Letter from Leniel

This letter is dated 3/11/14 and begins with a form about his typical week.

I typically get up at 7 a.m.  In the morning I typically take a bath.  In the afternoon I typically play with my plane and go to the park.  I typically go to sleep at 9 p.m.

Hello, dear Beverly,

How are you?  Thank you so much for each one of your letters, and for your gifts and your prayers for me.  On Three Kings Day, I was given a car and played with my friends.  How did you spend Christmas?  Please pray for me and for my family.  I love the Christmas carols.  My best friends are Jorder and Robert and I really like playing with them.  My family and I are well and I say goodbye with lots of kisses.

Leniel

Look at those STAIRS!!

Letter from Josphat

Josphat sent me a letter dated January which was the form "How I have Fun."  He has now sent me another one, dated February, which has changed somewhat!

 Dear Beverly Sykes

During free time I like to play football.  My favorite activity is trimming and clearing the grass around our home.  When I am outside, I like to play football.  When I am inside, I like to clean our house.  One sport I like to play is football.  I usually play with friends.  When I am bored, I sleep on my bed.  One fun things I like to do is having a walk.

My drawing:



Message to my sponsor:

Josphat says hallo to you.  He says that he is quite fine in the Lord, who has brought him this fasr.  He says that here in Kenya the weather has turned to be very hot (sunny).  Bye! Bye!

Letter from Wainaina

Hey!  Beverly.  How are you and your family?  I hope you are doing well.  I pray to God every day for you and your family.  We have a better future together wherever you are. 

Here at home we are receiving much rain and I'm so happy to receive your letters.  You know the funny thing that makes me happy and smile a lot it's when I read your letters and look at your photos.  You know that the photos you sent me are very colorful and beautiful. 

You asked me if I sneeze.  Of course I do when there is something smelly around. 

I want to tell you today that you are always in my heart and you will remain there forever.  May your happiness remain forever and ever in your heart.  May God be with you.

I'm sending my love and happiness for you and your fasmily.

Kimani Erick

Letter from Fred

There was not only a letter from Fred, but a new photo.  I love it when I get photos!  He is looking so grown up.

Dear Auntie Sykes,

Christian Greetings!!!

Thanks for the letter and words of encouragement for me.  I am so happy when I read your letter.  Thanks for the picture.  What is the favorite sport of Brianna?  I like to play basketball.

About my studies, and my family still okay, by God's grace. 

Every Sunday I go to church with my mother, so please pray for my health.

Thank you very much.  God bless you.

Love,
Fred

Letter from Josphat

In this form letter, Josphat tells me about his community

I live in Kenya in Samburu County.  My community is located in the Northern part of Kenya and is in rural setting.  The main language spoken in this area is Samburu.  The common job in my community is cattle keeping.  The common type of transportation in my community is bus.  In my community the weather is mainly sunny, but now is cloudy and rainy.  The physical features in my community are hills and valleys.  The main religion in my community is Christianity.  One thing fun to do in my community is hunting with dogs.

Message to my sponsor:

Receive greetings from Josphat.  He hopes that you are doing well too.  He says that he is happy you sent a letter to him.  He is grateful for the game.  It took time to understand it, but it is enjoyable.  He promises that he will send you a game.  He asks you to pray for him to be in good health and to excel in education.   He finally says bye.

Letter from Mushimiyimana

I was shocked that I got this letter so quickly.  They must have had her write it before she got my first letter because there is no way it could have gotten to her so quickly.  This is an Introduction letter in which she lists the names of all of the people in her family -- two parents and 8 children.  I will not repeat them!

She also tells me that

her favorite color is yellow
her favorite game is "tennis ball"
her favorite food is rice
her favorite toy is "a house"
her favorite Bible verse is Psalms 1:1 (Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,)
her favorite school subject is mathematics
her dream is to be a doctor

Message for my sponsor:  My family and I are doing well.
Question for sponsor:  Where do you live?  How are you doing?  What are your hobbies?
Prayer for my sponsor:  May God's peace and blessings be upon you.
Prayer requests from child:  Pray for me to do well at school and pray for my mother to get well, because she is sick.

