Too Many Letters?

Nonsense!

I got a letter from Nikko today that basically told me he's lost for words because I write him so many letters. Haha. Oh well. I'm going to keep writing him all the time.

In this letter, he also mentions the child I "paired" him up with as a prayer partner and friend from across the world. I paired up all of my kids and so far, my teen boys seem to be loving this concept. Almost all of them have mentioned wanting to know more about the other boy.

Nikko is 17 years old and lives in the Philippines. His letter is dated August 25th, 2015.

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Dear Ms. Kayla, 

Hi my beautiful friend! How are you? Me and my family are fine. I am enjoying reading your letters and I don't know where to start my reply since I receive so many letters from you. You asked me about my tutoring class. It's not really tutoring, but we have class every Saturday. I have learned a lot of things, like how to write a journal about prayers. By the way, I am studying and I stopped helping sell clothes with my uncle, so I can focus on my studies. 

I am glad to know about Jhon. How many years have you sponsored him? What Jhon writes to you, what language does he use? Thank you in advanced birthday greetings. 

In the last part of this letter, please continue praying for my family and also I will pray for your family, that God will give you more blessings and good health. God bless and thank you. 

Psalms 20:4 "May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed." 

Nikko

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CO Boys' Dreams for the Future

I just got letters from my Colombian boys a couple of days ago, so I was definitely surprised to hear from them again. Though, the letters I received then were written in July, so it appears that they were delayed. These two letters were both written in September, so that makes more sense, timeline wise.

Each boy wrote about some of their dreams for the future and then told me some new information about themselves. I love the templates/letter details I receive from Colombia. They are always so informative.

Jonatan Caleb's letter is up first. The one part of the letter that confuses me is that he wants to 'learn to speak Spanish" in the future. Umm...he already speaks Spanish. He must not have understood the question. :)

Side note, I have no idea what to call this little guy. Sometimes he signs his letters with Jonatan, other times with Caleb. I've found myself just using both names when referring to him.

Jonatan Caleb is 7 years old. His letter is dated September 30th, 2015.

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Dear Kayla, 

In the future, I would like to learn more about: English, to have good pronunciation. 

In the future, I would like to visit: Spain and Brazil.

In the future, I would like to help: My parents.

In the future, I would like to learn to speak: Spanish

Question-Answer-Thank You Note

Beautiful sponsor, would you like to visit other countries? My parents are in very good health. My brother Samuel has been sick with a cold and my sister Viviana is in Bogota finishing her studies. Something exciting that has happened is that we have had very nice worships for children. I want you to know that in Colombia, the Independence Day is on August 7th. We celebrate with a flag ceremony and the national anthem. 

Request or Something New To Tell My Sponsor and/or Bible Verse

I love you and I ask you for a special prayer for my brother Samuel, to heal his cold. I encourage you to keep writing to me often because I want to know more about you. I say goodbye with love and hugs. I give you the bible verse from Psalm 61:8. Until the next opportunity, 

Caleb

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Now Daniel's letter. I find Daniel such an eloquent writer for being so young. I can't wait to see how he grows and develops as he ages. 

Daniel is 10 years old. He wrote his letter on September 17th, 2015. 

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Dear Kayla, 

May God bless you, dear sponsor. I hope you are doing very well next to your family. I tell you that in the future I would like to learn more about God's word and also learn English. In the future, I would like to visit the Eiffel Tower, Japan, China, and London. When I grow up, I want to have a foundation to help poor people. I would like to speak English, Portuguese, and Indigenous. Sponsor Kayla, I ask you a question; what would you like to do in the future? I thank you for remembering me. I know that I am always in your thoughts and heart. It is my wish to tell you that I am going to the gym. I tell you that I am in 4th grade and I am happy attending school. I have been chosen for the flag ceremony 5 times and I take 2nd place. My parents are very happy. I say goodbye from our Lord. I send you a hug and I give you the bible verse from Joshua 1:0. May God bless you greatly and don't forget to keep praying for each other. Thanks for everything. 

