families in need, but they were two very EASY ways for busy moms to serve! This inspired and determined group of women threw themselves into the letter writing, enlisting their children in the process by having them draw pictures and including stickers and bookmarks in each card. Each woman also prayed with their families […]
What Does Child Sponsorship Mean in Burkina Faso?
[…] corner of the eye” by members of the community. When a child does not receive letters, the relationship is weakened a little. So the relationship must be dynamic. Letter writing establishes the relationship with the sponsored child. It makes it possible for the child to communicate with an adult, and like any child, this gift is seen as […]
What Does Your Sponsored Child Want to Know About You?
[…] Desalegn, age 13 What motivated you to sponsor me? Who influenced you to make this decision? — Yabsira, age 18 Contemplating what to share in a sponsor letter. From the Bible, which story do you like the most? — Ashenafi, age 12 What is your view about women’s equality? — Weineshet, age 13 What […]
11 Quotes From Children Who Are Part-Time Comedians
[…] minds, or perhaps the translation process, these funny one-liners perfectly capture the quirkiness and fun of children. Has the child you sponsor shared any gems in their letters? 1. Classic parents “I want to be a car racer when I grow up. But my mother wants me to be a good person and a […]
What Can a Hard-working Person Accomplish?
[…] I said to myself, ‘Well, in this lap, I’m out.’ But Kleber said, ‘Let’s do something that I have never done before. I’m going to write a letter so that you can get a time extension.’ “He said, ‘Claudio, I know that you are going to finish well; I know that you can.’” Claudio […]
Christmas Memories
[…] name on it and the other had mine, written in my mother’s elegant penmanship. Curious as to what could possibly be in something the size of a letter and thin as paper, my brother and I opened them slowly, simultaneously. Please be a check. A picture of a beautiful little girl from Indonesia, about […]
What is True Impact?
[…] children. In her sponsorship photo she appeared tall, gangly, and a little uncomfortable in her own skin, not unlike how I was at age 14. We exchanged letters and kept one another current on favorite activities, hobbies, scriptures, and family happenings. I saw a need, took action, and began to feel forward motion in […]
Do Not Be Afraid
[…] sat on dirty, half-tarred roads. My eyes fell on a little girl not more than 7 years of age. Bent over a dirty book, she was writing, letter by letter. As she wrote, she said the letters out loud. Her only aid was the dim street lamp across the road. It was her only source […]
Sharing a Moment in Time
[…] our day matter. Whether it’s taking a minute to share a fun photo for a book giveaway or the minutes taken to encourage a sponsored child through letter writing, our time is precious. So thank you to all who shared a precious moment in time with us by posting your clock photos on Instagram, Facebook […]
Just Believe
[…] depended on it. Since my aunt whom I was staying with was illiterate, she also encouraged me to work hard so that I could read and write letters for her. I grew up inspired that since so much was being invested in me, much would be required from me too. I realized how lucky I […]
Experience Compassion Conference: Colorado Springs 2014
[…] Compassion’s mission is and how it is fulfilled. It helped my granddaughter learn what a sponsored child’s life is like and why sponsorship is so important…especially the letter writing.” “I love to gather with other like-minded people who have the same goals and passions for helping children in poverty. We need to have our spirits and […]
Life After the Leadership Development Program: A Voice for the Voiceless
[…] in 2005 from Daystar University with a degree in community development. Upon graduating, I became a volunteer at my local child development center, helping Compassion kids with letter writing, doing devotions and sharing my Compassion story as a way of encouraging them. I also worked on a part-time basis with Compassion Kenya as a research […]
Compassion Named Xerox 2016 In-Plant Hero
[…] too important to give that to someone else.” Michael and his team oversee the ministry’s print and digital communications from start to finish. These pieces include child letters, sponsor welcome packets, letter–writing stationery, child updates and birthday cards. Each piece is automatically customized for one of our more than 1 million sponsors or 1.8 […]
The Definitive Guide to Compassion Blogger Trips
[…] them through our Child Survival Program. Throughout the trip we meet hundreds of kids who participate in Compassion’s Child Sponsorship Development Program. Maybe we catch them on letter day when they receive letters from their sponsors. Or, we talk to student leaders who have been in the sponsorship program and find out what a […]
Ministry Highlight: Philippines
[…] general assemblies and orientation for parents, and there are some churches that have initiated activities such as Bible studies and care groups. Mothers are also involved in letter writing. But generally, we do not have the budget to offer regular activities specifically aimed at parents. Areas of Expansion for the Child Sponsorship Program We would […]
These Two Churches United for Hope and Survival
[…] On a few occasions, Jeremy was able to bring his wife and two kids along to connect with Dayana and her family. Through these experiences and consistent letter–writing, the two families formed a trusted bond. The LeVans visit Dayana and her mother together for the first time. On their second visit, Dayana’s mom began […]
Snowflakes for Your Sponsored Child
[…] thing about winter? What is your favorite winter holiday? Now it is your turn to help us find some great winter ideas for our Pinterest Second Friday Letter Writing Club board! Not a member of the board yet? Be sure to follow us on Pinterest and leave a comment below with your Pinterest URL so […]
How Are Children Told That They Have Been Sponsored?
