Letter from Fred

Letters from Fred and from Shallon are my favorites, because they actually seem like letters and not something someone has told them to write.  Here is my letter from Fred today.

Dear Auntie Sykes,

Christian Greetings!

I thank you so much.  I played during our semestral break.  I like hide and seek. 

My mother has a bigger stomach because the baby inside is growing.  I also grew in height and I have no sickness.  How about your health?  Don't you have any sickness even though it is cold there? 

I'm so excited about our Christmas party.  My mother and father will have a seminar.

Please pray that mother's delivery will be fine and I will be more kind too.

I am learning about the 12 disciples.  I like Noah's story.  Thank you for everything.

God bless you!

Love,
Fred

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

New Kiva Loan

The is Emilia, from Ghana.

Emelia sells fresh fish in Akotokyir near Abura. She has received no formal education. She is a widow and has three children. Emelia has been selling fresh fish for the past thirty years. She is responsible for supporting herself and paying her family’s general expenses. Her loan will be used to buy more fresh fish to sell in the market. She hopes to use the new profits from her business to save a little and to be able to invest some additional money back into her fish-selling business.

No letter from Miche

I was very disappointed that I apparent received a letter from my new child, Miche, in Haiti, but the envelope came without the letter.  They are going to try to find a copy but it will take 8 weeks before I have it, if it exists.  :(

Letter from Theresa

Dated November 23, 2012

This is another check-off page, because Theresa is so young.

My favorite food is rice and stew, Banku and Okra stew.

My favoritecolor is red

My favorite sport is ampe (this is a game popular in Ghana.  These are the rules: The leader, or "it", and another player jump up at the same time, clap, and thrust one foot forward when they jump up. If the leader and the other player have the same foot forward the leader wins a point. If they are different then the other player become "it" and plays against the remaining players. If the players are in a circle, the "it" moves along the inside of the circle, playing against others in turn. If they are in a line, the "it" moves on down the line. If only two players are playing, they keep score until a certain number of points determines a winner.)

 My favorite friend is Martha and Gijamah.

Things happening in the family:  a new birth (this was a surprise to me!  I must get more information!)

Thank you for your pictures.

Child's prayer request:S  Theresa says pray for her to get strength.

Theresa and Martha play ampe in front f her house every day after school. 

Letter from Josphat

Dated Octber 27, 2012

This the kind of "check-off" kind of letter that young children send to their sponsors.

My name is Josphat.

In my house I sleep on a mat.

I get food from a shop.

My house is made of wood.  It has an earthen floor and a tin roof.  I do not have electricity in my house.  I wash my clothes in a bucket.

The report from his representative states:

Josphat is greeting you and your family in Jesus name.  He is so much glad for the letters and pictures you send to him.  He says that the thing he likes best in school is academic, since he found himself reading most of the time.  He says he loves you so much and requests for prayers.

Letter from Wainaina

Dated November 12, 2012

Dear Beverly Sykes,

First of all is much greetings from me.  I hope that you and your family are all well.  My first thing is to thank you for the letters that I have received.  I also thank the most high God for giving me strength to serve him.  I hope that you and your family are well and you are enjoying living in God's word.

I and my family are still doing fine.  I hope that you are still praying for me as I do, asking God to protect you and your family from the evil.

In school, I am performing well.  I am studying as hard as I can.  Pray for me to perform well in my K.C.P.E. (Kenya certificate of Primary Education) in this year.  I thank God for putting us together as friends from different countries.  May God live in your life forever, Amen. 

Letter from Murugi

Dated November 2012

Greetings in Jesus Name!

I am well in the Lord.  Are you fine too?  I am very happy for the many letters I have received from you.  How is Ned faring?  I have been praying for a quick recovery.  (Not sure what that means!)

It's great to have a great family as that of yours where you have many generations meeting once in a while to make merry.

I was happy to hear that your mother celebrated her 93rd birthday.  This is great and we give thanks to God.