Juan Daniel

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Step Into My World: City of Addis Ababa

Hello there! Lets head back to Ethiopia together!  Today, we'll learn more about Ethiopia's capital city, Addis Ababa.

I have one child living in this city. That is Enatenesh:

You can find the city labeled with a star on the map, located right in the middle of the country.  

Addis Ababa is a big city, like any other city we can imagine. It has big buildings, bustling crowds, cars, buses, restaurants, shopping malls, etc. However, for the families that live in poverty in the city, life is very different.  The slums outside of the city are very dirty, crowded and homes are built with scrap materials. For most families here, even though they live so close to the big city, most will never visit the city, simply because they can't afford to. On a positive note, because it is so close to the city, almost all the families, even in the deepest of poverty, have access to electricity and clean drinking water. That is great! 

Most adults in this area are unemployed. In the city, there are just not many jobs available for uneducated people. Some people, mostly men, are able to find jobs as daily laborers or farmers that travel outside of the city to work on plantations. For those that are able to afford the start up costs, some families will own a roadside stand where they can sell things like fruits, vegetables, clothing, etc. 

Due to the fact that the best jobs are only available to the educated few, Compassion ensures that every child that attends their project receives a proper education in a school. When needed, Compassion provides school fees, uniforms, and school supplies to the children. After school, Compassion tutors help children complete homework and teach additional lessons, when it's necessary. Compassion is really working to change the future of these children through education. 

After homework time, it's play time! Children are taught large group games, that encourage teamwork, socialization, and cooperation. Children are also given time to play freely, allowing them to develop close relationships with other children their age. 

Each day at the project ends with a time of prayer. Children are taught that we have a loving God who loves them and cares for their future. Children are encouraged to pray for the needs of themselves, their families, and their communities. Compassion Addis Ababa asks us to join in prayer for the following: 

- Pray for the protection of sponsored children and youths from bad influences in the city, such as alcohol and drugs. 

- Pray that the church-based Compassion centers will make a difference in the way children and youths perceive themselves. 

- Pray that children and youths will have hope for the future and be inspired to strive for the best. 

Medical Check-Up Updates from Colombia

I have three kids in Colombia, two of whom attend the same project. Naturally, I would get letters from the same project on the same day, but it seems that I always hear from all three children on the same day. I bet it's a pretty tight schedule for all of the Compassion Colombia children. If you have kids in Colombia, did you hear from them this week? 

All three of my children wrote me about their most recent medical check-up. It's so great to get this information! 

First up, from my youngest Jonatan. He writes on a template, still, with the help of his tutor. 

Jonatan is 8 years old. His letter is dated July 29th, 2015. 

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My last visit to the doctor was: August 7th, 2014. 

In my last medical check-up in the CDC, the doctor recommended me: Having less candy, drinking enough water to hydrate myself, and brushing my teeth. 

The physical activity I do in the CDC is: Wash my hands properly, do physical exercise, and have a good diet. 

In the CDC I've learned that in order to take care of my body, I must: Keep good personal hygiene routines and have a good diet with food that contributes to my nutrition. 

Question/Answer/Thank You Note

Caleb greets you and writes to you. I am well today. I'm blessed, thanks to the Lord. I don't celebrate Easter Sunday. How is your health? What kind of healthy fruit and vegetables do you eat? Thank you very much for your letters, teachings, stickers, prayers, and all of your fondness commissioned by God to me. Thank you because I know it comes from your heart. 

Request or Something New to Tell My Sponsor/Bible Verse

I want you to learn that my teachers congratulated me because my homework was done very well. My family and I went to the park and I had a very fun and lovely time. I say goodbye with fondness and I share with you this bible verse: Proverbs 18:15

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Next, the same topic from Daniel, who attends the same project as Jonatan. 

Daniel is 10 years old. His letter was written July 25th, 2015. 