This is the type of message that tugs at my heartstrings because I have no way of knowing how sick her mother is and how long she has been sick.  

Letter from Kukuwah

The people in Ghana are making me crazy.  My letters from this 7 year old come from "Theresa," but Compassion has told me that her name is Kukuwah and one time I asked and they said she preferred "Kukuwah," but in this letter, written by someone else, she is referred to by both names!  The first part of this is a form she filled out and then there is a narrative later.

3/22/14

The name of my community is New Ebu.
My community is localted in a village
A common job in my community is farming
A common type of transportation in my community is Taxi
People in my community speak Fante
One fun game in my community is Ampe. (it seems that all the girls in African countries play Ampe, so I looked it up on Wikipedia and actually fund the game rules)

Thank you for your words of encouragement, pictures, stickers, prayers and sponsorship.

Please pray for a long life for me and my family.

The common crop my community grows is tiger nut (which is not a nut, but a tuber, like a potato)

Child's response to questions
Theresa says yes her country celebrates something like Easter within the year.  Kukuwah says Easter is her favorite holiday because it is school vacation and family come around.  Kukuwah says they go to church and prepare food for them.

Kukuwah says her project Christmas party was enjoyable to her.  She says they sing, run, and act, eat fried rice which she eat once while at the project center.  She said her Christmas party was fun.  She said they had their Independence on 6th March, which was holiday for all schools.  She said all the various schools in the country match on the Independence day.  She sad she did not know fireworks.

Letter from Miche

 3/26/14

Today it is a pleasure which is in my heart for writing you this letter.  How are you and your family doing?  Are your activities going well?  Here, everyone is very well, with the Almighty God.  My activities are going well.  I was very happy for the letters and the nice pictures.  I love to look at them with my friends.  I have a little member of my family who is afraid of looking at the dog.

Yes, there is a day of Thanksgiving in my country that they use to thank God.  I would like to know the name of your dog.

I will be in the period of Easter.  The project has many competitions -- proverbs, verses, and competition of text (poem, poetry).  Do you like that kind of activities.  I stay there.  I wish that you always remember me in your prayers and my family too.  I pray for you and your family.  I love you very much.  May God bless you and all your family.

Miche

Letter from Shallon

Dearest my mother in Christ, Beverly Sykes,

Let me take this opportunity to thank God who has given me this golden chance to greet you in the name of Jesus Christ our beloved lord.

The main issue of writing this letter is to thank you very much for everything you have done for me.  Like I thank you for the letters.  I would like to tell yoiu that every day I pray to god  because God has made me what I am.  I am very glad to hear that your mother has ninety-four years. 

I am now at school and I am doing well.  That is why I praise the name of God every time I have a chance to do so.  I want to send you a verse in the bible.  It is from Isaiah 55:3. [Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.]  It is special to make you just the way he wanted you to be.

At our home we live with dogs.  So many families live with them.

I have a new year resolution.  I want to read my books and be a candidate next year.

My country has the day of Thanksgiving, especially at our church, thyat is 16 February.  Of course  you cannot come to thank God with nothing.  You bring what you have.

We are in dry season.  Which season are you enjoying over there?

I send my greetings to you and your family members.  God bless you with his love, peace, and may you get to know his unconditional love for you.

Yours,
Shallon.

The Squeaky Wheel

I took on the sponsorship of a child in India 6 months ago.  I have sent multiple letters and 2 packages (I chose World Vision this time because you can send small packages, but to date have received no message from my newly sponsored child.  Because the area which this child lives is a "sensitive area," I am unable to print the name or any information about the sponsoring center.

I have written several times to World Vision about receiving nothing and each time am told that I should wait at least four months...then I write and point out is is significantly longer than four months.  Today I received a phone call saying that a letter would be in the mail, but that they had a digital version and did I want that e-mailed to me.  Did I?????

There is a handwritten letter from the child and a typed letters and though it is signed by my sponsored child, it seems  to have been written by an adult.  Anyway, here -- FINALLY -- is the start of this new correspondence.

and the additional letter says..
.
Greetings to you from our family members. Our family members are fine and in good health. I have received the letter , sticker, greeting photo, and small book. The gifts are good and much useful to me. I stick the sticker on my books. We as family thank a lot for your love and concern shown towards our family. I am regularly going to the school and doing the studies well.

