Letter from Divine

March 4, 2015

Your child Divine (age 11) greets you in the name of Jesus Christ.  With her family they are fine, thanking God.  She is studying well and putting much effort to pass well with good marks.  Her family cultivated beans, maize, and sorghum.  We are in rainy season.  What about you?  How are you doing?  She needs to know news about you.  Do you cultivate crops?

She is requesting you to pray for her to have knowledge of school.  She wishes you to have peace of God.

She's thanking you for the letter you sent to her and was happy to know news about you and to see your photos, carring 2 dogs.  With her family, they pray for you to be blessed.

Letter from Fred

January 27, 2015

Dear Auntie Sykes,

To God be the glory!!!

I would like to greet all of you to ay hello  How are you all?  Hope that all of you are in good health.  Thank you for your letter that you sent tome.  Our weather here is windy day.  Our prayer that your cousin will be healed totally.

Does the team of Brianna win in baseball?

January 22, 2015 I join playground demonstration in our school with all my classmates.

My grades in 2nd and 3rd grading is higher.  I am so very happy.  Pray for my health.  Thank you very much.

Fred

Letter from Leniel

Leniel (age 8) sends a form letter about his Christian learning:

January 23. 2015

In my project I am learning about God.

My favorite Bible story is Jesus birth.

My favorite thing I learned about Jesus is about his love.

My favorite Bible verse is John 3:16 [For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.]

Hello dear sponsor Beverly Sykes,

How are you doing in Christmas?  I went to the park and had fun and ate a lot with my family, siblings and friends.  My father took me to his home and I had a very good time. How do you spend Christmas there?  I ask you to pray for me that God may continue to help me.

Letter from Samuel

Dear Beverly Sykes,

"How are you my sponsor, Beverly Sykes" asks Samuel.  "I have been performing better in my school academic work and also in family daily chores and church activities," says Samuel.

Samuel says that he is putting all the efforts into his academic work and in community activities like helping in communal work.  He says he is active in choir, where he attends Sunday School.

He says recently he received an award for being the most disciplined pupil at his class.  The only thing he admires is the bowling game that he likes, but had no chance to play. [I sent him pictures of going bowling with Brianna]

Samuel wishes you all the best.  He says may God bless you very much.

Letter from Venkana

Dear Sponsor Beverly Sykes,

I am fine and I hope you are also fine and my family are safe hee.  I hope that your family is also fine.  Tom standing very well.

I like to do the things with my family.  I play ball with the members of my family and enjoyed in family.  I like to  know about your life.

My family lives in a thanda.

[I don't know if this is a thanda, but this is what I found on Google images]

My father works as a farmer.  My mother also lives in my house with me and my elder sister name Jgotha.  She age is 22.  i like to play games with my family also.  My mother works housework.  My brother and sister we also study studies.  My brother is in 10th class.  We have television.  We used to listen to music at home.

New photo of Banesa

She looks so grown up compared to the last photo I saw of her!

Letter from James

James, who is 10, is the 4th of the 7 Kenyan children I received as correspondents at the end of the year.  This is his first letter.

Dear Beverly Sykes,

I salute you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, hoping that you are fine and doing well.  How was your Christmas and new year?  I hope you had a wonderful time too.

What special things and activities do people do on Christmas holiday in your country?  Here in Kenya we go visit game parks, orphanages, prisons, hospitals, some just worship in the churches among others.

Would you please pray for me and my family, as I also pray for you.

Your loving son,
James

3 from the Kenya 7

I received the first three letters from the 7 Correspondence Kids I took on from Kenya

First LAVENDA, who is 9 years old

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Receive much greetings in the Lord.  I hope you are fine in Christ.  I am fine also together with my family.   I thank you for the support that youare giving onto me.  It has made me know who God is and how to serve Him.  I also t hank you for the Christmas gift hat you sent for me  Sh 1143.29 bought cups and I enjoy using them with my family

At school I am in grade 6 this year and my best subject is English.  During church services every Sunday i like to memorize verses from the Bible.  I love you so much and I keep praying for you.  please pray for country and my studies as well.  God bless you.

Yours, Lavenda

Next is MICHAEL, who is 6.  He  filled out a form letter about his typical week.

I usually wake up at 6:30 a.m.  In the morning I normally wash my face and go to school.  The days I attend school are 5 days.  The name of my school is King Model Academy.  In he afternoon I usually watch cartoons.  In the evening I normally help with washing the plates. I go to the project o Saturday  I typically go to sleep at 8:30 pm.  My favorite day of the week is Saturday because I go to the project.  The day I go to church is Sunday.  The name of my church is Deliverance.

