After taking a trip to Guatemala with Compassion, as a sponsor but more importantly as a ministry 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 to Haiti to do medical missionary work and I thought I had seen poverty. I was confident after that experience I would not be affected by anything I saw in Guatemala. God didn’t agree and set me straight.

The home we visited was no home but two pitch-dark wood sheds. It was pouring that day and the rain seemed to just add to the feeling of despair that surrounded us. What hit me more than the physical structures the people were living in was the emotional wreckage I saw and heard as we asked them about their lives.

The mother was unable to speak after being raped by guerrilla soldiers years ago, two of her children had gone to gangs never to return again (or they would themselves be killed for leaving), and three small children looked up at us with such hollow eyes and empty hearts.

I always make a point to ask Compassion children I meet anywhere if they receive letters from their sponsors. I think this question is important for many reasons. To hear their feedback helps me to know what I need to do to get the word out to others that they must write more. And, it is good to hear out of their precious mouths why it’s so special.

So, I asked my question to this family as well. The response hit me like a knife going through my heart … literally.

I guess that’s just one of the reasons I burst into tears and felt so completely foolish. What right did I have to cry when they were the ones living like this?

The oldest little guy still at home, was — I’m guessing — maybe 8 or 9 years old. He responded.

“Yes, I have sponsors.”

He showed me only one letter. I asked him,

“Only one letter?”

He replied,

“This one is newer. I did have more but not now.”

Now? Why not now I’m wondering?

“They did send me letters, but my dad was an alcoholic. He died. After that, my mom had no money, no food. So we had to burn my letters to stay warm.”

I felt this rush of pain traveling from my brain down every nerve ending to my heart. It was so profound. At first, I just couldn’t stop the emotions as I hugged him and he was crying. We cried together.

But then, my own selfish fears kicked into gear silently like a train hitting me at full speed. What did he just REALLY say? Wait … what about my letters to all my children. What if?…

I have thought and thought about what I saw and heard, not sure if I should share. Thinking it could be so irresponsible of me as an advocate to tell sponsors this, knowing how wrapped up into letters everyone gets, including me.

A boy in Guatemala shows off a letter from his sponsor.

After awhile, we begin to crave those beautiful cream envelopes. Think of them so often, almost wanting to tackle the mail people before they even fill our mailboxes! We are sincere in our love, truly giving to our children that which brings us closer together when distance separates us.

The question I kept asking myself was, how can I relay this in a way that others can see the much, much more important message in this, rather than focusing on how the letters were burned and what if that happened to mine or yours.

Just as in our own families we treasure photos and letters of our time together, ultimately it is the memories of those events that no one can ever take away from us. When we receive a letter from a loved one, sponsored child, friend, we don’t forget … ever.

We hold the memories inside us like a time capsule and nothing can change that, not even a fire to stay warm.

What the sponsor family of that sweet little boy don’t know won’t hurt them. You know why? Because not only have they been supporting their little boy each month, but they also provide something they never could have guessed. They sent survival for a family, literally.

God protects and God provides, always. We really have no idea how much we are doing each and every time we send small gifts in our envelopes, letters and photos.

I never, ever, ever want what I have shared to deter anyone from writing more. Instead, I pray that it will in fact do just the opposite. When you send a letter, realize that you are doing so much more than simply writing because you are sharing your life with your child.

We cannot control what God plans and shouldn’t even try to. What we can do though is understand and allow God to use what we give of ourselves to help our children in ways we could never imagine.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Julie Berger sponsors seven children and is a correspondent sponsor to three additional children. She lives with her family in Pennsylvania where she works as a medical missions coordinator.

If you’re interested in writing a guest blog post, we are happy to consider publishing it. Read our guest blog post guidelines.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

I love that I don’t always know why I write what I write to my sponsored children.

At first glance, words on pages may seem as though they are merely words, but an 11-year-old boy named Sam from Ghana provided a powerful reminder that words prayed over and led by the Spirit have a power and a purpose all their own.

I received such words from Sam many times, and the impact of those words has changed more lives than I will ever know.

The first time I realized Sam was truly receiving his words from the Holy Spirit was when he wrote to me on September 14th, 2010 and shared that his prayer for me was that God would give me a double portion of health.

He had no way of knowing how dangerously sick I had been. I didn’t tell him because I hadn’t wanted to frighten him.

Sam also had no way of knowing that as he was writing, his prayers were being answered halfway across the world. September 14th, 2010 was the day that God brought me from barely walking, to running for the first time. It was the day God helped me begin to 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 of his prayer about my health, I took note when Sam responded that when he had heard I had been to Honduras and that Tia had been to Africa twice, he prayed God would bless us for our work, and he also prayed we would come to Ghana to meet face to face.