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Dear Sponsor, 

Juan Daniel writes to you and I want you to learn about my health condition. My last medical check-up was March 27th, 2015. The doctor recommended me deworming medication, taking a shower and brushing my teeth on a regular basis, and keeping my clothes clean. Running, playing soccer, having potato sack races, jumping rope, playing hide and seek, and other games are the physical activities I do in the CDC. I have also been taught to take care of my body and reduce what could damage my health. For this reason I like to eat bananas, pineapples, apples, pears, grapes, gooseberries, watermelon, guava, and guanabana. 

To answer your questions from your previous letter, we don't celebrate Easter Sunday in my family. But, I also want you to know that the girls in your photo are so lovely. I also want to learn how is your health? I want to thank you for your letters. I want to share a bible verse with you. It is Isaiah 41:10. I give you a big hug and say goodbye! 

Daniel

Side note, If you're like me, you have no idea what a guanabana is. It looks like this: 

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One more time, the same letter topic from Lina. 

Lina is 16 years old. Her letter was written on August 10th, 2015. 

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Dear Sponsor, 

I am happy to write to you. I thank you for your letter. I answer your questions: My family and I are fine. My last visit to the doctor was 6 months ago and the doctor recommended me exercise and the doctor in the CDC said the same to me. I practice track and field at the CDC. Also in the CDC, I have learned that in order to take care of my body, I must eat healthy and exercise. When was your last visit to the doctor? I ask you to pray for my family because I don't share a lot of time with them. Please read 1 Peter 4:8. I am doing well at school. God bless you. Bye. Kiss and hug! 

Sincerely, 

Lina

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November Rolls In...

Happy November everyone! Did you know it's only 8 weeks until Christmas? Yes, seriously. I guess it's time for me to start thinking about buying Christmas gifts.

Anyway, enough about my shopping list, I received two letters today to start the month off on a great foot.

My first letter is from Emanise. This letter was written in September, but is mostly about Easter. Sometimes, when you're a sponsor, holidays can get awfully confusing.

Emanise is 16 years old and lives in Haiti. This letter is dated September 9th, 2015.

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Dear Kayla, 

Hello dear, Kayla! How are you and your family and friends doing? As for me, things are going well. Yes, I did celebrate Easter. Let me give you some details about it. As you know, Good Friday is the day that reminds us of the death of Jesus on the cross and Sunday is the resurrection day, to save the whole world and give us eternal life. On that day, the pastor preached on the death and resurrection of Jesus. There was a good celebration on that day and everyone wore white clothes. Thanks for the picture and the letter. How was your vacation going? (I'm not sure what she's talking about, I haven't gone on any vacations.) That is all I wanted to share with you. I love you so much and I will never forget you. I will always pray for you. Thank you. 

Emanise

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Now I will share a super long letter from Abbas. I had sent a letter about the United States and some facts about our country and asked children to share about their country. I've received many great responses, as you've read, and this letter is just as great. I think everyone loves sharing about where they live. 

Abbas is 18 years old and lives in Uganda. He wrote this letter on September 28th, 2015. 

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Dear Kayla, 

I greet you in the name of the almighty God. I hope everything is okay on your side. How is your country and you family? Back to me, I am okay. My family members are well and my country is doing well. I will continue to pray to Him so that we continue doing well. 

I have written this letter with a lot of happiness, humbly thanking you for the support you give me, including school fees, gifts, and letters. Thank you for sparing time to always write to me. You think about me and pray for me and your support. Continue with that spirit to others. But, the main issue was to reply to the letters you sent to me, which were good because of their facts. 

I am very happy because you shared with me interesting facts about your country. I am going to share with you my country facts, as you did. We also have an Independence Day and it is on October 9th. Popular sports we have are football and basketball. Your country is made up of people from all over the world, but our country is made up of people from different tribes. Our biggest city is Kampala, but we also have other growing cities like Jinja, Solot, Arua, and Mbale. On the side of agriculture, we grow many crops like maize, cassava, beans, and groundnuts. Some animals we have here are goats, sheep, and cows. Our national animal is the Kob. 