I received the letter with my photo as you had asked in your last letter to me.  I realized I look beautiful, as you mentioned, and I gave thanks to God.  You all look beautiful too.

I am excited to hear how you take care for the less fortunate people and givethem fod.  This is how God expects me to be kind to his people.  Keep up the good work.  I always thank God for you and ask him to meet all the desires of your heart.

I am preparing to celebrate Christmas by serving the old people.  I will visit them and assist them with work at their homes.  I will also go to Church and after my service I wish you well and thanks for being a wonderful friend.

Your loving friend,
Dorvin Murugi

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(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.

Thank you from Fred

What a great letter I received from Fred today, thanking me for his birthday gift, which he used to buy a basketball.  I've been hoping he could get a basketball since he loves the sport so much.  The nicest thing  was that the letter came with a great photo.

 Dear Auntie Sykes:

Christian greetings!

Hi!  Thank you for your letter and stickers.  My height now is 127.5 cm and I weigh 22.4 kg.  The baby in my mother's tummy is bigger now.  My father is still not here because he is on vacation.  I never ate cherry.  We have more durian here.  Do you like to eat durian?

In our school I like to learn more about places.

Belated happy birthday to your son.  Briana and Lacie are beautiful. 

Please pray that I will be far from accident in our school.  Also, for my mother's delivery. 

God bless you!

I received an amount of 1,071.50.  I bought chess board, more clothes and basketball.  I wore the clothes when I go to church.  Thank you.

Love,
Fred

Meet Miché

I received a packet about Miché today.  He is a new correspondence child, to replace Somai, who lost his sponsor. 

Miché is from Haiti.  He is 10 years old and lives with both parents.  His job duties include carrying water and caring for animals.  His father is sometimes employed as a farmer and his mother is sometimes employed as a seller at the market.  There are six children in the family.

Soccer, playing with marbles and playing group games are Miché's favorite activities.  In primary school his performance is above average (the first of my children ever to be above average in school) and he also attends church activities and Bible class.

I look forward to getting to know him better.

A Thank You from Anjali

I got a nice thank you letter from Anjali for the money I sent for her birthday.  This little girl has grown SO much from when I first began to sponsor her.  Then she was very somber and sober and I just love the smile on her face now.

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Greetings.  I bought cooker and iron box with the birthday gift which I received in the month of August 2012.  Cooker save the gas and time.  This is essential for my family.  Iron box is using to keep my dresses in iron and neat.

My family members are very happy about this gift.  They send their regards to you and your family members.  I thank you for your loving gifts.

Your lovingchild
M. Anjali

New Kiva Loan

Rose's story obviously appealed to me on many levels.  She's in Uganda, where Shallon lives, she is "chunky," she has six kids and is taking care of 2 orphans, and she sells gin.  How more perfect for me could she be?  She sounds like someone who has really made something of her life and is determined to make the world better for her children.  I think I would like her in person!

Rose lives in Kampala, Uganda. She is married and has six children. Four of her children are in school. She also has two additional family members she looks after (two orphans).

Her business is to buy and sell local gin. She has been in this business for three years. She sells her goods both at retail and on a wholesale basis. She works seven days a week. She has houses for rent, as another source of income. Rose applied for a loan of 1,800,000 UGX to enable her to buy jerrycans of local gin in large quantities. Her major business challenges are seasonality and transportation.

Her goals and aspirations are to raise more capital, and to start brewing the local gin by herself. She says she decided to work with MCDT, because services are brought near to the members and the interest rate is low. Rose owns the house where she stays. She has no access to electricity or to piped water. Her greatest monthly expense is school fees.

New Photo of Briana

I received a new picture of Briana, in Haiti today.

Someday I am going to get a picture where she is actually smiling.  That will be a happy day.

It hurts my heart to see those thin-thin-thin arms and legs.

I also discovered that Somai, from East India, who is a correspondent child, lost his financial sponsor.  Unfortunately, I can't afford to sponsor another child, so I had to tell them I could not take over the sponsorship, and thus I will lose him.  Makes me feel guilty, since now he goes back on the waiting list, but I can't do any more.

