Friday, February 24, 2012

TWO MORE LETTERS

Compassion seems to finally be getting letters out.  It is so good to start hearing from the children again, today from Fred (my favorite) in the Phiippines, and from Murugi in Kenya

Letter from Fred

I haven't heard from Fred in almost 2 months, which is VERY unusual for him, so I was pleased to get such a positive letter from his mother today.

Dear Auntie Sykes,

Christian Greeting!!!  We are so happy to receive your letters.  Fred is having his school vacation now.  We just had a good service during our anniversary and we had a good dinner.  How about your church, how do you celebrate your anniversary?  Thank you also for the pictures and the toy that you sent.Please pray that his cough will get well soon.  He is improving in mathematics.  Our family is okay also.  We are always in our house and we will spend our new year celebrating here.

His siblings are okay.  He is obedient to us especially in running errands.  He love teaching his siblings.  Thank you for your prayers.  They had a good party in school.

God bless you all until here.

Love,
Fred's mother

Letter from Murugi

This letter is dated December 19.  Murugi is 19 years old and writes letters in English herself.

Dear Beverly Sykes,

I salute you in the name of Jesus Christ.  Hope you are fine together with your family and friends.  Here I am fine and our family is well.  I am thanking you for the letters and photos that you have sent for me and I'm saying sorry for losing your beloved cousin.  May  find comfort, you and her family members.

I wish you a marvelous Christmas.  May God continue to bless you and grant you a long life.  Have a happy new year and it is my hope that God will continue doing wonderful things.  May God bless you with your family.

Your loving friend
Dorvin Murugi

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Another Letter from Theresa

Maybe this explains why there have been so few mail deliveries--the letters are being written, but not sent.  The letter I received from Theresa in Ghana yesterday was dated January 10 and the one I received today was dated January 25. 

For Child's prayer request it is written:
Theresa says God should give her long life and strength.

I would like you to know more about my house
Theresa would like to tell you they have mango, banana, plaintain and flowers around their home.

Child's response to sponsor's question(s)
Theresa plays ampe, which is played with two or more people and also sings and drums with friends.  She becomes happy on that day.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

TWO LETTERS

Two letters today, from Theresa in Ghana and Anjali in India.

Letter from Theresa

It has been 3 months since I received a letter from Theresa, in Ghana.  Since she is only 4, the length of time between letters is really determined by the staff of the center where she goes to school.  But it was lovely to hear from/about her finally.  According to this letter, she has I guess 3 siblings (4 are listed, but as one is 30, I suspect it is a parent!).  She is the youngest, with siblings 6, 8, and 10.  (no indication of whether they are brothers or sisters).  
Her letter thanks me for words of encouragement, pictures, stickers, and a Christmas gift and then goes on to talk about her life.

Theresa would like to tell you she is in her second term at school and family are happy.

Hey, Theresa says she enjoyed your story (I told her about my son Ned losing his two front teeth and I asked what the custom is in Ghana when a child loses his/her baby teeth).  It really made her laugh out loud.  In Theresa's culture, children throw their lost teeth on the roof of their house.  They believe when this is done it would make the permanent teeth come out early.

And then there is a picture of "Theresa's backyard flower."  Looks like a cactus.  It also looks like it has swallowed Teresa!

Letter from Anjali

There was also a letter from Anjali (India) today too.  It is on thank you stationery, so it is primarily a thank you for her Christmas gift, though it is a little difficult to decipher:

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ.  How are you?  I am fine.  Your Christmas gift so beautiful.  Thanks for your Christmas gift.  I am studying very well.  My 4th unit is over.  I prepared half yearly exams.  I wrote well.  My project given Christmas dress and traveling bag.  Next month I am writing half yearly examinations.

Pray for me.  I am also.  Pray for my family and my friends and also [here is where it gets strange] kept Christmas tree and we celebrate they tho tree with greetings comes December ros hunt new dress and went to  see ??dry school I played with my friends on Christmas.  My family are fine.  How are your family members?  Pray for my studies.   Again thanks for your sponsorship!

We wish you a Merry Christmas and happy new year.

Yours loving child, M. Anjali.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

A New Kiva Loan

Yolanda, who lives in the United States is my next Kiva Loan. Heck--she makes pesto, for heaven's sake...how could I not?


Yolanda has been making her own, unique pesto sauce since 1993 and has been selling it from her small home business. She currently offers three different flavors that are made from her all natural, garden-fresh ingredients. Yolanda goes further in insuring a quality product by packaging it in light-weight PET jars that are easily recycled or reused, rather than bulky and breakable glass jars. For some time she has used her own kitchen to produce her sauce, however, recently she has been given the opportunity to use a commercial kitchen through a local business incubator.

Currently, Yolanda operates without any employees and still maintains a full-time job at EmblemHealth. In the near future, she hopes to grow her business to the point where she can bring on new employees and become self-reliant. The purpose of this loan will be to buy bulk inventory and move into a commercial kitchen. She would also like to use it to patent her sauces and participate in food craft shows and farmers markets.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Two letters

It's been a very long, dry spell, but I finally received two letters from two of my Compassion Kids, Briana in Haiti and Henrique in Brasil. Oddly, I always get thank you letters after Christmas but of the 11 children. the only one who has sent a thank you is Briana. Something is going on with Compassion letters and I don't understand what.

Letter from Henrique

I agreed to sponsor Henrique in Brasil in June and this is only the second time I've had word of him. He's only 5, so someone has to write for him.

Dear Sponsor Beverly Sykes,

Hello! Is all well with you? I am Marineide, monitor of the project, and I write you on behalf of Luiz Henrique. He is a healthy and happy child, who likes to draw, aint. He is a child who interacts well with his classmates in theclassroom. One of the activities he enjoys most is the recreation.

On October 12th we had the Children's Day party and it was very cool. There were games, tramp0line, music and gifts. He loved this day.

I ask prayer for his life and for his parents.

We thank you for loving and believing in a child as Luiz Henrique.

-Marineide, on behalf of Luiz Henrique.

They also included this drawing...do you get the idea he likes cars?

Letter f rom Briana

Briana's letters (she's 9) are written by her father.

Dear Beverly Sykes,

How are you with Jesus? How are your children, your mother and your grandparents (I think he means grandchildren!)? Briana is going well with her family, thanks to God. She took the first term exam and she got an average of 7. Briana went to church, she sang a beautiful song. Everybody was happy to see her singing. She thanks you for the gift and she bought clothes with it. She wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2012.

Thank! Be with God!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Leniel

After the longest dry spell without any letters from anyone, I finally received a form letter from Leniel in the Dominican Republic today. It is a form for him to fill out. The first page lists four things.

1. My siblings from oldest to youngest are:
Gabrial

2. In my family I spend most of my time with
(he checks Mama)

3. My family lives in
(he checks "in the city")

4. My food is prepared by
(he writes "mi mama")

On the back is a drawing

(I assume from this his family are very tall, bow-legged people! LOL)

And there was a letter written by his tutor, Dariana:


Dear Beverly Sykes,

May God guide you. He thanks you for the letters and pictures. He likes birds and dinosaurs. It is surprising everything God has made. How are you? He asks for prayers for his mother. A kiss.

Leniel

I'm going to have to go and buy a coloring book of dinosaurs to send him, I think!