I also thank you for the spirit of love you have not only for me, but other children too. I will pray for each child you write to. I am very happy to have a friend from another country. (Here's talking about my child from Tanzania, Emanuel, who I paired him with as a prayer partner.) I am ready to meet him, so I would request you send him my details. I am Ugandan by birth and nationality. I was born on December 22nd, 1997, meaning that I am 18 years old, like him. I am in Senior 5 and my favorite subject is fine arts. I also like to play soccer and listen to music, like him. Tell him that I love him so much and we shall be communicating as you said. 

May God bless you and your family, 

Abbas

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Step Into My World: Northern Tanzania

Today, we head to Northern Tanzania! Buckle up!

Before I received my correspondent child from Tanzania, I had absolutely no knowledge of the country. As I did some research and read letters from my boy there, I learned just how beautiful and amazing the country is. My boy is from Northern Tanzania which has many families that are part of the Masai tribe, which is a very traditional tribe that's existed for a very long time. My boy Emanuel draws many pictures of men and woman from this tribe.

Since I've been talking about so much, meet Emanuel:

Emanuel lives outside of the city of Arusha, very close to the border of Kenya. Like I mentioned earlier, this area is home to the Masai people. Some lives on the Tanzania side of the border and others live in Kenya. 

In the past, the people of Northern Tanzania lived mostly in wide open, rural areas. However, over time, the land grew more and more harsh and surviving in these areas became very difficult. Natural water sources have been drying up and the soil is becoming infertile. Also, as education is being seen as important, families need to live closer to the cities to be near enough for their children to attend school. Sadly, though, with so many families flocking to the cities, living conditions for the poorest families are slum conditions. The contrast in this area is striking. Next to a big, modern, bustling city: 

Large slums can be seen:

However, the Masai tribes are still strong in Northern Tanzania. These families live a very traditional, simple life. The style of home is often made of clay and grass. In this photo, you can also see the traditional tribal clothing represented. 

In the city slums, there are no modern conveniences. No electricity. No modern kitchen. No modern bathroom. Most of all, no running water. Gathering water becomes a very taxing, very time-consuming task, which typically falls onto the women and children. Families can travel for miles, multiple times a day just to have enough water for drinking and chores. 

Since water collected from local water sources is often polluted or riddled with bacteria, Compassion provides each family they serve with a water purifier, so children will remain healthy to attend school and to grow. 

Food security is often a worry for families here. Some days, there is only enough food for one meal a day. Thankfully, children enrolled in the local Compassion project receive healthy meals at the project and also get to bring basic food supplies home to their family. 

Compassion also makes sure that every child in their project is enrolled and attends school. Public education in Tanzania is free, but uniforms and school supplies are often too expensive for families to buy. In these cases, Compassion also provides these items. 

Older children are also encouraged to learn a skill to help provide them with talents for their future. Some of these skills include working with computers, making jewelry, making bags, making baskets, and sewing.

Of course, there is always time for play! 

Compassion Northern Tanzania has the following prayer requests: 

- Pray that caregivers in the urban slums can find good, steady jobs so that they can adequately provide for their children. 

- Pray for children's safety in the hazardous environment of the city slums, especially those who are left unattended by their caregivers during the day. 

- Pray that children will stay in school and excel in their educational pursuits. 

Will you consider sponsoring a child in Tanzania? 

Compassion Tanzania

Four Letters to End October

I know Saturday is typically Step Into My World day, but I wanted to share my last letters of October on the last day of October. We will travel to a new country together tomorrow. Be sure to check back for more information about Tanzania!

I was happy to find four cream envelopes in my mailbox. You should should me when I get happy mail. I live in a basement apartment and the mailbox are upstairs (as in most apartment buildings). When I open my little box and see Compassion cream or World Vision orange, I do a little happy dance next to the mailboxes. Then I practically fly down the stairs to get back to my apartment to tear open the letters. I've been a sponsor for 7 years and getting mail never gets old. It's always such a joy!

Like as (because I like things in order) I'll share the letters from youngest child to the oldest.

First up, a letter from little Carolin. I just heard from her last month, so it was great to hear from here again so soon. A few of the questions were on the My Friends template and then her tutor helped her write a message.