Sam shared that he had prayed and God would “let it come to pass, Amen!”

The words were simple, but it’s how the Holy Spirit translated them to my heart that caused a ripple effect that would soon reach further than either of us could ever have imagined.

Unable to shake the feeling that God had shared this through Sam for a purpose beyond meeting our beloved Compassion child face to face, Tia and I began to research the needs of children in Ghana. We were horrified to learn that child slavery is still practiced in parts of this country.

Children as young as 4 years old are sold into a life of bondage that perpetuates the cycle of poverty and destroys lives.

In fact, there are more slaves worldwide today than there have ever been, and at least 50 percent of them are vulnerable, precious children.

We launched a fundraising initiative to raise funds to provide expanded resources for children rescued from slavery in Ghana, which would in turn help facilitate the rescue of more children. Having raised $30,000 in mere months to provide for these children, we set out for Ghana in November of 2011.

That is when Sam’s prayer, which had been answered all along, was answered “face to face” when I, along with my 13-year-old son Joshua, my best friend Tia, and our friend Debra met him face to face.

Together, we celebrated the impact his letters had made not only in our lives and in the lives of our families and friends, but in the lives of children in his country who would be rescued from slavery — all because of words the Holy Spirit led him to share in what seemed like a simple letter from a child.

I used to think that when sponsors chose not to write to their children, it was simply the children and the sponsors who lost the opportunity to affect each other’s lives in beautiful ways. Now I can’t help but ask myself what we’re robbing the world of when we don’t take a moment to write to these precious children.

The words on the pages don’t have to be perfect. The Holy Spirit will make them so.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: JD Richardson gave up housework for lent years ago and never looked back. God filled all the free time she acquired by shaping her into a writer, photographer, Compassion Advocate and sponsor of 16 Compassion children from around the world.

If you’re interested in writing a guest blog post, we are happy to consider publishing it. Read our guest blog post guidelines.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

I recently managed a team of editors working on letters written to sponsors by Project Facilitators. We read over 3,500 letters.

Many of them included compelling stories of how your letters affect children in our sponsorship program – stories, not from our perspective, but from the perspective of those who work with the children and our church partners.

From these 3,500 letters, we compiled a list of the 10 most motivating reasons to write your child.

• TEN
  Letters to children are very important; the connection is made. When the child’s name is read out as having received a letter, the excitement and joy is contagious! As they read the letter, they see you. If they do not have your photo, they paint the best picture of you in their minds, and that remains in their heart forever. They talk about you to their family every day as they pray for you; they tell their neighbors, friends, and their schoolmates, because you are so alive in their lives. (from Uganda)
  
  
• NINE
  Sponsor letters have been making a great impact in the lives of children, such as strengthening the relationship as the child gets to know sponsor family. The child feels as if the relationship is one of very close friends. Likewise, through sponsor letters, children get to know other parts of the world and what they look like. Children are also motivated to learn English when they receive sponsor letters. (from Tanzania)
• EIGHT
  Children take your letters as a sign of your concern and an expression of your love. Parents are amazed that somebody is taking time to think of them, as poor as they are. Sponsor letters are making church leaders and child development center staff renew their concern and love for the children and families they serve. (from Ethiopia)
• SEVEN
  Children become kinder, because they want to show their sponsors they care for others and are behaving well. (from Togo)
• SIX
  Sponsor letters act as a communication channel between children and their sponsors. They enable children to have an intimate relationship with their sponsors. When sponsors share their feelings and prayer requests, the children feel more wanted and cared for. Some children who are orphaned feel so loved that they refer to their sponsors as Mom or Dad. This helps boost the emotional status of these children. They have a shoulder to lean on. (from Kenya)



• FIVE
  The prayers, support, gifts, letters and visits that children share with sponsors do transform the children’s lives, and these experiences positively influence their character. They are uplifted spiritually, socially, morally and emotionally. When sponsor letters tell children that they are the best and God loves them, the children’s self-worth is lifted forever and they live with confidence.

  Children gladly share with their friends the information, the stickers, the verses, Christmas/Easter wishes and all the other gifts they receive from sponsors. Children are also deeply moved by the love expressed for them in these letters. One letter read,

  “We have hung your photo on the wall and we ask God to bless you every time we see you.”

  The children cannot hide their emotions when they receive such messages.

  They are moved to tears, and they bless God for giving them such wonderful friends to walk closely with through the journey of life. They forget the weary burdens that sometimes pull them down. The children are compelled to keep these letters; they read them time and again.

