Letters from Divine and Emmanuella

Divine is 12
 
03/07/2015

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Your child Mushimiyimana Divine is greeting you in the name of Jesus Christ!  She is doing great, but she was suffering from malaria.  Her siblings are also sick.  We are in our long dry season.  The weather is very hot!  She is studying hard to do well in her examination.  She will start them on 13/7/2015.

During the hot weather, studies become difficult.  Please pray for her siblings to be recovered and for her to do well in her studies.

She really thanks you for all your letters.  She received them well and pleased her so much!  She liked your photographs.  We do not have the snow here.  This is our dry season.  She is studying hard.

(signed by her project worker)

 20-6-15

Dear Beverly Sykes,

I thank you for your letters and your words of encouragement.

I sleep in our bedroom with my sister and if somebody wishes to give me something I will wish the person gives me a laptop.  My favorite part of the Bible is proverbs.

You look beautiful with no hair.

Yes, I cook and my mother taught me how to cook.  I like cooking banku [a Ghanaian dish which is cooked by a proportionate mixture of fermented corn and cassava dough in hot water into a smooth, whitish consistent paste] and okra.

I have learnt in school that we should be good Samaritans.

How are you and your family doing?

I pray that God will let the rain fall in California and the Almighty God will bless Brianna and add more years to her years.

Pray that God will help me in our coming examination so that I can be promoted to JHS3

Memory Verse:  Proverbs 12:10.  A righteous man cares for the needs of his animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.  Amen.  [not sure what that means!]

Letter from Emmanuella

28/04/15

Dear Beverly Sykes,

I thank you for your letters and prayers you have been giving to me.  Your letters bring joy to me any time I read them.  God bless you.

Yes, I did well in my exams and I don't know the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors.  Yes, I know blizzard but I haven't experienced some before.  Yes, I like to eat PawPaws.

I am reading a storybook titled "The Wicked Stepmother" and I am gaining a lot of lessons from it.  [I wonder what lessons she is learning from THAT book!]

How did you celebrated your Easter?

I pray that God will protect you from the hands of the devil and provide you all your needs.  Pray tat God will help me end this academic year successfully.

Memory Verse:  Romans 6:23 -- for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Letter from Emmanuella

2/28/15

Dear Beverly Sykes,

God bless you for your letters and prayers.

(in answer to a question I asked her)  No, I pick letters from the post office.  We have people who help in cleaning the community and also pick up garbages.  There are veterinarians who care for sick animals.

I now read a chapter of the Bible every day.

How did you celebrate Christmas?

I pray that God will heal Walt from the cancer.  (she obviously confused Walt with my cousin)

Pray that God will grant me wisdom and understanding.

Luke 2:52 - And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and have favour with God and men.  Amen.

Letter from Emmanuella

Dear Beverly Sykes,

I thank you for your letters and the care you have been giving to me.

I and my family are fine, by the grace of God.,  Things are fine in Ghana.  Yes, at times earthquakes do happen in my country.

I have now joined the Life Protection club.

How are you and your family doing?  I pray that God will give you all your needs

I want you to pray that God should let y father's business prosper

Luke 1:37:  For with God nothing is impossible.  Amen.

Letter from Emmanuella

4/14/14

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Thank you for all your letters.  It makes me feel very happy and I enjoy reading it.

No, I don't know what bullying is about.  Yes, I do sneeze.

I am learning how to bake bread.

How is your work doing?

I pray that God will make your way prosperous.

Pray that God will bless me and my familyh.

Memory Verse:  Jeremiah 14:16.  Behold I am the Lord the God of all flesh.  Is there anything too hard for me?

Letter from Emmanuella

Dear Beverly Sykes,

I thank you for the letters, pictures and prayers.

The name of my class teacher is Mr. Aanso.  We are 21 pupils in my class.  We wear uniforms to school and the colour of our uniform is orange and cream.  My best subject is science.  I am now learning bead making

How is your work going?

I pray that God will bless you and your family.  Pray that God will bless me and my family.

Memory verse:  Romans 3:23.  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Letter from Emmanuella

21st August 2013

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Thank you for the letters and prayers.  God bless you.