Carolin is 3 years old and lives in the Dominican Republic. Her letter is dated August 27th, 2015.

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Activities I do with my friends: Eating ice cream

My best friend is: A girl

My best friend is special because: She loves to share

I met my best friend at: The project center

Hello dear Kayla, 

May God's grace and peace be with you and your family. It's the wish of the child to ask: How are you and your family? She and her family are fine, thank God. She thanks you for the letter you sent her. She and her parents live together. She likes to eat a lot and is attending preschool. She prays for you and says goodbye with love. 

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Next up, a letter from Khushi. This is the 2nd letter from her this month! She certainly loves to write! 

Khushi is 11 years old and lives in India. Her letter was written September 9th, 2015. 

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My dear friend Kayla, 

Greetings from India! I hope you are very well. I am doing good and my study in class 8 is going well. I have received so many letters from you! It's so wonderful to hear many things from you. You are my very good and loving friend. Thank you very much. We had many festivals and programs during the last two months. We had our 69th Independence Day, then Rakshabandhan, which is a festival of brothers and sisters. Then Teacher's Day which was just celebrated a few days ago. My family is so good and thankful that I can learn many things and grow as a nice woman, through the child care project. I like the winter season which is about to start. My elder sister Rinka has finished 12th grade and going to start college. My father is working there in the city. My mother is now well. Very soon, my yearly exams are starting. I hope I will get good marks. I like painting and drawing. I help my family with kitchen help and cleaning. I will also pray for you. I love you, my friend. 

Your Friend,

Khushi

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Now, I will share a letter from Sandesh. Sadly, the English translation for this letter is pretty poor. The sentences are incomplete and the grammar is rough, but I can still understand the gist of the letter, so I guess all is well. Instead of typing out exactly what the letter says, I'm going to edit it a bit into complete sentences with correct grammar for this blog post. 

Sandesh is 11 years old and lives in India. This letter is dated July 21st, 2015. 

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Dear Kayla, 

He read your story about when you accepted Christ. Jesus helped you. He liked to hear about the broomball game you played. He also, like you, likes singing worship song, praying, and learning about God. He was surprised to hear about sequoia trees because they are the largest trees in the world. We have to trust Jesus to be our foundation, to protect us. If you read John 15:5 you will be blessed more and more. Sandesh goes to church every Sunday. He prays at church and he knows that God will leave with him. He likes your photo. He loves you so much. 

He liked your story about the purple sheep and the king. In our project, there is a child name Aman. He didn't like to play with other children after school. After awhile, we all learned why he is not playing after school. After school he is making clay pots at home and they are very beautiful. He is a very talented child, like in your story. He loves you very much. 

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Lastly, a letter from Jhonrex. This guy has had some rough times in the last couple of years. He fell into a bad crowd and ended up dropping out of school because his friends peer pressured him into it. I wrote a few letters encouraging him in the importance of education. It seems that his Compassion project had been doing the same thing because he re-enrolled into school before my letters would have reached him. In this letter, he's also talking about my friend Ali, who is expecting a baby (only a couple weeks to go!). 

Jhonrex is 14 years old and lives in the Philippines. This letter was written on July 19th, 2015. 

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Dear Miss Kayla, 

Hello. I hope you're okay there. Thank you for all your letters you sent to me and also for the stickers. Thanks for all you wrote to me about Ate Ali. I'm glad to know that she is soon to become a mother. I'll pray that she'll have a healthy baby. 

I am now in school and I'm in 6th grade. I'm doing my best now. We transferred residences so I can avoid peer pressure. Thank you for your advice and yes, I will listen and obey. I will do my best in school. Please pray that God will give me wisdom in my schooling. 

Do you see Ate Ali often? Please extend my regards to her. 

Sponsor Child, 

Jhonrex

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A Fun, Long Letter (With Drawings) from Florenc!