  Optimism and hope are reflected on the faces of children as they read and meditate on the encouraging messages. (from Kenya)

• FOUR
  Sponsor letters are very important to the lives of the children at the child development center. When they receive a letter written to them by their sponsors, the children feel very proud and loved. It is touching to see even the little ones who cannot write anything, passionately drawing diligently and expressing their love to their sponsors.

  Whenever children are assembled and it is mentioned that the teacher wants to give them letters from their sponsors, all the children keep quiet and stay attentive with a very high expectation to receive a letter from their sponsor. The joy, happiness and the glow evident in the children’s faces is a clear indication that sponsor letters play a significant part in their lives. (from Kenya)

• THREE
  One time I went for facilitation, and I saw an appreciation card written by a child to the sponsor and the child kept carrying her sponsor’s letters to school. She said when there is no one near her to encourage her through difficulties, she reads her sponsor’s letter and she feels assured to be a winner. (from Kenya)



• TWO
  There are children who accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior due to sponsor letters’ impact and prayers. (from Ethiopia)
• ONE
  Once, a child’s parent told me that when my assistant brought a letter to her sick child, the child got up immediately from the sick bed. After the letter was read to him, he embraced the photo contained in the letter for a long time. And that marked the sudden end of that sickness. (from Togo)

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

My sister thinks I’m nuts. My friends think I’m developing an addiction. Truth be told, I just love writing letters to my sponsored kids!

I find writing letters easy and fun, yet I’ve spoken to many sponsors who find it difficult. Fancy templates and ease of attaching photos are great, as are dozens of ideas about what to send with your letters, but all of this doesn’t help if you struggle with finding words and putting them together.

For sponsors who know the importance of letters but aren’t good with words, encouragement to write can bring on the guilt. Feel guilty no more; here is a solution for you!

Below are a few sample letters I’ve written 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,

Thank you for all your letters and drawings. I hope you and your family are well. I am well.

I have your picture on my desk at work. You are very handsome.

I have 2 cats. Seth is a black and white boy cat and Phoebe is a striped girl cat. Do you have any pets?

Love from Gail
(photo of cats could be attached)

Dear handsome Ruan,

Thank you for your letters. I enjoy hearing from you.

I pray for you and your family often. I hope you are all well.

I work for Compassion Australia. I work in an office as a Project Manager. What would you like to do for work when you grow up?

Please pray for me that I will do my best at work.
Love and hugs from Gail

To my beautiful Maria,

Thank you for your letters. I really like your drawings, particularly the princess one.

I have been reading in my Bible about Esther. She was a very brave queen who stood up for God. Have you learned about Esther?

I pray that God will help you be brave when you need to.
With love and hugs, Gail
(you may want to send an Esther coloring in sheet or book)

To my very clever Carlos,

Thank you for your letters and your prayers. I feel very special knowing that you pray for me. I pray for you too.

I am so proud of how well you are doing at school. I am well. It is summer here and very hot.

We live near the beach and go there on hot days to play in the cool water. Do you live near the beach or a lake?

Love and prayers from Gail

In my experience I’ve found that the first couple of letters to a child are fairly easy as you cover the basic facts: name, age, family introductions, what you do for work, favorites, pets. But after you’ve told them all that, what do you write next? Here are some samples for that as well.

Hello my Manuel

G’day from Australia! I pray that you and your family are well. Thank you for your drawings and letters. You are very good at drawing!

I have been studying the life of Joseph in the Bible. He is one of my favorites because even though his life had some very horrible times, like being a slave and being in prison unfairly, he still trusted in God and believed that God would bring his dreams to pass. My favorite memory verse about Joseph is Genesis 50: 20 where Joseph says: “You meant to harm me, but God meant it for good.”

I hope you like the postcard of the wombat I am sending you. Wombats are the size of a jelly bean when they are born but grow to 1 metre long. They live in burrows in the ground and come out at night or on cloudy days to find grass and roots to eat. We rarely see wombats in the city, but country people see them sometimes. I have seen some at the zoo.

With lots of love to my precious Manuel! Gail
(postcard or picture of wombat attached)

Hello my very special Kirubel

I am very proud of you for doing so well in your school work. I pray that God will help you in your studies. Please pray for me to do well at my university studies too.

With this letter I am sending you a photo of my brother Paul and my mom and dad. This photo was taken when my brother Paul graduated from college. He got his diploma in outdoor recreation. Paul doesn’t like doing school work very much, so this was a big challenge for him. We were so proud of him for finishing his course.

Do you like school? What is your favorite subject? My favorite subject was history, and I didn’t really like math.

