A Round of Letters

After a slow April, with only a trickle of letters, May is shaping up much better. I have three letters to share with you today, including two very first letters.

All mail from my kids is special, but there is just something extra special about those first letters. The first glimpse into that child's life. The first time you hear their "voice" (mostly older children for this one. Younger kids don't typically have a writing voice, yet). The first time you try to look into their personality based on their handwriting. That's not just me, right? Okay, maybe it's weird.

Anyway, here's my first letter, from our newest Honduran cutie, Nahomy. It was the typical first letter template.

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I am a: Girl

My Age: 8

I live in: The country/village

I live with: My parents and 2 siblings

My favorite color: Pink

What I love to do: Play with Dolls

My favorite food: Chicken

My height: 133 cm (about 4' 4")

My weight: 54 pounds

My eye color: Light Brown

What I like the most about me: My hair

Questions to my sponsor: What is your name? Do you work? What is the color of your hair? What is the color of your eyes? 

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I also received a first letter from my newest Ugandan "child", Abbas, who is actually a young man. His handwriting looks like a font on Microsoft Word. It's just immaculate and so tiny. Side note, just wait until you see how many children are in his family! For his mom's sake, I hope that some of those are cousins that have lived with him. 

Abbas is 18 years old and lives in Uganda. He wrote this letter on March 14th, 2015. 

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Dear Kayla,

I greet you in the name of the almighty God. How are things going? I hope everything is okay and your family is well. How is your country? Back to me, I am fine and I am getting on well. My family is also okay and my country is well. 

I have written this letter to thank you for the support you sacrifice to me including school fees, gifts, letters, most especially the last one, which was good and nice looking in color. (A+ to the Compassion email templates!). When I went through it I was very glad to know you and your family and soon you are going to know me and about my family. I am Abbas and I am 18 years old. I am from Uganda, in the Luwero district. I am in form five in secondary school. Life is enjoyed in the advanced level because we do everything with respect. I have one more year to go before university. I thank God for this good work you are doing in my life and the country at large. 

About my family, my father and my mother are still alive. My father is 66 years old and my mother is 49 years old. We are 20 children in number, 12 boys and 8 girls. But now we are just 5 children at home, 2 boys and 3 girls. The other children reached the time of leaving their parents home and left us. 

About my favorite things in life. My favorite color is red. My favorite food is rice mixed with potatoes. My favorite game is football. I also like dancing, mostly break dance (he break dances!). I also like to make people more happy. 

Allow me to stop here and wish you well in everything you do in your life. I love you to the moon and back. (Love!) You will always be in my prayers and on my heart. May God bless you and your family. 

Your Loving One,

Abbas

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To round out the wonderful letters, I also received a letter from Celeste. There was a definite slowdown in letters between Celeste and I and they seem to be catching up now. This letter was written before Christmas. 

Celeste just turned 13 years old, but was still 12 when she wrote this letter. Celeste is from Honduras. This letter is dated December 20th, 2014. 

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Hello Dear Sponsor Kayla, 

It is a great joy for me to have you as a dear and beloved sponsor. I am so glad to be writing you another letter. I wish you and your beloved family are enjoying good health. I am doing very well. I want to tell you that I already passed my school year. The school year will start in February. I am going to 6th grade. We are now on vacations. I will have the same classes. Thank you for the pictures. My favorite subjects are computers and science. The Christmas season will be shared with family and friends. Here, it is cold and rainy. We will go visit our family and some of my dad's friends and Mario. I send you kisses and hugs with great love and kindness for you and your family. I now wish you a merry Christmas. 

Celeste

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