Letter from Wainaina

I don't know whether to call him Eric or Wainaina. I've been calling him the latter, but this letter, the first really long, personal letter I've received from him, is signed "Eric."

Beverly Sykes,

First of all, is much greetings for a long time I haven't written for you a letter. I am happy for your support. God has protected me and our family. My family usually pray for you. I thank God for your prayers.

For now I'm happy for God has answered my prayers of becoming top ten in our exams. How areyou doing? Are you studying like me? I am doing well in home and school. For me, I like participating in many activities, even those that I'm not talented in. But I thank God for what I like doing in my leisure time. He has blessed me with the gift of playing soccer.

I love you for your help and guidance. Here in Kenya there is a lot of drought. animals in Northern Kenya are dying because of hunger. May our prayers be answered because of Kenyans for Kenya initiative to help those who are hungry.

I would like you to read from the book of Psalms 125:1 It says "those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which can never be shaken and can never be moved."

Letter from Anjali

I was very excited to receive this letter from Anjali. Not only is it the longest letter I have ever received from any of my Compassion children, but she wrote it by herself, for the very first time.

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Greetings to you in the Almighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am fine here. I hope same with you there. How is your health?

I received your letter. I feel very happy when I am reading your letter. My favorite subject is English. My favorite game is KhoKho I received your photos also. Photos are very beautiful. Badaling Great Wall is very nice to see. I like paper dolls very much. We have quarterly exams in this month. Pray for me. After examinations we have Pasara (?) holiday to schools.

But we have no holidays for Project. Project will conducting retreats in holidays. Our staff teach new songs. I like action songs. We written 1st and 2nd unit examinations. I got good marks in examinations.

We celebrated teachers day on September 5th. I given fruits and given flowers to my teachers. Teachers blessings us on that day. We celebrate teachers day because our great teacher's birthday on that day. He is our formal president also. His name is Dr. Sarre Palli Raolho Krishna.

I am praying for you and again thank you for your sponsorship.

Your loving child,
M. Anjali

Best of all, this letter did not include the same pictures she has been drawing for two years!

Letter from Emmanuella

This is my first letter from Emmanuellal in Ghana. It follows a series of categories to which she writes comments:

Response to sponsor's questions
I am with much joy to have your letter. We do not have a dog. My best subject is science. My siblings are Rosemary 17 year and Felix 2 years.

Questions from Child to Sponsor
What are the names of your children?

New Personal Information about Child.
I am the house leader of my house that is the house of righteousness.

I would like to know more about
Your new grandchild.

Child's prayer for sponsor:
I pray that God should give you strength and let your work go on.

Child's prayer request
Pray for me that God should give me wisdom and understanding so that I can learn.

2 New Kiva Loans

I chose this woman in memory of dear Nora, who died recently...and also because she is in the Philippines, where my Correspondence child, Fred lives.


Nora is 56 years old. She is married with 1 child. Nora has a piece of land cultivated with vegetables and fruit trees, which in time can be harvested with the intention to sell. She has had this business for 10 years. She requested a loan of PHP 15,000 to buy insect sprays and fertilizers. She has been a member of HSPFI since 2010. In the future, Nora hopes to improve her business.

I chose Ivone because a widow with six children needs all the help she can get.

Ivone was born in the district of Boane, province of Maputo, southern Mozambique. She is a widow and the mother of six children, of which only one still attends school. She never had the opportunity to study for lack of financial conditions. She lives with her family in a house she owns and doesn't support anyone else.

She has been a businesswoman for over 35 years and earns an income of about 6.000mt a month. She uses it to pay for home expenses and saves part of it in her bank account.
She has had loans in other banks (PROCREDIT) and has been able to pay them back without any difficulties. She first heard of Hluvuku through friends who are also clients of this institution. This is her first loan with Hluvuku. It is for 10.000mt, which she intends to use to purchase goods (oil, sugar, beans, etc.) in order to increase the volume of her merchandise.

Satyavathi now lives in dignity

Dear Beverly,

Killadi Satyavathi is a 66 year old widow who lives in the village of Brahmadevam in coastal Andhra Pradesh. She has one son and three daughters, who are are married and living with their families. Satyavathi's husband passed away 2 years ago. She works as a daily laborer earning 2$ a day whenever she finds work. Until recently, she was able to successfully manage the household chores and work as a laborer. But her vision began to drop gradually, making it virtually impossible to carry on independently. She was depressed.

Satyavathi developed cataracts in both eyes, which were operated upon by Sankurathri Foundation. However, even after the surgery, she found that she needed corrective glasses in order to see well. Satyavathi, however, had no money to pay for the glasses, and thought she would continue without glasses.