Please tell your family I love them and pray for them.

I love you heaps! Gail
(photo of graduation attached)

Please share this with all your sponsor friends and let’s see more children receiving letters!

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

A letter from a sponsor is one of the most desired things a sponsored child can receive. Your letters can do more than money, because they build a relationship between you and your sponsored child.

Your letters are not just pieces of paper; they are letters filled with love, affection, emotion and inspiration for children.

In Bangladesh our child development centers do not celebrate any particular day of the month as “Letter Day,” as some other countries do. But every month children reply to your letters after receiving them from our ministry office.

Children at the Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center are always looking forward to the day when their center staff members bring the big envelop full of sponsor letters.

This development center is located on the top of a small hill, a one hour drive from the nearest town. Our staff visits a small town to collect the letters from a courier office.

The head of Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center, shares,

“We are several miles away from a small town. Every month we receive sponsor’s letters at least twice. Children are very eager about these letters; they always ask us about the letters.

Here we don’t have a mail-man who can bring the letters to the development center. We are required to collect these letters from the courier office. We use three wheelers (small three wheel rickshaw that runs by motor) to get them.

It takes more than two hours to reach town and come back. Children are always very excited and happy to see the big brown envelop in our hands.”

Caregivers, social workers and other staff from the development center assist the children to read your letters and write back.

Bangladesh is a country where different tribal groups have their own languages. Bengali is the only language that is widely used.

English is not spoken or understood by most people. So a group of young students at our country office translate your letters before they are sent to the child development centers.

Then the Sponsor Donor Service staff distribute the translated letters to the various Implementing Church Partners.

Children at the center receive the original letter with a translation in their local language at the bottom.

Rita, staff member at the Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center explains,

“Most of the time we receive letters in the afternoon, so we distribute the letters to children the next day.

We call 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 sponsor is a most pleasant event for her.

“I like to receive gifts, but I love to get my sponsor’s letters more. I love it especially when there are photos of my sponsor. My sponsor loves me and sent me a nice photo of her. She wrote that she prays for me.

Children feel happy to show your letters and photos to their development center friends and family. Tithi always shows her letters and photos to her friends. Tithi can read her own letters, but her teacher helps her to understand the unusual words.

Lishtina’s sponsors are also from USA. Her sponsors are very responsive. They reply to her every letter. This year Lishtina wrote 6 letters and received 5 from her sponsors.

“I received a birthday gift from my sponsors but I love to receive letters and photos from my sponsors more than gifts.

These letters are full of greetings, encouraging words and Bible verses. They also send a beautiful family photo with Christmas greetings. These letters are precious to me.”

For boys, to receive a letter from their sponsors is equally important. Robin and Eliphas love to get notes from their sponsors. Robin shares with his parents every time he receives a letter from his sponsor.

Whenever Robin gets any card or picture he becomes very delighted. Eliphas reads his notes from his sponsor with his friends. Every child feels proud when they receive their sponsor’s letter, because it brings the message that someone from far country thinks about them.

Synod is the eldest registered child at the Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center. She is now 14 and studying in grade 8. She feels the significance of her sponsor’s messages.

“Every time I receive a letter from my sponsor I get so excited. She is like my family member. I can feel her emotion, love and care for me. It is something very special for me.

My sponsor encourages me to keep up my good results at school. Her inspiration helps me to improve myself. I always wait for her letter.”

Hema also waits eagerly for greetings from her sponsors. Whenever the child development center staff comes in with a large brown envelop, she expects a letter from her sponsors. It becomes a lucky day for her when she gets her desired letter.

It has been 5 years since we started to work through the local church in the community of Sath Nong Khasia Pungi. The staff at this center are experienced and understand the importance of children’s letters for their sponsors.

Letter writing is considered as essential as any other regular activity at the center. Generally the children reply to their sponsor’s letters the day after the development center receives them from the country office.

Rita explaines the whole letter writing activities of the development center:

“Children who don’t receive letters from their sponsors generally write letters to their sponsors every 4 months. But for the sponsored children who get letters from their sponsors regularly, they have to reply their sponsor’s letters.

They also write thank you letters whenever they receive any monetary gifts from sponsors.

The letter writing process is very organized and systematic at the Sath Nong Khasiapungi Child Development Center, just like other development centers in Bangladesh. Children read their letters from sponsors and then they sit together inside the church and write their replies.

Children also sit on long benches and place their writing papers on narrow tables. We provide them with a special letter form to write to their sponsors. These letter forms are colorful and children can write and draw on them.

There is also a small space for translation from Bengali to English. The children who are in higher grades write their letters on their own; the center staff help the younger children to write their letters.

