Letter Stats: 2018

It's time to wrap up the year with my typical end of the year post. It's just about midnight on New Year's Eve as I write this, so there is no better time to post this!

2018 was a year of many lost correspondent children, for various reasons and while I did receive letters from many of them, they will not be included in this post. I'm choosing to only count the letters of the children that I will go into 2019 with.

In 2018, from my current children, I received 262 letters!

My best month for letters was March with 30 letters. My slowest month was this month, December, with only 10 letters received.

My champion writers this year were Agness and Zenebu (who coincidentally are very first and very last in my list of kids alphabetically). They wrote me 7 letters each!

I received 6 letters each from: Kelvin, Airin, Tamire, Faith, Jule, and Rebecca.

Each of the following children wrote me 5 letters (it's a lot!): Brian, Ernest, Jhoyra, Ayling, Tern, Dagim, Jhonrex, Marilyn, Rodrigo, Jonathan, Kwizera, Marinelis, Baraka, Lenin, Jhojaira, Yohannis, Muuo, Carolin, Milkias, Bryan, Nicol, and Brisa. 

These next kiddos all wrote me 4 letters each; Mulwa, Nico, Daniel, Maria Eduarda, Joel, Shakilla, Tumbu, Ronaldo, and Lina. 

I heard from these next kiddos 3 times each: Jonatan, Mariela, Daniel, Enmanuel, Hillary, Carlos, Joseph, Jaw-buh-keh, Prity, Lemayian, Emanise, Jhon, Celeste, Muzuro, Keyla, and Nicol.

I received 2 letters each from Vitor, Juan Camilo, Raibel, and Naji. 

Most of these next kiddos are new, so I haven't heard from them much yet. I received just 1 letter each from Hansen, Habtamu, Mirajul, Romli, Dennis, Sevenson, Alice, and Anny. 

Lastly, I have not received letters yet from Shallom, Angeline, Semira, Elvis, or Kevin. I hope I hear from them soon!

2018 was a great letter year! Onto 2019! 

Manna Christmas 2018

As you've probably noticed, I haven't posted anything in weeks. First, I didn't have any new letters to share as I had a short drought. Then, when letters started rolling in again, things got really busy in preschool with ornaments making, student present wrapping, pajama wearing, movie watching, and Christmas program singing. I just didn't have time to type up anything. And today, I am still not going to type up any letters, haha. I'll start up my typical Tuesday/Friday letter sharing schedule in 2019.

Today, I want to share some wonderful  joy with you in the form of new photos of my Manna boys. These Christmas themed photos are such a joy! Everyone is accounted for except for my oldest guy, Ivan, who attends the bilingual school and his school had not released for Christmas break yet. Poor guy had to attend school and miss the Christmas party and mail delivery day. I think that should have been considered an excused absence. ;)

Jarlen, Age 12

Carlos, Age 13

Noel, Age 6

Angel, Age 8

Levi, Age 8

Yesbin, Age 11

Defer, Age 9 

Brayan, Age 9 

Antony, Age 3 

Five Letter Friday: Volume 24

Another work week ends so we read another set of letters from some pretty great kids.

:)

We'll start off today's post with a letter from Muzuro. He really seems to like the story of the The Elves and the Shoemaker!

Muzuro is 15 years old, lives in Uganda, and wrote this letter on November 14th, 2018.

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Dear Kayla, 

Once again, how are you and your family members? For me, I am fine and my family members are also fine. May you greet for me your mother. I hope that she is fine. I want to thank you for your letter and the interesting story that I read, where the shoemaker makes shoes in order to make a living. We should share together so that God may enlarge our territories. I learned that I should share with friends so that we may be blessed. I know the shoemaker is a God-fearing man because he distributed the shoes to his village. The stories you send me are changing my life. I will tell people to repent from their sins. I want you to pray for my brother. Next week, we will start our exams. I hope to pass to S-2. Then we will celebrate Christmas with love. I wish you a happy, happy, happy Christmas. 

Muzuro

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After that I heard from Zenebu. She wrote to me on the template letter entitled My Favorites. 

Zenebu is 7 years old and lives in Ethiopia. Her letter is dated November 13th, 2018. 

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1. My favorite food is: Rice & Macaroni 

2. My favorite sport is: Soccer 

3. My favorite color is: Red 

4. My best friend is: Abat 

5. My favorite animal is: Bird 

6. My favorite hero is: My mother 

Please pray for me to be clever in my education. Your letter has reached me. Thank you so much. I am so glad for the story you told me. 

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Up next is a letter written on the All About Me template, from Airin. 