Your donation, Beverly, enabled Sankurathri Foundation to provide a free pair of glasses to her. She can now perform her household chores and work as a laborer without depending on anyone.

Thank you, Beverly, for restoring Satyavathi's eyesight and restoring her dignity.

Loan made through See Your Impact.

Vote for Compassion

Compassion has been nominated to be one of the organizations that is on the receiving end of donations coming from One Million for Good. I was thrilled to see Compassion made the final list of nominees.

I need your help.

More specifically, I need your vote. VOTE HERE

I also need your voice as you can help spread the word. Would you help me? If each one of us spreads the word, more and more people will have the chance to vote for Compassion.

Here are some things you can do:

• post this on your blog
• email your friends and family
• post this on facebook
• tweet
• whatever else you can think of

Thanks!

Letter from Anjali

Today came a new letter from Anjali, including another drawing. The strange thing about this child is that she draws the same thing every. single. time! This is her drawing today:

And this is compared to the last three drawings she sent:

At least this time she labeled what the various things are (though that looks suspiciously more like a "flag" than a "fig"!

The Sponsor Relation Assistant writes the letters for her:

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Anjali sends greetings to you in the Almighty name of Lord Jesus Christ. She says she is fine. she asks how you are? She asks how is your health? She says she is fine. She says she received your letter. She says American Princess stickers are very nice to see. She says photographs are very nice and beautiful. She says she is celebrating Friendship Day on August 7th. She says she will celebrate her Independence day on the 15th of August. She says her project celebrated "Thanksgiving Day" on July 1st. She says her project given Net, chair, and writing pad. She says she is praying for you and your famiy members. She says thank you for your love and support.

On behalf of M. Anjali
K.H.L. Patricia
Sponsor Relation Asst.

First Letter from Theresa

There was a great move to adopt all of the kids from Ghana Project #232 last month. Compassion had posted videos of the center and many of the kids. I hadn't intended to take another child, but when I saw Theresa's face, I had to adopt her (check her picture in the right hand column).

We all have been waiting for the first letters to arrive, and mine did today. She is only 4, so she can't really write, but her social worker fills in a form for her and writes a brief letter.

My family: Esi Ariguamah (mother), Kwesi Essuman (Father) and brothers Kwame Essuman and Kojo Essuman.
My Home: Village
My Favorites: color: blue; food: rice and stew; Song: Gospel; Game: Ampe (this is apparently a popular game in Africa, since many of my children from different African countries list this as their favorite game. I have seen a video of it and I can't make heads or tails out of it!); Toy: Car; Pet: Cat (Well, she can't be ALL good! LOL!)

Message for my sponsor: Theresa and her family welcome you warmly into their lives. They say thank you for your presence in their lives.

Question for my sponsor: Do you have brothers and sisters? (I will lie and say no. Four years old is too young to know that my sister was killed in 1971!)

Prayer for My Sponsor: Theresa prays for a healthy living for you and your family.

Prayer Request from child: Pray for her to love school and learn seriously.

A drawing was also included, but it was so light it was almost invisible. Fortunately, thanks to PhotoShop, I was able to darken it so I could see what it looked like. Not bad, actually for 4 years old!

Two Letters from Fred

There were two letters from Fred today, the first a thank you for his birthday gift. It is always amazing to me how much they are able to buy in their own country. I sent him $25.

Dear Auntie Sykes,

Christian greetings!

Thank you so much for loving my son. He was very happy during his birthday. He appreciates the gift very much. H received an amount of 1,055.50 We bought long pants, polo, sandals, underwear, t-shirt, short pants, biscuits and chocolate drinks. Fred is so excited to wear the new clothes for our coming church anniversary. Please pray that Fred would be growing into a grateful child. Until here.

Love,
Fred's Mother


The second letter was written three days later.

Dear Auntie Sykes,

Christian greetings!

May this letter find you in good health. Thank you for loving my child. We are so grateful for your effort, especially for the little book.

Fred is in school now. They had vacation last month of April and May. They started classes on June and they had the Vacation Bible School last May. We are so happy that we know someone like you who knows how to appreciate even small things.

Fred also likes funny jokes and he smiles whenever his classmates are making funny stuffs. He is smiling upon receiving a letter from you. I also smile whenever they are doing good at home.

Please continue to pray that Fred would improve more in his character.

Are you also fond of watching television? That's our pastime here.

Thank you for all support and prayers. God bless you!

Love,
Fred's mother

New Photo of Anjali

When I went onto Our Compassion today, I noticed that Anjali's photo had been updated, so I called Compassion and asked for a .jpg. She looks so pretty!