Children use pencils, pens, and colors to write and draw to their friends abroad. The social workers and the caregivers always assist and guide the children in writing letters.

Children include their favorite Bible verses, list of favorite birds, colors, animals and song in their letters.

Tithi shares,

“My sponsor sends me her photo. I wrote her back about my family, my study and my country. I always thank her for sponsoring me.”

Usually the information and language of the children letters are different for different age groups. The older children like Synod can express their pleasure and excitement in a more organized way.

“I do enjoy writing to my sponsor. I thank her for being my sponsor. I answer all of her questions from the most recent letter. Also my life and learning at the development center are included in my letters. I ask my sponsor to pray for my family.”

Lishtina received a birthday gift from her sponsors. She conveyed her gratitude through a thank you letter.

“I thank my sponsors for sending me a birthday gift. I write them about the beautiful stuff that I bought with their gift. I also ask them about the weather of their country and the way of their Christmas celebration.”

Writing you letters is an event of joy for the children. They love to write about their emotions, favorites, families, study, events at the development center and prayer requests. They also know that the drawings they make are appreciated by their friends abroad.

These drawings are very special because it carries the emotion of the child for the sponsor. The alphabet may not be familiar, but drawing is a common language for all.

The children’s joy doubles when they receive an answer from you. The director of the Sath Nong Khasiapungi tells us,

“The children who receive letters from their sponsors are really fortunate and always happy. I feel sorry for the children who don’t get any letter. They feel a little left out when they see their friends receiving letters from abroad. Hopefully these children will get a response from their sponsors soon.”

A short message from you could play a vital role in the life of a child. A letter can develop a heavenly bond of love. This small piece of paper can bring huge inspiration, hope and change in the life of a child.

All of our ministry staff in Bangladesh really appreciate the effort you take to not only support the children of Bangladesh but to also strengthen the bond of love by writing to them.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Karen is a 13-year-old girl who has been forced to mature quickly. Her parents left her when she was 2 years old and her two sisters, Katherine and Micaela, were 3 years old and 8 months old, respectively.

The girls’ parents were young, lacked experience and had serious problems as a couple, so they decided to get a separation. Their mother, who wasn’t even 18, chose to go back to Colombia, the country where she was born.

She left her three little girls under the care of Miriam, her kind sister-in-law who, little by little, became a mother figure to Karen and her sisters.

There’s no doubt that Karen’s life is full of the love of her devoted Aunt Miriam, who Karen calls “mom.” But it’s also undeniable that she’s lacked real family love.

Karen’s parents weren’t there to enjoy their little girl’s growth and to watch their precious daughter play.

However, when Aunt Miriam thought she was surrounded by nothing but tragedy, she found a light of hope.

Through her neighbors, she heard about a local Compassion-assisted child development center – where the main objective has always been to serve boys and girls from Guasmo Sur, a poor neighborhood in Guayaquil City on the Ecuadorian coastal region.

Miriam registered Karen at the Damasco Student Center when Karen was 5. It was the beginning of an unforgettable and incredible experience.

Karen made new friends, interacted with others and lived new adventures of games, surprises, trips and a lot more.

“I always loved the development center. Here I play with my friends, have fun, learn new things and have a really cool time.”

And that’s not all! The Damasco Student Center has given Karen the opportunity to make a good friend thousands of miles away. Her Compassion sponsor, Kyoung, is a Korean lady.

“Kyoung has been a great blessing to my life. I love to read her letters at home.”

Every letter from Kyoung is a valuable treasure to Karen, and each letter has a message of hope, encouragement and love. With sweetness and gratitude, Karen remembers something she shared with her sponsor:

“My daddy was in jail a while ago, maybe about a year. I told my sponsor and said that I suffered a lot for that reason.”

Kyoung replied,

“Trust in the Lord because He’s going to make things work and everything will be all right.”

Even Miriam, Karen’s aunt, remembers,

“My brother passed away. He was Karen’s favorite uncle so she was in a lot of pain, but her sponsor comforted her and gave her the courage she needed. She told her life goes on and cheered her up through the distance.”

But maybe the most crucial intervention of Kyoung in Karen’s life has taken place in the spiritual area. Karen honestly admitted,

“For many years I only attended church because the tutors at the child development center asked us to; therefore, I felt obliged to [go]. I shared this with my sponsor.”

What did Karen’s sponsor do? She prayed for her! Kyoung prayed for her sponsored girl to start going to church because she wanted to go; to feel it within her heart.

Until she was 11, Karen attended Sunday school only because she had to. Then she received the letter from her sponsor that read,

“I’ve been praying for you to go to church and to not turn your back on God.”

