New Photo of Brayan

I received a new picture of Brayan (Honduras) today.  He is growing into a handsome young man.

Letter from Brayan

God bless you, Beverly Sykes,

I'm very happy to receive your letters and pictures.  Thank you for sending me pictures of your family.  I'm glad that Briana can play in a concert.  I want to tell you that I don't know what kind of job my mom would like to have because I have never asked her. I will ask her. 

I know a town called El Salio but I haven't seen the water fall.  My mom doesn't let me go out often.

I am glad you are with your granddaughter and having fun with all your grandchildren.  I'm glad that you have been with your husband for 50 years.  I know that I'm a miracle from God and that he watches over me.  Yes, I see the moon sometimes and it is beautiful and yes, we are watching the same moon.  Yes, it must be amazing to watch the earth from the moon.  It must be exciting. 

I like talking a lot and I like to watch TV.  The birthday cake looks beautiful.  I made a cup and it has candy inside and I also made a beautiful card.

We did a lot of activities related to Mother's Day at school.  We sang, said poems and tere were dramas and choreographies.  I want to tell you that I'm in 6th grade and we finished the 3rd partial and I got good grades.  God willing I will start the 4th partial.

Beverly Sykes, how often do you meet with your friends?  What do you like most about your husband?  I will keep praying for you and your family that you can stay together and happy.  I ask you to pray for me that I finish my studies so I can take care of my mother.  I send you hugs and kisses through the distance.  I hope to hear from you soon.

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.  Speak up and judge fairly; Defend the rights of the poor and needy." - Proverbs 31:8-9

Letter from Brayan

Brayan is 13

Brayan is my very best letter writer EVER.  What's weird, though, is that the dates of my letters he mentions don't correspond to anything I have on file, though I recognize the things he is answering.

Dear Beverly Sykes,

How are you?  May Lord Jesus fill you with health and strength to keep moving forward. Let me tell you I'm very excited to receive all of your letters that you are so kind to send me. I'll happily answer them.  I'll start with the one dated on February 28.  Let me tell you that my brother Franklin, is 10 years old and we get along really well. We play several games.  My team has done it very well these months.  We haven't played because we are practicing and I'm in school, and I don't have time to play.  I do know soccer in Honduras.  We play it a lot.  Thank you for the  prayers you do for my grandmother.  She does like flowers, she has a garden at home.  Give your husband a hug for me.  I hope he has many more birthdays with lots of will and strength.  My mom cooks a very delicious food.  Thank you for the happy face.

Now I'll go with the letter dated on March 22.  I don't know Limbo's dance.  I would like you to give me more information.  Thank you for the photos you sent me.  The girls look very beautiful.  So do their parents.  It is nice that you are always together.  I heat my food in the stove when my mom is not home.  I've learned to light the fire and to heat my meal. I like cooking fried beans and starry eggs.  That's what I like to eat when my mom is not home.  Thank you for praying for me.

I'll go with the letter dated March 30 now.  Thank you for sending me the Wizard of Oz story and the photo.  I like going to CDC, singing cheerful praises and bible verses that help my spiritual life.  It is nice that even though you have not visited my country you have lots of information about it.  My country is beautiful and nice.  The only bad thing is that there is too much crimes and they kill people without any regrets.

I'll go with the April 6th letter now.  The festivity we have right now is Indian Lempira's Day.  It is a nice celebration because there are many boys and girls that dress up like Indians used to do.  I like it very much.  Thank you for the letter and photos of your mom and your husband.  Give them a kiss for me.  I send greetings to the girls and lots of hugs.

April 29th is next.  Congratulations to Brianna because she lost the tooth.  She seems to be a brave girl.  I encourage her to keep being brave because there are some other kids who cry.  I can imagine a beautiful landscape when you talk about the wild flowers.  We are on winter in Honduras right now.  There are rainy days and sunny days sometimes.  I do think about what I'm going to do the next day. I sleep at my mom's house.  I sleep with my brother Franklin.  Thank you for the Bible text, Jeremiah 29:11 and also for Brianna's photo.

