Final letter from Esther

Esther is now 18.  She's from Indonesia and I have been writing to her since February of 2010.  She was one of my best letter writers, and I will miss her, but I am happy to know that she has completed the program and is starting her adult life.

Dear Beverly,

I thank Beverly for giving a lot of impressions and good messages to me, for the help, attention, gifts and prayers all this time.  I just want to say goodbye to Beverly because I'll depart from Project now.  My goal after the departure from Project is to work to help my parents and siblings.  There are actually a lot of benefit I get from Project.  Project activity now really helps the progress of teens nowadays indeed, to educate and to create in any field.

I hope Beverly understands my decision.  I ask for support and prayer for this future ahead, that God always be with me on every step I take.  On the contrary, I'll always pray for you and the family there.  I won't ever forget all your kindness.

God bless and be with you always.

Letter(s) from Esther

I last heard from Esther in February, letters dated December.  Then I received two nearly identical letters in one envelope.  This letter is dated 4/4/13.

Dear Beverly Sykes,

I was so glad to receive the letters and photos you sent me.  Beverly, I am so glad to hear about your family's activities over there.  Beverly, soon or about 1 week after I write this letter, I will face my national exams.  Actually, being 17, I have so many things to do, such as learning to cook, learning to take care of my nephew/niece, etc.  It seems that I like to be photographed lately.  Some day I will send you my photo.  Beverly, there are many new things which I learn with my friends.

I thank you for the letter and photo you sent me, Beverly.

In March during the Easter celebration there were many programs held by my school, such as competitions interclasses and a service.There was also a drama about the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.  How was Easter celebration in your country, Beverly?  I like to sing Easter and Christmas songs.  My favorite Christmas carol is "Joy to the World" because  once sang it during a singing competition at school to represent my class and my class won the 1st place.  My family and I wish you a happy Easter!

May God bless you and your family over there, Beverly.

Love, Esther.

Two letters from Esther

These are both dated December 16.

To Beverly Sykes:

Hello!  When you receive this letter, I'm sure that Christmas has passed, Beverly.  My family and I want to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2013.  Lord Jesus always gives his blessing for you.  This Christmas my family and I just stay at home.  We would like to clean the house and decorate a Christmas tree.  What do you always prepare before Christmas?

This Christmas makes me curious because I am waiting for the result of my study and the exam grade during the last 6 months.  Love regards for you.

Thank you for the Christmas gift that you gave as much as Rp 125,300, Beverly.

To Beverly Sykes

Now it is rainy season in my country..  Every day it rains almost in all cities.  Why do you like winter better than summer, Beverly?  In case of me, I like cold weather same as you, Beverly, because it is more fun than hot weather which makes me sweat.

I have ever eaten cherries.  I think it is delicious.  Usually cherries are eaten with cakes.

I'm happy that I could receive and read the letters that you sent to me. Thank you for the letter, photograph, and stickers that you sent to me, Beverly.

I never had a clue that asking each of the children if they had ever eaten cherries would become such a HUGE topic of letter writing!

Letter(s) from Esther

There were two letters from Esther in Indonesia, both dated the same date, October 8, 2012.  Not sure why there are two, but they were very nice to receive.

To Beverly Sykes,

I thank God for his blessings, which flow over on us.  I was happy to receive the gift from you, Susan Jane Hagelstein Memrial.  I spent it on new clothes.  My 17th birthday was different from the last ones.  It's because I had many new things to do.  Seems at age 17, things are more difficult.  I'll do the exams, to.  Please pray for me to do the exams well. 

God bless you.  Sweet regards.  Thank you for the gift.

And now for letter #2

To Beverly Sykes,

I really thank you and because He loves and protects me until I am 17 now.  Because of His grace I can grow well.  I hope that I'll be more mature and be closer to God, be a useful child for parents and nation, more diligent to study. 

I love reading.  I usually read novels. 

What did you feel when you were at 17?  I think at 17 we get some changes.

Thank you for the letter, the photo and the stickers which you've sent for me.  May God bless you always.

Letter from Esther

Dear Beverly Sykes,

I was happy to hear all your stories you wrote me on your letter, Beverly.  It's July now.  I am studying in grade 12, high school.  I will be sitting for final exam soon.  There are many things I have to prepare.  I usually spend my time studying in school, helping around my home, and sometimes taking care of my nephew/niece.  I know when to wake up:  when the sun rises.  Then I tidy up my bed and sometimes I pray.  I will write you again.  God is with you!