[…] sponsor!” a staff member tells Diana. Celebration ensues. Diana quickly learns her sponsor’s name and where they are from. She asks questions and begins writing her first letter. Staff comes to Paul’s house to tell him he has a sponsor. Paul is only 1 year old, so his family hears the news together. They […]
Prayer Requests for the Philippines
[…] have been committed for the Philippines from other governments. Churches and Christian NGOs are working together. Even school children are volunteering to pack relief bags and writing letters to children so that when they open the bag of goods, inside is a letter written by a child from Manila encouraging them to hope and […]
These Children Created Art to Tell Sponsors How Much They Love Them
[…] treasures for their sponsors. We wanted to showcase some of our favorite art projects for you — as a reminder that although the coronavirus pandemic is delaying letter delivery, the child you sponsor is thinking of you. Please enjoy these nine photos of children’s messages and art for their sponsors! Abdiel, 10, holds a poster […]
View from the Contact Center
[…] mean to act as one. Most importantly, to the world we are one. If someone mentions to you that they couldn’t read the translation of their child’s letter, that’s your concern, as though you did the writing. When someone expresses gratitude that their gift to a child was delivered and met a vital need, […]
I Didn’t Ask to Fall in Love
[…] rich heritage and culture brightly colored in the faces of its people. For three years, I’ve sponsored a little boy, Freddy, and encouraged and loved him through letter writing. When the opportunity to visit him presented itself, I knew it was something I was meant to do. So at the end of September, I journeyed […]
Do Children in the Compassion Program Have More Than One Sponsor?
[…] cash through sponsorship. Instead, they receive access to health care, educational opportunities, biblical teaching, and other aids for holistic development. But am I really getting to exchange letters with the child I sponsor? The answer is a resounding yes! The photo of the child you sponsor isn’t on anyone else’s fridge. And he or […]
Download our Free iPhone App
Download our free iPhone app. And let us know what you think about it. What do you like? What don’t you like? What features* need to be added? *Data security issues prevented us from including a letter writing feature in this release, but it will be offered in a future release. compassion-iphone-app
From Sponsored Children to Health Care Heroes!
[…] and we’re praying for you! Reporting and photos by Javier Elis, Tigist Gizachew, Sara Navarro, Doreen Umutesi and Alejandra Zunia. Why Sponsor a Child? The Importance of Letter Writing Covering the World in Prayer Covering the World in Prayer Dr. Addisalem Gebresilassie Dr. Addisalem Gebresilassie wearing scrubs and surgical mask Doctors in Ethiopia conferring Doctors […]
Top 5 People We’re Grateful For (Hint: One of Them Is You!)