Dear... [name left blank]

How are you, begins Michael.  Michael says he is grateful for the Christmas gifts you send to him.  He says he received a pair of long trousers and a shirt.  He adds that he is much happy that the project has once opened and now he's meeting his friends and enjoying their Saturday program.  He ends that you should always remember him in prayers for he wants God to give him good health and understanding in class work.

 NOTE:  The kids thanked me for Christmas gifts I did not send, but every child receives a Christmas gift at the centers they attend, and it was logical to thank me.

Finally is BRIGHTONE, who is 8.  He also shares a form letter about his typical week

I usually wake up at six.  In the morning I go to school.  They days I attend school are five.  The name of my school is Mayenje Primary School.  In the afternoon I usually help my parent with work.  In the evening, I normally play.  I go to the project on Saturday.  I typically go to sleep at 8 p.m.  My favorite day of the week is Saturday because I go to the project.  The day I go to church is Snday.  The name of my church is A CK Anglican Church of Kenya Mayenje.

Brightone says happy new year 2015.  He says that he wishes you a prosperous year ahead.  He says he is praying for you and your family for a long life  He says he looks forward to meeting you one of these fine days.

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 Anjali

 A beautiful long letter from my first sponsored child. The English isn't always perfect and there are some things I'm not sure about, but this is the longest letter I have ever received from any of my 25 kids!

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Greetings to you in the name of our lord Jesus Christ.  How are you?  How is your health?

I received your letter.  I am very happy about that.  I like summer but my favorite season is winter because every day early morning we go to carrels.  I also love buy fresh vegetables and fruits.  I like strawberry so much.  I like sunflowers  We have sunflowers field near our house front side.  Sunflowers are very useful in our society.

Psalms:23 chapter I like so much.  The lord is my shepherd, because in lord have everlasting love.

I like July month because so many people birthdays on that month.  Every year on my birthday I invite friends and neighbors my house and I give cake.  I like cake so much.  Tom's cake looking very nice because the cake like a football field.  I like small childrens.  Your grandchildren are so sweet.  I like Lacie the little one very much.  I like books.  And read them and understand so many new important things in our society.

In July we are in rainy season.  Rains are used to grow crops very well.  Thank you for your daily prayer.

Yours wedding photos are so nice.  I wish you a happy wedding anniversary.  Your dress is so nice.  I like your veil looking very nice.  I like your church  I like music and songs very much.  I sing songs very well.  I wish you a happy wedding anniversary to next year.

Every day I pray for you and your family. Please pray for me and my family.  Please pray for my studies.  Thank you for your lovely letters.

Photos very nice and beautiful.  I am very happy to write this letter.  Every day I pray for my project and also you god saved problems  You also pray for my project and also you god saved problems.  You also pray my project and I am proved your sponsoring.  I am preparing annually and unit 4th exams.  i will try to write lettersto you in English.  You also special time.  Thank you for your prayers.  Cow dog is very beautiful.  Dog is faithful animal.  It [?watded] away with us.

Santa Barbara city State Street is very beautiful.  Three postcards canaries is very beautiful.  Santa Barbara's very beautiful.  Thank you for love and letters.  How is tom uncle [i don't know what that means...she uses it twice]

How is Tom?  How is your friends Gabi, Alec and Steve?  What about their jobs?

I remain every day in my prayers.  My family also also pray for your family.  I learned many songs and bible stories in my project.  Project given Christmas dress.  I wish you tom uncle.  I am studying well.  We are entering summer season.  Thank you love, concern, letters, your blessing and precious sponsor.

Your loving child
Anjali

New Kiva Loan

Margaret, from Kenya

 Adding to my cattle herd!

Margaret is 44 years old and married to Monubi. They are blessed with four children aged 23, 19, 16 and 13 years old. She has been a dairy farmer for the last 12 years and earns a monthly income of KES 10,000.

She has applied for her first loan of KES 25,000 from VisionFund Kenya to buy a dairy cow and stock of napier grass feeds for the dairy cows in order to increase milk production. This will satisfy her customers' demand for milk.

With the anticipated profits she will be able to repay her loan and educate her children.

Her hopes are to be financially stable and start a milk shop.

Letter from Miché

He has the soul of a poet, obviously!

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Today, I am so pleased to be writing to you.  It is like a water spring running in my heart.  How are you doing and family?  I am doing well and family and my friends too.  I was glad to get your letters and all your pictures.  We are ding very well.  The day is sunny today.  I am great in the hot moment.  Please, pray for me and family, for my school and my church and my club.  I wish that God blessed you.