The World Vision has done school wall painting regarding the awareness on the HIVAIDS and provided school bags to the school children and conducted life school transformational development program for the children in the communities. Children took active participation in the program and learnt songs and good moral stories. And also provided assisted for economic development of the poor family through milch animal for income generation activities,

All these facilities are being provided to our community because of your precious help. Once again we thank you for love and concern in helping us.

You loving Sponsored Child.

Two Letters Today

The first is from Lovson, in Haiti

3/11/2014

Dear Beverly Sykes,

I have a lot of joy to write to you this letter today.  How are you?  I am doing well, by the grace of God.  How is the temperature in your area?  In my side, the temperature is hot.  Do you love when the temperature is hot?  Yes it is a special thing if God allows me to exist.  And I hope that there is someone else called Lovson in the world.

My family had a special day, thanks to God for the gift that He had given to us.  This day is Sunday.

My family has pet such as hens, dogs, ducks, and pigeon.  I thank you for the beautiful photo that you have sent to me and I was very nice.  I ask you to pray for my family and I for my school to go well.  I am praying for your family, especially for Ned to God to protect Ned in the surgery.  May God bless you!

The second is from Briana, also from Haiti.

3/29/2014

Dear Beverly Sykes

Hello!  I feel happy to write you this letter.  I greet you in Jesus' name, our Savior. How are you, your activities, and your family?  As for me, everything is going well.  I celebrate Christmas by putting a Christmas tree and we organize a party. Some peple stay overnight to celebrate.  How do you celebrate Christmas and Easter day?

Please, I request your prayers so that I can have more patience, intelligence and wisdom, just like Solomon.  Also, I will be praying so that God can bless you abundantly.

Letter and Photo from Anjali

I love it when I get photos with my letters.  She is now old enough to write her own letters, and they are long and getting more legible all the time. Photos come as a thank you for a gift.  I send money and they decide how to spend it.  This time Anjali bought a suitcase for all of her family to use.

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Greetings to you in the name of our lord, Jesus Christ.  I received your letter.  How are you?  How is your health?  And how is your family members?  I saw a beautiful pictures. I like birds very beautiful.  Thank you for giving this pictures. In India I saw many birds flying on the sky. 

I am studying very well.  I improve my studies.  My project conducted a retreat about discipleship.  In discipleship camp I listen a new message in our life and I learn so many memory verses, action songs, and bible stories.  I pray for you and your family members in that retreat.  I hope same with you.

Which colour do you like?  I play games very well and I like games so much.  I attend the school every day and every Sunday I am going to Sunday school. I like my friend very much.  My friend name Joshana.  I remember you and your family members in my daily prayers. 

I saw a beautiful pictures of you and your grandchildrens.  Your grandchildrens are so nice.  I am happy because Tom celebrated the 43rd birthday.  My mother also would read books to me.  My favorite story is Jesus story.  I like Jesus very, very much.  I am studying very well.  I am playing many games.

Now we are in winter season here, also cool weather. I enjoyed this season here, also cool weather.  I want t visit you.  Which season do you like? And why?  I am still going to Sunday School every Sunday.  I enjoyed reading stories and bibles.  Do you like swimming?  Please tell me your friends names.

Thank you for giving these pictures for me.  I am very happy to write this letter.

I like flowers so much.  In India we have some flowers like lily, maine gold, hibiscus and rose flowers, etc. I am studying very well. We have some fruits like grapes, custard apple, etc.  Now the weather is cool.  I like this season.

I want to say one memory verses, psalms 8:13.1 "The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want."  I like this memory verse because really the lord is our shepherd.  He has so much love for you and for me.  Really I remembered you when I am praying to God.  My birthday, September 22, for thanking you for your sponsorship.

I received your gift amount.  I am very happy that my family members also very happy I bought one traveling suitcase.  It is very useful for all my family members.  Thank you for your gifts.  Thanking you for your love and support

Yours loving child,
Anjali