With every letter I receive from Florenc, I can really just feel him growing into a mature young man. His confidence seems to be improving with each passing month. His ability to express himself with words is growing by leaps and bounds and the letter I share with you today is wonderful. A full two pages. He wrote beautifully about his country's history and basic information. Plus, he drew two wonderful drawings! I'm just so in love with this boy.

Florenc is 16 years old and lives in Albania. This letter was written sometime after July, since he mentions my birthday greetings.

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Hello Kayla, 

How are you doing? I'm very well and I"m so happy at the same time because school has started. The first day of school was very exciting. I met my friends. I had missed them. I hadn't seen most of them during the whole summer. From the very first day, the school was buzzing by the noises of students. Especially our class is very noisy and we often get reprimands by our teacher staff. 

I'm very passionate about football and my favorite football team is Real Madrid. My favorite player is Ronaldo. A few days ago, this team played a match against Albania's national team. The match took place in Elbasan Arena and it was going well until the very last minute, when the other team scored a goal. It was a beautiful game, but it would have been more beautiful if our national team would have scored that goal. I think I talk to much about sports. What is your favorite football team? Are you a fan of any team, anyway? 

The flag is the symbol of my country. The proud eagle with two heads. I'm telling you something; the red field of the flag shows the blood our of national heroes spilled during the war for thousands of years. Albania has been conquered by many countries. The worst enemy for us has been Turkey. This country has enslaved us for about five centuries and yet, we have never surrendered to them. We have fought for our liberation. Albanians are known for their bravery and loyalty. Loyalty is our greatest virtue and there exists an old saying for that: "The loyalty of an Albanian is stronger than a golden pole." The two headed eagle on the flag, is a symbol of our bravery, the courage of Albanians and our fierceness when talking about protecting our country (not a general feature of ours). (Hilariously honest!)

Our country has a lot of natural beauties. I'm naming you some of our most beautiful cities: Vlora, Tirana, Shkodra, Gjirokastra, Berati, Saranda, Durres, Tropoja, Hani, and Hotit (the is the most eastern city in Albania). The Alps where the snow is always so charming and Apollonia (which is the oldest city) dates from 588 B.C. It's really fascinating. 

I wanted to share with you these things about Albania. It would be lovely if you could come visit it someday! 

I need to go now. Thank you for your birthday wish! 

All the best! 

Florenc

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Fongwin is Back!

Do you all remember, back in August, when I lost my dear Fongwin due to his financial sponsor cancelling his sponsorship?

At the time, I was just starting a new job and was worried about having enough money to pick up his sponsorship, so I, reluctantly, let Fongwin go.

However, now that I've been working at my new job for two months and am feeling very secure in my future there, I felt confident in adding Fongwin to my financial sponsorships, if he was still available. I sent Compassion an email and hoped for the best.

Monday, I checked my email and my prayers have been answered! Fongwin has been added to my account again!

So, welcome back Fongwin! I am so happy that we can be in each other's lives again.

Christmas Letters 2015

Each year, I have a wonderful time getting Christmas letters put together. I try to think of something new and creative for each year. I know that all of my sponsored children are taught about the story and true meaning of Christmas at their projects, so  try to refrain from just repeating the story to them, though, there is nothing wrong with that. Repetition does equal memory.

In the past years, I've: written a letter about the 3 wise men and their gifts, sent goodies related to the nativity scene, and created a paper Christmas tree, which I covered with stickers of various Christmas symbols.

This year, due to my hectic work schedule, I stuck to a more simple path. But, I think the love is still shown.

For my 12 youngest children, I ordered sticker nativity scenes from Oriental Trading Company. They are super cute! With this, I sent a simple, short letter talking about how on Christmas, we celebrate the birth of baby Jesus, who would grow up to save us all. Lastly, each child received a coloring page of an adult Jesus surrounded my happy children.

For my remaining kids, I sent each of them a Chirstmas card, all related to the birth of Jesus, in some way. I was searching on Amazon, I ordered a variety pack of cards. Each box came with 3 cards each of 8 different designs. Inside each card, there was a pretty pre-written message and a bible verse. I added my own little message and sent them along. 

What did you send/are you sending to your kids for Christmas this year?