Letter from Venkana

Venkanna's English is not perfect and his handwriting is difficult to read sometimes and he uses no punctuation, but I appreciate that his messages don't go through a translator, but that he writes them directly in English

My dear Sponsor, Beverly Sykes,

I am fine here.  I hope you also fine.  Here winter is started,, very cold and I had written 3rd unit test.  I got good marks and we decided to go about to Hyderabad and Nagas.  I am in my school.  I am so happy for celebrated your 49th wedding anniversary and I am attending to the church. We are praying for Christmas and here that's grown.  We put tomatoes.(he spells better than Dan Quayle!)

I am praying for your family also.  How are you?  How is your family?  I am studying very well.  I am playing with my friends.  I am so happy to see and to read these beautiful letters.  I wanted to convey happy belated birthday to Tom.  I was also very much blessed by the verse which you have sent me, i.e., Isaiah 110:8.  I am also very glad to see all your family photos.  I prayed that God will shower his blessings and happiness in your family always.

Your loving
G. Venkanna

Letter from Theresa

MY FAMILY

My siblings:
Joshua, 20 yrs
Peter, 20 yrs
Daniel, 18 yrs
Samson, 8 yrs
Theresa, 6 yrs

I spend most time with my parents
My family lives in a village
My family's faith Christian
My favorite way to help my family Cleaning

Thank you for your prayers and sponsorship

Child's prayer request - Pray for God's protection against the family

I would like you to know more about my family:  The family have a farm that they farm on every Saturday.

Letter from Henrique

Dated 10/31/14

How i have fun

1 - play with my friends
2 - to watch games on TV
3 - Math
4 - Soccer
Bible Verse for meditation:  Matthew 5:8 (Blessed are the poor in heart for they will see God)

Dear Sponsor:  Hello.  How are you?  My name is Caroline.  I'm Monitor at Project and I will write on behalf of Luiz Henrique.  He's an active, happy and healthy child.  His family's well.  He likes to come to project, to fly kite and to play with his friends.  Keep praying for him. 

Letter from Leniel

Dated 10/8/14

My Holidays/School break

1. My school break is in the months of June-August
2. During my holiday/school break I often go to the beach
3. My favorite food to eat during my holiday is pizza
4. One thing I would like to do during a holiday is know my country

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Hello!  May God bless you!  I thank you very much for sponsoring me and for praying for me and my family. . What do you do on your vacation?  I ask for prayers for my family.  Everything is well here.  Receive kisses!

Yours,
Leniel

Letter from Henrique

This is a form letter from Henrique, talking about his hobbies and pets.  

Some of my hobbies are:  to play ball
My favorite hobby is:  To watch TV
At home I have the following pets:S  Cat, Dog
My pet's name is:  Bague
Bible Verse for meditation:  Psalm 23:1

My dear sponsor:  Hello, Sponsor.  Are you well?  I'm sore throat.  I'm almost in vacation.  I enjoy you because you are affectionate.  I want to wish you a happy Christmas and a happy new Year for your famiy.  A kiss.  Luis Henrique

Letter from Josphat

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Receive much greetings from your sponsored child, Josphat.  He says he is fine together with his family.  "How are you doing together with your family?" he asks.

Josphat appreciates you so much for sponsoring him and for the support that he receives through you.  He also thanks you for the letters that you have been sending to him.

Josphat appreciates you for the photos of Tom and his wife and the others, including that of Tom's cake.  He tells you that there are no sunflowers where he lives.  He says that he is glad to know of Malala Yousafsai and says that her story is very touching.

He informs you that he is progressing well with his studies and kindly requests you to pray for his family and his education.  He tells you that his family passed their regards to you all and ends by saying goodbye.

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

Letters from Wainaina and Samuel

Two from Kenya today.  First, from Wainaina (age 17)

Hello, Beverly,

How are you, together with your family.  I hope you are goig on well with life.  I hope you still pray for me.  I do pray for you before I go to sleep.  I'm very happy today and I'm writing these letters today because we are waiting for the day our Christ Jesus was born and we are preparing ourselves for the celebration which will be held at the church. 

I do believe you are doing/having a good time and great time as you are preparing yourselves for the Christmas day, which is nearly here.  Have a good time as you are enjoying yourselves.  May God bless you.

Next from Samuel (age 9).  Samuel's letter was written for him by someone at his project.

 Dear Beverly Sykes,

Samuel greets you in Jesus' name.  He says that he is fine and he thanks you sincerely for the Christmas greetings and wishes you sent him.  He says that the photos you sent him are very nice and that he likes them.  He also thanks you for the letters you sent him.  He appreciates you for that.  "Thank you, my sponsor" he concludes  He also adds that he wishes and prays that God is going to shower you with blessings so that your family prospers both spiritually and economically.  He thanks you dearly for being his sponsor.