Child's response to sponsor's questions:
No, I don't know anything about fog.
We are 19 pupils in my class.
Yes, I like reading.
Yes, I like reading to younger people.
The story I like reading is Cinderella the orphan.

Child's new experiences at Project/Home/School/Community, etc.
I was promoted to J.H.S. (1) one and I am very happy.

Question for my sponsor
What are the names of your friends?

Prayer for my sponsor
I pray that God will bless you and your family.

Prayer request from child
Pray that God will give me wisdom and understanding.

Memory verse
Psalm 25:2.  To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.  In you I trust, O my God.  Do not let me put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.  Amen.

Letter from Emmanuella

 Letter dated 6/26/13

Dear Beverly,

Thank you for the letters you have sent me.

I don't know anything about pinatas and we receive letters in my town once a month.  In the cities, letters are delivered to their houses but here in my town we go to the post office to pick it up.  At Project they mention names and give them out.

Yes, I like the pictures you attach to my letters and I felt excited when I receive your letters.

I am now good at solving math questions.

How are your parent doing?

I pray that God will bless Lacie and Brianna.

Pray that God will bless my family and my country.

Memory verse:  Psalm 23:1  The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

Emmanuella

Letter & Photo from Emmanuella

I received this beautiful photo from Emmanuella today.

 

This is a thank you for the backpack she got for Christmas, I think, though the letter does not include a thank you. But my God is this a beautiful photo.  With her head shaved and the hint of a smile, I think it brings out how beautiful her eyes are.

Here is the letter (dated 5/5/13) that accompanies this photo:

Dear Beverly,

Thank you for the letters, pictures and words of encouragement you gave me.  I am very glad to have you.  I wish you happy birthday, Beverly!  Yes, I can identify you in the picture.  You are in the black t-shirt.  My mother prepare sweet pastries, e.g., cake, meat pie and rough barns. (I'm not sure what "rough barns" are!  I had asked how her family celebrates birthdays)

I was 6th in my class exams this term.

How old is your father now?

I pray that God will give you everlasting life.

Pray that God will give my parent wisdom to take care of me.

Romans 6:23:  For the wages of sin is death but the gifts of God is eternal in Christ Jesus, Our Lofd.

Letter from Emmanuella

I was so thrilled to get this photo of Emmanuella today.  This is the first smiling photo I've had.  She is shown here with the things that she bought with her Christmas gift.  It came along with a brief letter.

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Thank you very much for the birthday gifts.  I bought two different fabric for dress to use during Christmas.

How are you?  I hope you are doing well, by God's grace.

Now my mother is baking pastries so I am learning it.

How are your parents doing?

I pray that God protects you and your family and give you strength.

Memory Verse:  Acts 16:31.  They replied, believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved and you and your household..  Amen

Letter from Emmanuella

This is dated 11/2/2012

Dear Beverly--

I thank you for all your letters, pictures and your words of encouragement.  God bless you.

No, I have not eaten cherry before.  Yes, Istill remember my poem, "I wish for Peace in Africa" (she took me literally when I asked her if she still remembered it--I was hoping she would share it with me!)

At project I am part of the culture dance and we perform during the inauguration of our dining hall.

Question for my sponsor:  How old is Brianna?

I pray that God will bless Lacie and let her grow up to be a good girl.  I want you to pray for my parents' business to go on well.

Letter from Emmanuella

Written 8/19/2012

This is kind of a fill-in letter, where they give the child a topic and she writes about it.  I'm printing it here in letter form.

I thank you for your prayers and your love for me.

I and my parents are doing well, by the grace of God.  I am on vacation for three weeks.

I was the sixth person in this term promotional exams and I am happy I have been promoted to class six.

How is Lacie and her sister doing?

May the lord protect you and your family.

Pray for my parents' business to go on well.

Memory verse:  John 3:16.  For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.  Amen,

She included this drawing:

Letter from Emmanuella

It was nice to receive a letter from Emmanuella.   I've discovered something, though.  I think she is not the first child who reads that my mother is 93 years old to think that she is SICK.  I have received several letters saying that they are praying for her recovery.  