Letter from Anjali

I don't know the date this was written, but I received it today.

Dear Beverly Sykes,

Greetings to you in the name of Lord Jesus Christ.  I am fine.  I hope same from you.  I received a letter from you, also celebrated mother's day and father's day.  How you celebrated Tom's birthday?  How old to him?  What is he studying now. 

Your photographs are very nice and beautiful.  When I am reading your letter about Ned's cook it made my mouth water. 

We celebrated our Independence Day on 15th of August.  We celebrated Teacher's Day on 5th of September.  That day I honoured my teacher. 

I am studying well.  I am praying for you.  I thank you for your sponsorship.

Your loving child,
M. Anjali

Letter from Theresa

This is the kind of "fill in the blanks" that the little kids send to sponsors. Theresa is only 5.  This letter was written September 14, 2012.

On the back she adds:

Theresa prays that God should help her to be intelligent and lead her class in exams.

She loves singing songs about Jesus at project on Saturdays during project devotion time.

Theresa says she is fine.  Theresa says yes, she wants to know how to read so that she can be a news reader.  Theresa says she has never eaten a cherry.

Letter from Wainaina

Written September 20, 2012

Dear Beverly Sykes,

First of all is much greetings from me.  How are you and your family? I hope you are fine, and your family as well.  How is the weather in your country?  In our country it's sunny, but some parts it does rain.  I am studying very hard in school and my performance is better.

I also helped my parents in those holiday that is going to end on 31st August, 2012.  The holiday was fantastic as ever before.

My favorite game is soccer.  I am a fan of football since I was in class one.  I like playing football with my team where I do play in defense side.  Pray for our team to win a match between us and Isinga team on this Saturday on 1st September.

May God answer all the prayers I use to pay for you.  May God be with you.

Read Revelation 18:6

Be blessed.

Wainaina makes the most interesting drawings.  Here is his bee hive.

Letter from Murugi

This was written September 6, 2012

Dear Beverly Sykes,

How is everybody in the family?  We are doing well here at home.  I thank God for keeping us safe all through.

I was so happy to receive your letter and seeing the pictures of your wonderful grandchildren.  I have never eaten cherries before, but I hope that one day I will.

It is now sunny and people are now preparing land for the next season of plantation.  Though the previous season was not so good, we hope that the next season will be full of God's blessings and that we will harvest much from our gardens.  How is the weather in your country?  When do you plant?

I would like to thank you for all the support you have given me.  May God bless you abundantly.  I love you a lot.

Good bye!

Letter from Shallon

I received such a beautiful letter from Shallon today:

My mother Beverly Sykes,

Let me take this opportunity to thank God who has given me this golden chance to greet you.  How are you, my mother?  I have taken a long time without talking with you and I thank God for this chance.   Really, my mother, I am happy to see my photo copy.  Thank you very much for the gift you sent to me.

I have read your letters but I was not happy with your knees.  I want a story about what happened to get that damage?  But I thank God who has given you that cane which help your knees to feel better. Really that is a good thing.

How is your husband, Ned, Brianna, baby Lacie and your friends?  Tell your friends that I love them.

We are in wet season where we are planting millet and beans, which you have said that beans some people call it a super food.  You have asked me whether I have ever eaten a cherry.  Surely I have never eaten it.  Which color does a cherry have?

My mother, I got the position which is the same with last term's position.  I was fifth out of eighty one students in our class.  I don't know whether next term I am going to get a new position.  If it is a new position I am going to increase because our class has many students like two hundred and above students.

I am happy with the verse you sent to me because it has improved me to have love with my friends.  I thank God and you very much because you have helped me in many things.  When my mother died, I didn't know that I was going to get another mother like you.  Praise the Lord.

I think that I will write to you soon.  I wish you nice time.  May God bless you.

From your daughter, Katusiime Shallon.