Those words made little Karen shudder and opened a door for a miracle. What had been an obligation and a tedious commitment suddenly turned into a strong desire to go to church and enjoy the presence of the Lord and the company of her friends, brothers and sisters in Christ. Karen remembers,

“With tears in my eyes, I ran to my mom and showed her my sponsor’s letter. I promised to faithfully attend the youth group services every Saturday, and I still keep my promise.”

Karen’s sponsor’s faithful and persevering prayer commitment brought about a dramatic turn in Karen’s life. For about three years Karen has shown genuine commitment, loyalty and joy for everything related to the Lord. She loves to praise Him, finds His Word delightful and enjoys every single thing she learns at church.

“The other teenagers and I just love the worship times directed by Brother Roberto. He motivates us to feel God’s presence and praise Him. Every time we pray, we feel like He’s actually listening.”

When she was 12, Karen decided to accept Jesus as her Savior.

“It happened during a wonderful worship time at a special service for the youth group. I accepted Jesus as my Savior. Nobody forced me; I walked in front of the congregation because I wanted to.”

Miriam, Karen’s aunt, doesn’t go to church on a regular basis because she works very hard as a maid to provide for her three nieces.  But she’s aware of the importance of God’s preeminence in the life of every human being. With full conviction she affirms,

“My family has been richly blessed since Karen joined the child development center. She learns about the Word of God there. I’m so happy that Karen goes to church instead of being anywhere else wandering around.”

It’s the era of telecommunications and cybertechnology, but traditional correspondence still has relevance – even when it takes more time to reach its final destination.

It’s a fact that “old-fashioned” letters have the power to give encouragement, hope and love. Kyoung has exchanged simple conversations with Karen about their countries’ traditions and their daily activities, but beyond all that, they have had a positive influence over each other’s lives.

There’s no doubt that Karen has, in a way, experienced the love of a mother when she prays and God starts working. And Kyoung has had the chance to bless a little girl as though Karen were her own child – her “little angel,” as she calls her in her letters.

Kyoung represents a true source of hope, encouragement and love to Karen. Their friendship is a beautiful example of how God works through caring Christians to change the world … one child at a time!

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Student center Primicias de Vida in Nicaragua has 279 registered children. More than 90 percent of them are sponsored. Out of those sponsored children, 2 percent 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 immediate response when asked about his sponsor. With much enthusiasm, Josué was able to say the country and city where she lives. He also added,

“She was 18 when she sponsored me. She’s now 22 and her birthday is in September.”

Josué is a tall, skinny and serious teenager who speaks clearly about how much he enjoys the friendship with his sponsor.

From the moment Josué was registered eight years ago, he has had the privilege of being sponsored. While he doesn’t have much information about his first sponsor, he now has a sponsor with whom he has had consistent communication.

A simple letter can do incredible things in the lives of children and their sponsors.

Through letters, Josué’s sponsor has been a great encouragement to him, as he has also been for her. It is clear that they have become great friends.

“It means a lot to have a sponsor close in age because she understands what I go through and I understand her, too, because she is young.

I love her very much. I tell her almost everything I do in all my letters.”

Josué’s excitement is not only evident when he receives a letter, but also when it is his turn to write her. His teacher Karla shares,

“Josué wishes he could write pages and pages, but the letter format is only one. Most of the time, Josué has to staple an extra page to the format.”

When Josué was younger, his mother, Nohemí, who is also the center director, helped write his letters.

“He didn’t have good handwriting. Today, Josué writes letters on his own. He likes to write a lot and I wish there was no limit for writing.”

Josué recalled one especially meaningful exchange with his sponsor,

“She once told me that she stopped going to school, but the time passed and I shared with her that I passed my first year of high school, then the second one and so on, plus that I was doing good in class.

She would get happy, and finally she went back to school because she says I became an inspiration for her since she saw my effort. She did the same to continue her studies.”

Of all the letters and birthday cards Josué has received from his sponsor, he commented that there is one that affected him a lot,

“Recently I got a letter where she told me that she graduated from a business course. I was happy for her because of that and because she told me that I had impacted her life, so she pushed herself on as I did.”

For Josué, letters are important because,

“We have gotten to know each other and there is confidence between us. In this way she knows what’s going on with me and I know what´s going on with her, too.”

Josué’s teacher Karla expressed,

“Writing letters is important because Josué and his sponsor are communicating to each other. She can find out about Josué’s achievements. Letters are an excellent way of communicating.”

The ongoing encouragement and advice from his sponsor, parents and teachers have helped Josué become an outstanding young man in the child development center and church. He is becoming a good leader.