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Thank you for your letters and prayers for me and my family.

Tell grandmother not to be sick.  If I am invisible I will travel to other countries to say hi to all friends of your family.  I love to hear Lacie can sit on her own.  Good job for her.

I learned a new poem last week entitled "A Wish for Peace in Africa" at project center.  Have you recited a poem before?

I pray that grandmom, your mother, will get well soon.

Psalm 24:1 -- the world and all that is in it belong to the Lord, the earth and all who live on it are his.

Letter from Emmanuella

Dear Beverly Sykes,

I pray that God almighty bless you and your family.  I really appreciate your Christmas gift, prayers, letters and wonderful pictures.

Yes, we also take our lost tooth and throw it on the roof, hoping it will grow again.

I have been taught how to play the trumpet.

How is Brianna and Lacie and your father and mum?

I pray that God should protect Lacie and Brianna.

I want you to pray for me to pass my coming exams.

Emmanuella Aniagyel

New Picture of Emmanuella

Compassion sesnt me a new photo of Emmanuella (after I requested it several times!)

As it turns out, I like the picture that came with her thank you letter better, so I am printing this one here, but using the one in the orange dress (with the hint of smile on her face) as the one that identifies her here on this site.

Thank You from Emmanuella

I received a thank you letter from Emmanuella in Ghana for her Christmas gifts.  Each year, all the children received gifts, whether their sponsor has sent money or not.  I send one check and it gets divided among all of my sponsored children.  I love this picture because I chose Emmanuella because she was dressed in raggedy jeans and looked like a sullen little boy.  To see her dressed in a new dress, with a hint of a smile is wonderful...and her letter (which she wrote herself, in English) was more personal than letters I get from many of my other children.

Dear Beverly.

Thank you very much.  May you receive everything you have spend on me in many folds.

My siblings are Felix, 2 years, and RoseMarie, 17 years.  Yes, I see butterflies in Ghana and Ilike its colours. Mavis' house (her friend) is far from my house, so we only meet at school.

Say hello to Brianna and Lacie and a big well done to your son and his wife.

I had a terrible experience two weeks ago when our house got flooded by heavy fain fall.  I had all my learning materials spoiled.

What are the names of your siblings and son?

I pray that God will protect Lacie from every sickness.

I want you to pray for me to be a good girl for God and my parents.

Emmanuella.

She also included a drawing of a computer.

 

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.

Fred and Emmanuella

Yippee...letters from Fred and from Emmanuella. It was my first letter from Emmanuella, who actually filled out a special form that helps her write. I learned the names of her family kembers and her best friend. I know she lives in a town and that her best game is "amps" and favorite color is blue.

Then she writes, "thank you for sponsoring me. I am the second born of my parents. Are you also a second born? I pray that God will lift you high and bless your work. Pray that God should give me knowledge and understanding in my studies."

As for Fred, his mother's letter reads:

Dear Auntie Sykes:

Have a blessed day, hope and pray that you are doing great in the Lord. We're thankful for the post card that you have sent for Fred. He likes very much. They have many colors.

Right now Fred is enjoying his schooling. He is excited to go to school every day. But it said that first day of his school, Fred's cry because his pencil, crayon get the other student. But in spite he continue to go to school.

By the way, what is your favorite book in the Bible? Fred was so happy to go to the center every day to learn bible stories and characters. He is faithful every sunday. Kindly pray for his schooling this year.

God Bless You!

Love,
Lyra Cardinal

Guess I'm going to have to find a favorite bible book!

Emmanuella

To replace Victor, I chose Emmanuella from Ghana.

I don't know much about her, but she has 2 siblings and lives with both parents.

I chose her because (a) she lives in an AIDS affected area, and (b) she has been waiting more than 6 months for a sponsor. I tend to prefer children who are less likely to be chosen. Little Henrique was assigned to me; my preference would have been for an older child, but when I saw his picture, my heart melted and I said yes.

But I hope to begin getting to know Emmanuella. I should get a packet with her information in about two weeks.