May 22nd letter.  My family and I are healthy.  Thank you for Amy's story.  It seems that she fought for the boys and girls who suffered.  Thank you for Amy's and for India's country photos.

May 26th letter.  Thank you for the photos you sent me.  Let me tell you that there is a variety of ladybugs here in Honduras and I like seeing  them because there are many trees and grass here where I live.  You look so relaxed in the hoto.  It seems that you really like playing the guitar (I sent a picture of Ned playing the guitar...earlier he thought Ned was Walt).  I would like t know what your favorite color is.  What is your favorite animal?  What date of the year is special for you?  I always keep you in my prayers.  May God bless you with lots of health and joy.  I ask you to pray for me because I'll graduate from the 6th grade this year. I hope it is pretty and special for my family.  I wish with all my heart that God bless you every day by your family's side.  Goodbye.

He also sent maybe the best drawing I've received from any of the kids.

Letter from Brayan

20/6/15

Blessings Beverly Sykes,

I'm very happy to have received your letter and I'm sending you one back.  My mom and I are with good health.  I want to thank you for the letters and pictures you have sent me.  My favorite holiday is Mother's Day.  At school we do handicraft for our mothers.  we also do plays for them.  At this moment I'm doing well.  Here in my country there are no snowstorms and I haven't seen snow, only through your pictures.  It seems it is a boy in the pictures.  I send the best regards to your husband and a hug at the distance.  It's very nice to see that everything you do, you do it together.

Best regards to your friend Sonia, and I hope you continue to be friends forever and you keep painting your drawings.

Which month snows where your daughter lives?  Which is the sunniest month?  You are always in my prayers, and also your family.  I ask you to pray for me.  I'm in the 6th grade and it's my last elementary grade and I want to have good grades and graduate.  I'll await your answers.

Brayan Josue

Letter from Brayan

Brayan from Honduras is officially my very best letter writer!

Dear Beverly Sykes,

How is your health?  I hope you are well.  I thank you for all the letters you have sent me and I am very happy to reply.  It is so nice you are so attentive to your family and God will bless you more because you are helping your cousin.  Dogs are very loving when one treats t hem well and your cousin, it shows that she loves them very much.  Also thank you for all the photos in the name of Jesus.  Carolyn and her husband they will be in better health. The Lord Jesus is our best doctor that we could have.

In my country, Honduras, it is not too cold just when we are in winter.  At the time being it is very hot because we are in summer.  I feel very sad that in this season so many forests are on fire and nobody does anything and I am too young and my mom gets concerned if I go somewhere too dangerous.

It is nice that you are happy to help your cousin.  God will reward you so much in your mother's health and your cousin's too.  I will keep praying for your famiy and also for your cousin so it is God who does the miracle and also on your husband.

In my country of Zambrano there are many assistances, health centers, schools, kindergartens, CDC, churches, the community organization, several clinics, high schools.  There is someone who takes the mail. At the CDC Sister Jenny is the one responsible who is from the sponsorship and she takes it to Tegucigalpa to the Compassion offices.  In Zambrano there is no veterinarian yet but in Tegucigalpa there is.  There are people who take care of animals.  There a re people who pick up rash too in my town.  They clean the plaza and other places in town.  You are better prepared than our countr.  You are much better in assistance.

Greetings to Brianna and luck in the play.  I did not know what bowling was, but with the explanation you gave me, I understood and I will practice it to learn it very well.  Thank you for the explanation of bowling.  It is good that Brianna knows how to play it and she can teach it to others.  It is important. In my town in Zambrano there is no special place tobowl, but we play pretend with my friends.  In my town there are billiards and m mom says it is bad and I should not play it.

I would like to know what kind of checkup was your mother getting with the doctor?

What is the name of the tree that is in the snow?

I will continue to pray for your life and also for your family's.  I ask you to pray for me and also for my mom so she can have a permanent job.  She struggles with all her strength for us to be well.