Airin is 8 years old, from Indonesia, and she wrote this letter on November 13th, 2018. 

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1. I am the 2nd child in my family. 

2. One thing I do really well is: Play Games 

3. My height: 123 cm 

4. My weight: 24 kg 

5. My hair is: Straight 

6. One thing I really like to do is: Go to student church 

Dearest Ms. Kayla, 

Shalom! I am so happy to be able to speak to you again through this letter. How are you doing over there, Ms. Kayla? I hope you and your family are always in God's protection. Now I am in 3rd grade of elementary school. I like singing. That's all for my letter. I hope God always blesses you and your family. 

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Another form letter is up next! This one is from Joseph and it is titled My Project Learning. 

Joseph is 7 years old, lives in Guatemala, and his letter is dated October 30th, 2018. 

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1. I go to my project: Mondays and Tuesdays 

2. I learn to take care of my body by: Washing my hands before eating, bathing everyday, and brushing my teeth. 

3. My tutors help my spiritual growth by: Teaching me Bible stories and teaching me worship songs. 

4. I learn to be polite by: Saying please and thank you, being kind to others, and playing with other children. 

5. My favorite thing to learn at the project is: Bible stories 

Dear Sponsor, 

Joseph greets you with affection. Regarding your questions: He did not see any of the World Cup games. He does not have a favorite soccer team. He will pray for Gage and Chloe so they will have success at school. He asks you to pray for his family so they will always have love and that they will always be together. He is enjoying vacation, but school will start again in January. How is your family? 

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Today's post ends with a letter from Brisa, written on the My Medical Check-Up template. 

Brisa is 7 years old, lives in Nicaragua, and his letter was witten on November 15th, 2018. 

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1. My last medical check-up was: November 2017 

2. For my medical check-up, I went to: The project 

3. At my medical check-up they: Took my height and weight 

4. At my medical check-up, my doctor recommended: Exercise 

5. At my medical check-up, the doctor said I am: Healthy 

Hi Dear Sponsor! 

How are you, friend Kayla? Blessings to you and your family. I wanted to thank you for your beautiful gift. I bought a pair of beautiful black shoes with flowers on them, a pair of blue jeans, and underwear. I am very happy because your remember me. I wish blessings on you. I wish that God gives you wisdom, as he gave to Solomon. My best wishes to you. I am very happy because soon we will be given a Christmas gift at the project. 

Brisa

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Three Letter Tuesday: Volume 24

Another Tuesday, another three wonderful letters to share.

:)

This first letter is from Mulwa. He is 11 years old, lives in Kenya, and he wrote this letter on November 8th, 2018.

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Mulwa salutes you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. He says he is moving on well together with his family. He hopes you and your family members are moving on well too. He says he is very happy because of the support you have been giving him. He says he has been receiving the letters that you've been sending to him. He receives the letters with a clean and joyful heart. He says he likes going to Sunday school to learn more about God. He says that at school he is putting forth a lot of effort to achieve his goals. He has done the end of term exams. Next year, he will be promoted to grade six. He says that he always prays for you to be blessed and he is requesting prayers from you for him to continue doing well. He likes the teachings you write to him about giving to others in their time of need. 

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Next up is a letter from Kwizera. I love the verse he dedicated to me in this letter. It's a simple verse, but it also happens to be the verse of the month at the preschool that I teach at. Just something special, I think. 

Kwizera is 13 years old and is from Rwanda. His letter is not dated. 

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Dear Kayla, 

I foremost greet you and your family in the name of Jesus Christ. I was pleased by your letter. I was amazed by the story you wrote to me that a person must help someone else with things that person doesn't have. Here, it rains. We have finished doing the exams and soon we will go into holidays. Pray for me to succeed. I am happy to relay you verse John 3:16. I and my family are pleased with your letters. Thanks for the photos. 

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We'll close today's post with a letter from Raibel. He wrote this letter on the My Hobbies and Pets template. 

Raibel is 7 years old, lives in the Dominican Republic, and this letter is dated November 7th, 2018. 

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1. Some of my hobbies are: Watching TV and reading stories 

2. I like to do my hobbies with: My friends and my parents 

3. One hobby I would like to begin someday is: Learning how to draw 

4. My favorite animal is: A cat 

5. My pet is called: I don't have a pet 

Dear Sponsor Kayla, 

May God bless you very much. I am writing on behalf of Raibel. He is well and wants you to know that he loves you very much. He would like you to come visit him. Please pray for him and his family, for God to help them. 

With Love,

Raibel

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