Thank you for the photo and letter you sent me, Beverly.

Letter from Esther

Beverly Sykes -- The weather in May was indeed hot enough.  I felt that swimming was freshing enough for my body.

On last 21 April to be exact, my country celebrated Kartini day.  It's a symbol of Mrs. R.A. Kartini, as women emancipation up-holder.  So, the women in my house area carried out choir competition.

In Easter, we had devotion at school and egg decorating and Christmas card making cometitions.  I got many things at Indonesian Red Cross, one of which the way to help people who are hurt.

Beverly Sykes' pictures are cute.  I was happy to receive them.  Thank you, Beverly, for sending me the pictures and letter.  I was so happy to receive them.

Letter from Esther

Dear Beverly Sykes,

I would like to tell you about last year's Christmas.  It was quite impressive for the birth of our Savior were the same as the birth of my pastor's grandchild. We celebrated Christmas and also the birth of a cute little baby of our Pastor.  But, besides the happiness, my grandma's older sibling died.  I was so sad to hear the news.  Maybe, God has a wonderful plan behind all this.

We had a lively New Year's celebration in my town, Salatiga.  I saw very beautiful fireworks, although I saw them in the crowd, I was still able to see them.

I am happy to be able to receive all the letters and photos you have sent me, Beverly.  I thank you for the stickers you have sent me.

Last January, on 27-01-2012, to be exact, I went on a study tour to Bali Island.  That island is very beautiful.  It's even famous all over the world.  Beverly, have you heard of the beauty of Bali Island?  I am happy that I have been there twice.  The very impressive things are the b eauty of nature and its cultures.  Maybe this is what people call as beautiful God's creations. I believe that as I see the nature which I think cute/beautiful -- the beaches as we cn see the huge beautiful nature from the beaches we can also express all we think and feel.

Oh yeah.  I got quite satisfying results in my last exams.  I was grateful to be able to get 6th rank in my class. Beverly, did you ever get any rank in your class?

Beside that I had a quite good grade in red cross class in my school report.  I only got B.  I will try to get B next time.  From the red cross class I learn many things like helping accident victims and natural disaster victims and many more.  I make all of these skills if there is a little accident, etc. which needs a help.

Many things make me laugh when I think they are funny.  We have a blood donor at my school.  In fact, I want to participate but I am still afraid of getting hurt.  I only coordinate snacks and drinks for the donors and medical officers.  Please pray for this to go well.

I will write you again in some other time.  I send my love to you.  God  bless

2 More Letters from Esther

I received two letters from Esther today, along with the Christmas greeting at the side--a beautifully folded envelope.

September 3, 2011

This month is the month of September. I'm now in grade 11 in high school. I'll soon do the 1st semester mid test.

I hope Beverly is able to pray for me that I can do it well.

At school I take Teens' Red Cross activity and soon I'll be inaugurated. It's going to be great for sure. What's the extra activity you once took at school, Beverly? I laugh a lot, indeed, usually because of funny things.

Around Christmas now, I have no plan yet, and maybe this letter reaches you there when it's already Christmas. My family and I wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. God bless.

And there was another letter, dated a month later.

October 3, 2011

I like to laugh too, maybe if there's funny stuffs. Friends support it too. I can read English magazine but don't master it well. In Indonesia there are so many kinds of magazines and I usually read the magazines at school.

On the Eid holiday yesterday I just went around the family to greet the relative's place, help auntie to make foods. Oh, the dragon in Indonesia, we have one, but rarely find it. Do you have many dragons there? Do you like dragons, Beverly?

That is all from me. Next time I continue again.

God bless you.

Letter from Esther

Hi, Beverly Sykes

How are you? Here, my family and I are fine. I'm glad to receive the birthday gift which amounted to dp. 127.500. I spent it on clothes. Please also pass my thanks to [her financial sponsor] for the birthday gift.

I'm going to do the mid-exams soon. Please pray for me, Beverly. Please pray that I'll do the exams well.

Love regards from me to you and your family, Beverly Sykes.

Compassion was very upset that she had included the account number of her financial sponsor--I am her correspondence sponsor. They say it was a violation of the other sponsor's privacy, but I wouldn't even begin to know how to find out who this person was from a 7-digit number!

Esther

Got a wonderful new photo of Esther today.

Esther

There were two letters from Esther, one a day after the other. The first promised photos which were not included in the envelope. But when the second envelope came, there they were!

With her 10 month old nephew

With her cousin

With her school friends

With her sister and brother
(or it might be her cousin and brother; not sure!)

To Beverly Sykes,

I am writing to tell you how I am doing. Within 2 days after I write this letter I am going to do the 2nd semester exam. I hope I'll do it well and I also pray that God will be with me. It will end next wee. Then we will celebrate the 60th school anniversary.

Before the exams I got a task to be one of the Red Cross member in the flag ceremony on May 2nd. You can see my photo - I enclosed photos with my family, too. It was after Church in Jakarta.

My favourite music is pop. I like a song with title Rainbow of His Love (Pelangi Kasth Hya) What is your plan on this holiday?

My love regards. I am happy to receive your photo, letter, the bible marker, and the colouring paper.

May God always bless you.

And the second letter

To Beverly Sykes.

I'm glad to receive your letters. Today is the fifth day I have been joining the final exam. I have been joining the final exam on this last (2nd) semester. I'll complete it in these next two days. I wait for it.

The school holiday is coming soon. It's my favourite thing. We plan to visit mother's sister, who is ill. Her house is quite far from our town. It is in Bandung. We need 10 hours to get there. It will be exhausting. Please always pray for me that I'll pass to the next grade on good marks.

Regards with love from me to you.

Fred and Esther

I received not one, but two thank you letters from Compassion kids today. Esther says that for her Christmas money she bought new clothes. She also answered one of my letters where I suggested that she tell me five things about herself (and I told her five things about myself). Her 5 things were

1. I have tan skin and my friends often mock me, but I keep giving thanks for the grace of God.
2. I also love to read. Usually I choose to read novels and teen age magazines.
3. My favorite color is white or light purple
4. I often go with my friends to make photos
5. my favorite subject is the Javanese language

Fred is telling me what his family bought with the family gift I sent at Christmas. "We bought blouses, t-shirt, shoes, shorts, sandals, umbrella. We used it for Sunday. The t-shirt and the shoes Fred used for his playground demonstrations at school. The rest of the money we bought groceries for our daily needs. Your gift is a great help for us, so from the bottom of our heart and our family we would say thank you very much. May God continue to bless you.


I'd love to know what this means. I think I'm going to send a copy of this back to him and ask him to explain it!

Selamat Hari Natal

That is "Merry Christmas" in Indonesia. There was a letter from Esther today.

Beverly Sykes:

Peace in the love of Jesus Christ. Thanks for the letter you sent. I'm so happy to hear about Beverly. Yes, I have 2 cousins, Febi and Risa. They're cute kids. I often meet them because our house is near. When I see other families I just watch them and feel happy for them.

Now I'm facing the final Semester I exam. I hope I get good grades.

How about Christmas there?

I wish Beverly and family there Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Love greetings. I thank you for the Christmas gift.

Letter from Esther

I had a letter from Esther in Indonesia today. Esther lives in one of the countries which prints colorful stationery for their children to write on. Esther's letter reads:

To: Beverly Sykes

I'm doing well here and so glad to grow up as a 15 year old person. I hope to be a better person than before. I have been 2 months being in grade 6 at school and soon I'll be facing the middle semester examination. Please pray for me so that my marks will turn out good.

By the month of September my country just celebrated the day of Idul Fitri (the celebration marking the end of Ramadan) and I spent my holidays at home along with my family, though not all my relatives were there, but we had a great time.

This is my letter for this time. God always be with us. Thank you for the birthday gift.

God bless,
Esther

Indonesian Volcano

98 people are listed as dead and thousands of families fleeing their homes in the area of Mt. Merapi. On the map I see, Esther lives in that area but I have not seen any news from Compassion about it yet. I'm worried for her safety and the safety of her family.

Esther - Birthdate: 8/6/95

Esther was the next correspondence child I was assigned. She lives with her father and mother and a younger brother in Salatiga, Indonesia. Her father is employed as a laborer and her mother is "sometimes employed."

The profile of Esther says she plays a musical instrument, but does not say which one.

In her area, typical houses are constructed of cement with tile roofs. The primary ethnic group is Java and the most commonly spoken language is Javanese and the typical diet is rice.

Esther, through a translator, says "I am going to a new school. I have new friends, new classes and new teachers. I hope I will be a smart person and make my parents proud."