God bless you always and your family.  May you receive much health from the Lord Jesus.  Until next time and thank you for your photos and letters.

Letter from Brayan

Dear Beverly Sykes,

How is your health going?  I wish you are doing very well with your family.  My family and I are enjoying a very good health.  I am very grateful for the letters and pictures you sent me.  I tell you I do not know the story of "The Wizard of Oz."  I will be waiting for your pictures.  Thank you for talking about Malala -- I can see she is a warrior.  It is good that God gave her a 2nd opportunity.

I received your letter and saw your mom by the Christmas tree with the lights.

I tell you in my project I learned more bible verses and songs.  I go to CDC every Friday and I always get a 100.  I also learn many beautiful things about God.  I like to go to the project so that i remain away from evil ways.

Have you ever visited my country -- Honduras?  Have you heard about it?

I always keep you in my prayers to the Lord will give you great health.  I ask you to pray for me.  I am now going to 6th grade.  I need the Lord to give me wisdom.

I say goodbye to you with many hugs and with great love and many kisses.  I would like to know from you soon.  See you!

Brayan

Letter from Brayan

Blessings, Beverly Sykes,

How are you?  I hope that you are well and i good health next to your family at the time this letter arrives.  I thank you for the five letters that you have sent to me and all the pictures that you sent to me from your family.  Also I t hank you for the notepad that you gave with such love and dedication with the description that your family did.  I am very happy to know you and in the name of Jesus we will continue to be good friends.

My grandmother is in good health.  Let me tell you I live with my mother and my stepdad and my younger brother, named Franklin.  We are only two brothers.

I am playing with a soccer team called Real Zambrano.  I ask you to pray for me so I can do well at the CDC and go more often.  I will pray for your mom, who is 95 years old for sometimes I stay some weeks with my grandmother to take care of her.  Now that I am bigger i do not live with my grandmother but with my mom.

I like burgers and everything it has and I like spicy.  Let me tell you that my countries there are no earthquakes, but only small shakes.  I have felt some shakes, feel a little bit weird because I get dizzy.  In my country, Honduras, it is a little bit concerning because there are bad people and I ask you to pray for my country so it an improve that situation.

At the time i am writing this letter I am well with my family.  Your son Ned, how many children does he have?  Does your mother like flowers?  We will continue praying for you so I an rotect you.  Blessings.  Happy New Year.  Until next time.

Brayan

Letter from Brayan

I received my first letter from Brayan, apparently written  before he heard from me.  This is a form letter giving me the basics about himself.

I live with my mom and my dad and my little sister (this was a surprise since Compassion told me he lived with his grandmother, that his father was unknown and that his mother was living elsewhere.  No sister was mentioned!)

I also learned that his favorite food is hamburgers,he's 140 cm tall, weight 80 lbs and that his eyes are dark brown.  His favorite song is "I have Joy," his favorite subject is math, his favorite game is (no surprise), soccer and the things he likes most about himself is his hair.

He then asks if I am a man or a woman! and sends this drawing...

 

I take the two smiling suns as a positive sign of his outlook on life!

Meet Brayan

After I finished reading "Enrique's Journey," about a boy from Honduras whose mother had left him when he was 5, who made a perilous journey to the U.S. to find her at age 15, I felt so discouraged by the way our country is treating children fleeing poverty and violence and trying to come as refugees to this country.

I knew that as one person there was nothing I substantial I could do, but I could add a child from Honduras to our family.

Brayan is 12 years old, the age Enrique was when he decided to try to earn enough money to make the dangerous trip to the U.S.  He lives with his grandmother, like Enrique's sister did (Enrique lived with his father) after the mother left.  And he has been waiting for a sponsor for nearly a year.

Compassion tells me that he had one sponsor for about five years, but they only wrote to him once a year.  He then had two more sponsors who were assigned to him, but didn't want him.

Both parents are alive, but the father has never been in the picture, and the mother does not live with Brayan and the grandmother.

I had to take on the sponsorship of this child.  I hope to get to know him and maybe make a teeny part of his life a bit better.