So much more grown up than the little girl I first agreed to sponsor!


I chose her originally because she had a fat looking face and as a fat kid myself, I knew that they were frequently the last chosen, so she found a spot in my heart. But she certainly is a slim and beautiful girl today!

Letter-Writing Day

I held off answering the four letters which had come in in the last two weeks because I had been having such a great time sending baby pictures to my Compassion children using Compassion's new email stationery. But today was the day I wrote to all of them, except for Wainaina, in Kenya, because I sent him a long letter via e-mail with football pictures included.

I started writing at about 10:30 a.m. and it was nearly 3 before I finished. It doesn't always take that long, but this time I had letters to answer, so a boilerplate letter wouldn't work. I also had gifts to send, each child getting something different, whether a coloring book, stickers, games, flash cards, or whatever, suited to that particular child. I sent one girl a Bingo game. I hope it goes through!

It also takes longer because of the age difference. The three little guys get short, simple letters, but the older kids, especially Shallon in Uganda, are writing long interesting letters asking probing questions and it takes longer to answer her.

By the time I finished I had a fat flat rate package to mail, which I can't mail until tomorrow, since today is Columbus day.


I'm good on snail mail letters now for a month, though I'm sure there will be one or two e-mails between now and then, if I get interesting photos to send.

This is what one of the new e-mail letters looks like.


You choose the particular design you want to use for writing, write your letter, include 1-3 photos and press send. Compassion takes the letters, translates them, prints them and sends off to the field office (or maybe they are printed at the field office; I'm not sure!). Eventually they get to the kids. I haven't had feedback from them yet--probably not for another month, at least--but I'm curious to see how the kids feel at the other end, receiving these pretty new letters!

Briana

Today there was a very nice letter from Briana in Haiti. I think it's a little confusing for her to keep all of our family relationships straight!

Warm greetings to you, Beverly Sykes. How are you doing with Jesus. Briana does not feel too bad, thanks to God. She was happy to get your letters. She was glad to see your children's photographs. One is 3 years old, the other has the same name as she does. She says Happy Birthday to Brianna with good appetite too!

She asks you to tell her what did you see in China? Is it a beautiful country and what do you like there? Did you visit the entire China.

The child got a good average. She advances to grade 6. Please pray that God may always guide everything.

Briana has a favorite song saying: What a friend we have in Jesus... She likes gospel music best.

The child always prays for your family. She thanks you for the letter and photographs. May God in His love bless you more!

Her dad wrote this on her behalf.

Happy Mail Day!

It's always nice to have a mail day like this!

Shallon

I hadn't heard from Shallon in a long time, but there is a drought in Uganda, which may make lots of things difficult. The letter a wonderful, long, chatty letter.

Dear Beverly Sykes,

With mercy of God I am happy for this day because I have got time to write to you. Really it's great thing to me and it is real pleasure to you my dearest mother in Christ for having respected moment to let my mind to think about only and only about you.

My family members are greeting you and they are praying for love and mercy from God upon you.

Sorry for the loss of your mother-in-law. Let me tell you that may she rest in eternal peace.

I am moving in anther step. 2010 I was in primary, but surely now I am in senior secondary school.

Sorry about Kathy's lungs and you about your mother-in-law.

On the photo of your president there is the word Washington, DC. Write in full D.C.?

As you know that I prefer young children's smile.

We get water from river.

Let me thank you very much for sending me some photos and a child's photo. But I want to communicate with you face to face. and I want to send you a song. It is in psalms chapter 27:1 to where you want to stop. And I want to send you some verses to you and those are Ecclesiastes 12:1-14 and in the same book 11:9 and read Ecclesiastes 7:1.

For you mutual love of you with me. I am very glad to hear that you like walking. And how is library now? In Uganda we are in dry season. We are going to start sowing millet. How is Ned? But my mother could tell me more about your president. How is Bella, your dog? Thank for sending me a paper of verses and thank you for my scanned photo back.

My mother in Christ, be blessed by God and have a nice time.

Your loving daughter Katisiime Shallon

Fred

Fred's letters are always written by his mother, which is also nice.

Dear Auntie Sykes,

Christian Greetings!

We hope that our letter makes you smile long this day. By God's grace, Fred is in grade two now. He attended their nutrition month celebration and he got also the Division Achievement test. Fred really likes to draw and talk with friends. He got lot of improvements in his social life.

Please pray that he could find more godly and nice friends.

He has brown much in height and he is growing into a cheerful guy. Fred is active in going to church. Our church anniversary will be on the last Sunday of August. Please pray for our church.