“He is no longer a shy Josué; he is now working with the youth group board and helping with his group in Sunday school class,” comments Nohemí.

I was very excited and impressed when my son was sponsored by this young lady because of her faithfulness to write and her continuous support when for a time she didn’t have a job. It is not only the monetary support that matters, but her love and interest in writing to my child, and I appreciate that.”

When Josué´s sponsor lost her job, he told her that he was going to pray for her. Communication on her part and prayer on his side have developed a special bond between them.

“If she was here in front of me, I would tell her that I love her very much, that as I have impacted her life, she has impacted mine with her advice.”

Josué’s mother, Nohemí agrees:

“If she was here, I would give her a big hug for choosing my son, thank God for her, and tell her that she is a great blessing. My son is very happy to have her as a sponsor.”

The end result of the exchange of letters between people from two different nations is a special friendship where differences of food, language, culture and preferences don’t seem to matter.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

For Compassion-sponsored children in Bolivia, one of the most special days at the child development center is Letter Day. While not every development center in Bolivia designates a specific day for children to write letters, each center decides how letters are written and has two weeks to get them done and returned to the country office.

The Pucara Grande Student Center has a Letter Day when the children get together to write thank-you letters after they receive something from their sponsor.

“The process of how we respond to letters depends of the type of letters the children are writing. If they are letters that every child needs to write, then we distribute them to all of the classes. Tutors help the children by checking the letters and passing them on to me. I check the letters again, organize them by sponsor countries, and send them to the main Compassion office.

“When the children have a new sponsor and they have to write their first letter, an email letter or a thank-you letter, they write them with me. I take the children who receive letters out of the class quietly because if I read the list out loud, other children get very sad because they have not received a letter,” explains Delicia, one of the staff at Pucara Grande.

However, it doesn’t matter how the letter-writing process takes place. Whatever the sponsor sends paints a giant smile on our children’s faces. Receiving a letter makes the children feel cared for and reminds them they have a person in another country who loves them. Our children like to share how much their sponsor letters mean to them.

“My sponsor is Nancy. She writes to me often, she sends me stickers and letters, and I feel very happy when she writes to me. She tells me that she loves me as a son and I tell her that she is like my second family.” — David

“My sponsor is from Washington. He writes to me often. When I write to him I tell him everything that happens to me and I feel happy. It is special for me that he writes to me because I also get to know about him and what he does. He encourages me to keep studying and he advises me.” — Laura

“My sponsor is Cristina and she writes to me often. I feel happy because my sponsor writes to me. Some children don’t even have a sponsor and I feel happy to have one. I thank God for that. When I write to Cristina I tell her about school, church, my family, the development center and about my friends.” — Reina

Children love to write back and tell the sponsors about themselves, their families, their schools and friends, their house duties, their activities, and everything they consider important about their lives.

“My sponsor is Elmer. He is from the U.S. and he writes to me often. He asks me how I am, how I am doing at school and when it’s my birthday he asks me about that. I like it when Elmer writes to me and I love to write to him. I tell him that I am doing well at school, what I did for my birthday and about when I lost a tooth. But I have many mates that never receive letters and they feel sad.” — Lorena

“My sponsors write to me often. I feel happy to receive letters and I like to write to them. I ask them how they are; I tell them that I am fine here.” — Josue

“My sponsors write to me only occasionally. Sometimes I feel bad because I see how my mates receive letters. However there are some children that never receive letters and they also feel bad. I like to write my sponsors and tell them how I am regarding my health, about my school and the things I did, how my family is, or about the activities I do at the development center.” — Leidy

If the child who receives a letter is young and can’t write back on his/her own, a relative will come to the development center to write the reply letter. If the parent can’t write, a sibling or a cousin can do it; however, if that’s not possible one of the tutors at the center will write it. If the tutor writes the letter, the family member and child have to be present and the child will draw a picture on the letter.

“Alejandra receives letters often; her sponsor is from the USA. I feel happy that my daughter receives letters. We are praying for her sponsor and she is also praying for my daughter. She sends us pictures and now we know her by her picture and what she looks like.” –Julia, mother of Alejandra

“I write letters for my sister and I like to write them. I am telling Nayelly’s sponsor that she likes to play, who her best friends are and that she likes to play with my cat.” — Janeth, sister of Nayelly

However, as mentioned earlier, it is very sad for the children when they don’t receive letters from their sponsors because they would love to be part of the special Letter Day.