[…] math at her child development center. Did you know that many Compassion tutors are volunteers? They spend hours with the kids you sponsor, helping with homework and letter writing. They take their jobs seriously – some even walk kids home through dangerous neighborhoods! Their ministry is vital to the children we serve together. 4. The […]
Carry Your Sponsored Child with You with Compassion International’s Mobile App
[…] child in new ways by downloading the Compassion app today! Download the Compassion App from iTunes Download the Compassion App from Google Play iTunes Compassion International App Google Play Compassion International App iTunes Compassion International App Google Play Compassion International App Compassion App My Child Compassion App Weather Map Compassion App Letter Writing Compassion App Pray
Our Mission Statement Expanded and Explained
[…] When a frontline child development worker intervenes for a child being neglected or abused, he or she is being a child advocate. And every sponsor writing a letter of hope and encouragement to a sponsored child is being a child advocate. “…to release them…” “To release them” makes it clear that we have an end […]
Inspiring Millennials: How This 25-Year-Old Built a School for Children in Poverty
[…] Gifts is a smart way to maximize the donations you are already making. Maximize your “God Drop” today! LEARN MORE! › Sponsor a Child The Importance of Letter Writing Matching Gifts Tanzania Facts Matching Gifts Matching Gifts A woman stands in front of a wall that says Laura Hoke Classroom in Ethiopia A classroom with […]
Blessings From Korea to Ecuador
[…] have shown interest in my niece. In addition to their own family, someone else is concerned about her.” The best thing for Melisa is when she receives letters from her Korean sponsor. She tells us, “I love getting letters from my sponsor. She wrote me on my birthday and told me that I am […]
What Does Healthy Child Development Look Like in Poverty?
[…] partners, we believe it’s the relationships that have the lasting impact. Relationship with the child development staff and relationship with their sponsors. The Power of the #Compassion Letter Compassion letters unite families across the globe in a unique and empowering relationship. We love when the whole family gets involved! Our kids love writing to […]
Share Summer With Your Sponsored Child
[…] a different kind of summer “bucket list” with your own kids? Involve them in a little bit of service this summer: Are you following our Second Friday Letter Writing Club board on Pinterest yet? If you would like to help us find some great summer-related pins this month, be sure to give us your Pinterest […]
Sponsors Really Do Exist!
[…] Mariana, a child who lives in East Indonesia on Sangihe Island, where her child development center is located. Although their communication before Matthew’s visit was only through letters, Matthew and Mariana enjoy sharing many things as they write to one another. They understand that mail can seem slow because it first has to be […]
Out of the Mouths of Babes
[…] her little personality blossom. It’s no different with our sponsored children. It’s awesome to watch them grow and get to know them. Just recently, I received a letter from our little boy in Tanzania. He wrote, “I loved the picture of your daughter, but she looks funny.” I’m guessing he meant that she looks […]
Trapped Inside for 8 Years, Sabina Is Now Free
[…] cleansing. Felicia feared for her daughter’s life, but she didn’t have the money to pay for her the ritual. Instead, Felicia observed the taboo restrictions to the letter, never allowing Sabina to leave the house. But Sabina’s dad, Joseph, had faith in Christ. Joseph gave up belief in the ancestral taboos when he accepted […]
Deserts Like Eden
[…] ministry. Because of the presence of this ministry in our communities, we see a Child Survival Program baby grow up healthy and become a creative, strong, happy, letter–writing child in the Child Sponsorship Program. And before we know it, that child has turned into a wise Leadership Development Program servant leader. The scripture is […]
Nine Questions With Cesiah Magaña
[…] when you write that you love them, and they are counting on your prayers. Every time they are at the center, they will expect to receive a letter from their sponsors because this fills them with joy and encouragement to continue to stand. 7. Sometimes I feel, as a mom of a 3 year […]
10 Questions With Mark Peters (Part II)
[…] organizations place less emphasis on the one-to-one connection and more on the physical resources provided through monthly gifts. Why does Compassion focus on that relationship, specifically through letter–writing? After 55 years, we have begun placing a greater emphasis on the role sponsors can play in encouraging their sponsored child through letters, gifts and visits. […]
Team Compassion Rides in the Courage Classic
[…] children in need here in the USA outside of work!’ We talked about his sponsored child in Haiti and the importance of developing his relationship through the letter writing and encouraging them through this process.” Compassion is dedicated to the well-being of our staff – heart, soul, mind and strength. Getting involved with Team […]
Receive Love. Give Love. Repeat.
[…] Eadie These Compassion volunteers share their passions and motivation to give love through volunteering. Compassion #LoveLetters We ADORE seeing letters written by children to their loving sponsors. Letter writing turns sponsorship into a relationship. It’s super easy, doesn’t take much time and makes a huge difference in the life of the child you sponsor. Way […]