By the way, have you also visited a baptist church in China? We are happy to know it. Until then, God Bless you!

Leniel

Leniel (Dominican Republic) writes (with assistance from Dariana, his tutor)

Dear Beverly Sykes,

The child Leniel is well, and at the same time he is very grateful for the letters, the photos, for the book, and the rest of the things that you have sent him. He says his mother washes the clothes. He is older than his brother. He and his mother wash the baby bottles together. He says he likes to play ball and with toy cars, and he has good friends. He hasn't seen any panda. They sing and dance at school and his best friends are Joelvin and Carlos. They play marbles. What are your best friends' names? He asks you to pray for Gabriel, who is just a few months old. Receive kisses!

Yours,
Leniel


(the picture is of his mother washing clothes)

Theresa from Ghana

I recently completed sponsorship of a woman through Woman to Woman International. I'm rather selfish in that I did not enjoy this experience since it included zero interaction between me and Clarisse. I had hoped I would know something about her and perhaps we could become friends, but the women are not required to communicate with their sponsors, and lord knows they are trying to recover from hellish experiences, so I don't harbor any ill feelings about my own hopes being unfulfilled.

But at the end, knowing how many children there are at Compassion waiting sponsors, I decided to put that money into another sponsored child. I recently saw a video about Center #232 in Ghana and there seems to be a rush by other sponsors to add children from this center, since we all now know it looks like now.

Just on a whim I looked at the children available for sponsorship from Ghana and my eyes immediately locked on this little sweetheart. How can you resist that face? I checked and learned that she is, indeed, from center #232 and so without thinking twice, I added her to my list of sponsored children.

She is Theresa. She is 4 years old (5 in January). She lives with her father and her mother. Her duties at home include running errands. There are 3 children in the family. Her father is sometimes employed as a farmer and her mother is sometimes employed as a farmer.

Theresa is not presently attending school. Playing house and playing group games are her favorite activities. She also attends church activities and Bible class regularly.

I look forward to getting to know her. (And now that my other female sponsored children are getting older, I have another child to send all those little girl things I've been buying over the years!)

A Letter from Fred

A wonderful new letter from Fred today:

Dear Auntie Sykes

Christian Greetings!!!

Thank you for the postcards you sent. We are sure that you enjoyed your trip. The Great Wall of China is beautiful. We have no river here like that green river. We have also many rivers here but most are narrow rivers. Praise God for that boat company. We're sure that they sponsor lovely children like Fred.

In Fred's classrooms they also talk about their dreams in the future. Fred wants to become a policeman in the future. He will help keep the country free from danger and crimes.

Fred likes the panda very much. He hopes to hug one too. By the way, do you also have more pandas in your place? Here we have none.

We have also pictures of dragon here.

The story of Joseph is very beautiful. We had a great lesson that humbleness is very important. Thank you for the book. Fred likes it very much.

Please pray that Fred will love to eat more healthy foods. Please continue to pray for his health. Until here.

God bless you!!!

Love,
[Fred's mother]

Getting Organized

Michelle from Blogging from the Boonies wrote an entry about how she keeps track of her Compassion kids. Like me, her family has 10 children too, a combination of sponsored and correspondence kids.

I keep all the incoming letters in individual binders for each of the kids.


The letters only go in the binders after they have been answered. All incoming letters (Compassion and otherwise) go into a holder until they are answered.

It is easier to track my letters because I type them. Each child has a format that I use. The ones who speak English have a regular looking letter because they don't need translation. The ones that need translation have a 2-column format, with a lined column on the right for the translation. All letters have all the information and account numbers on the top.

Since I am writing on the computer, I have a folder for each of the kids. I keep copies of all letters in that child's folder, along with things like photos and anything else pertinent. When I'm writing a new letters, I pull up the old one to see what I said the last time. After the letter has been answered, I punch holes in it and add to the binder.

I also have a file for each child in their folder called "stuff sent" and I record what I included in each letter, so I can avoid duplication.

It's a pretty simple system, but it works very well for me.

Latest Kiva Loan

Luisa Barbor from the Philippines.


Luisa is 31 years old and married, with 7 children. With 4 children in school, Luisa works very hard to provide for them.

She runs a sari-sari store in the Philippines and requested a PHP 12,000 loan through NWTF to buy additional items to sell, like sardines, groceries, etc. Luisa has been in this business for 6 years and sells a variety of items such as soap, shampoo, milk, curls, etc.

In the future Luisa would like to save enough money so she can afford to send her children to college.

Any woman with 7 children who is trying to earn enough to send them to college definitely earns my respect, and my Kiva loan!