“My sponsors don’t write to me and I feel sad. I would like to receive letters so I could answer.” — Jazmin

“My sponsor is Jack. When he writes to me I feel happy because he is my only sponsor. When my friends don’t receive letters they feel sad.” — Jose

“My sponsor doesn’t write to me very much. Sometimes I feel sad when I don’t receive a letter, but I feel very happy when he writes to me. I would like him to write to me more. I want to tell him about my family, how I am doing at the development center and how I am doing at school.” — Carla

There are some children at the Pucara Grande Student Center who don’t have a sponsor yet so they don’t get the opportunity to write letters. They are constantly asking if they have a sponsor because they would love to write to them.

One boy often asks if he has received a letter. We tell him that he should pray about getting a letter, but this child feels that God doesn’t listen to him because he doesn’t receive letters. This case is sad for us.

There is another boy who doesn’t want to come to the development center because he has never received a letter and he feels that his sponsor doesn’t love him. This boy writes letters and asks his sponsor questions but he has never received an answer.

Sadly, he is not the only one; there are many.

For the children who don’t usually have the opportunity to tell someone how they are doing or about their personal lives, Letter Day gives them the chance to share and express what they are feeling.

Some of these children have never had anyone tell them that they are special, loved and being prayed for. So receiving a wonderful treasure, a letter from their sponsor, is what makes Letter Day so special.

The second Friday of every month is “Write Your Sponsored Child a Letter Day.” Will you join thousands of other sponsors this Friday who are writing their children letters?

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

I don’t write to my sponsored children.

WHAT?! I know.

I was looking through my account the other day, and as an employee, I can see the last time I wrote a letter. I’m embarrassed to admit that it was eight months ago.

How did this happen? I’m passionate about children and fighting injustice. I work at Compassion. I explain the importance of letter writing daily. So why have eight months passed since the last time I wrote to my three little ones?

I think this happens to the best of us. Life gets a hold of us and we get distracted. We may even lose sight of the importance of our sponsorship. Compassion becomes just another organization to give to.

I’m certainly guilty of this, but how do I make a change?

A group of sponsors on OurCompassion have gotten together to write their sponsored children on the second Friday of each month … which was a few days ago. There are over 350 sponsors who participate.

I think I need to join. And I think I’ll be writing my children tonight.

What about you? How do you stay passionate about letter writing?

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

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 office receives an average of 15,000 to 18,000 letters per month. The handling of so many letters and packages requires a well-trained correspondence team. This group of people takes their job seriously and knows well how to manage the pressure of receiving so many letters. Every one of them is an expert in every process and committed to keeping up the good work.

Jackie Rivera has been in charge of the translation process for nearly two years. Jackie’s responsibilities are testing and evaluating the translators, training them, distributing and receiving the letters, and coordinating payment for the work performed.

“Each letter has a great value and represents a child with dreams and hopes, and behind the child, a family willing to welcome a new person in their lives.”

The Honduras office has a group of 25 translators who translate every document from Spanish to English. Most of the translators are professionals who have a steady job and do this activity to generate extra income. Full-time students also help translate and depend on the income to finance their education.

Jackie looks for people who are fluent in English, experienced translators and active church members. Every potential translator takes a test on English grammar, structure and idiomatic expressions. They must receive above 90 percent to become a translator.

Once the translator is selected, he or she goes through training before beginning. The translators are informed about their responsibilities, what is expected from them, their deadlines, and essential information about our ministry.

Most translators get 100 to 150 letters per week. Translators who have had good performance and whose weekly grade is 98 percent or above are rewarded with more letters. A seven-day period of time is given to the translators to complete the translations.

Translators are also asked to look for potential stories as they read and translate the letters.

“We ask them to detect potential stories through the letters as we want to share with others what this ministry is doing in Honduras,” says Jackie.

Ruth has been translating for Compassion for three years now and is currently employed by USAID in Honduras. She translates approximately 200 letters per week.

“I do really enjoy translating as this activity keeps my mind busy. It is great to hear from the children in the development centers, their interests, goals, hobbies and about their communities.

“I know that this ministry works with children and churches and that it is a Christ-centered organization. What I like the most about my participation in this process is that my work is important to facilitate the communication between the sponsor and the child, and that is why I feel committed to do my best in what I’m doing right now.”

The correspondence team is aware of the power and importance of each letter. The work never stops as the children continue writing to their sponsors and the letters from abroad keep coming down to the Honduras office.

The simple act of writing is easy, but many sponsors get caught up with the busyness in their lives and neglect this area that gives so much hope to every boy and girl in our program.

Children simply become overjoyed as they get letters and photos; these let them feel that they are special and loved, and that is why the Honduras office applies themselves with excellence to connecting lives through letters.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates