Thank you from Anjali

I sent a check to Anjali for her birthday and this is the response I received. As usual, the translator presents it as if she is transcribing an interview, which removes a level of "intimacy" from it, but I loved the photo, and Anjalil did write a little bit in English. I suspect writing is not her "thing."

She wrote:
Two frocks with the birthday gift that I received in the month of October 2010
Your loving child,
M. Anjali

and the translator wrote:
She sends greetings to in the name of Lord Jesus Christ. She asks you how you are? She tells she is fine, and she hopes the same with you. She says that she prays every day for you and she studies well.

She is expressing thanks for your gift. She says she bought two frocks for the gift. She says that she likes white and yellow colour. She once again thank you for your love and support.

On behalf of M. Anjali, [name] Sponsor Relation assistant

Christmas in October

You have to think and plan far in advance, since it takes about two months for a birthday or Christmas gift to get to the children. I wasn't on time last year, but this year I'm on top of things. I sent a $20 gift to each of the three sponsored children and a larger family gift to Fred's family. The individual monetary gifts are all pooled and gifts given to all the children in a center, whether they receive something from their sponsors or not. Family gifts are given directly to the family.

I found little gifts to send to each child with a Christmas card. There were sticker books of a Nativity scene or angel pictures printed on tissue paper that the children can color and hang in a window like stained glass. Gifts can be only made of paper and can't be thicker than 1/4" so it does stretch your creativity to find something appropriate!

I also sent Shallon a small calendar of photos from California. I heard a rumor that we can't send calendars. I can't figure out why. But I thought I'd give it a try anyway.

Next month I will send birthday cards to the three children who have January and February birthdays. I found cards on which you can record a message and I thought that would be fun.