Sweet Greetings from Tanzania and Mexico

Mail Call Monday again! I'm so thankful that I have some letters to post about! : )

This week we got two letters! One was a short letter from Elisha in Tanzania. 

11 January 2014

Dear Jessi

1. We have a dry and/or rainy season: winter

2. We have a hot and/or cold season: cold

3. Right now the weather is: somehow cold

4. When the weather is sunny I like to: planting flowers

5. When the weather is rainy I like to: cultivation

6. My favorite kind of weather is: summer

7. On my birthday the weather is usually: summer

8. At Christmas the weather is usually: winter

Praise the Lord! I greet you in the name of Jesus Christ. Me and my family are doing fine. I am doing well with my studies. Let us keep praying for each other. 

May God bless you. 

Between the phrasing of the questions and the fact that Elisha is really young, the letter is a little confusing! That's ok, though. It was nice to get another letter from him before the trip! I am really looking forward to meeting this little guy! He and Bonifas both have drawn soccer balls in their pictures...now I'm feeling a little bad that I was only planning on bringing one for Said! But hopefully someday I will be able to send one to the other boys. And they can always play soccer with each other while we have our visit!

The other letter was super exciting! I can't stress that enough! I was a little bummed on Saturday when I got home from work, because I'd had a long day and there was no mail in the mailbox. When I got inside, though, I saw a Compassion envelope waiting for me on the table! Inside was a letter from Brenda in Mexico! The envelope was thick because technically, the letter consisted of three pages: the letter, written by her mom; a second printed sheet with the translation; and a picture of Brendita with the gifts I was able to send to her! I was SO excited- and still am!

25 January 2014

Good afternoon Jessi! 

We are so glad for everything we have received from you, especially Brendita, she send you greetings, a hug and a big kiss. 

Brendita has changed a lot in the project, she is very obedient. 

Always before eating she tells Mom and Dad have to thank God for the food, these things full of joy to the family and joined more. 

Thank you for everything and because you thinking (of) my daughter. 

Please pray for: 

That my dad that he can go to the church

I would like to ask you: 

Will you visit Mexico one day? 

I want to thank you for: 

Thanks for my doll toy, my coloring books, my Bible with butterflies, my bag, my Barbie and my memory game

I think my friend Mrs K might have snuck a few extra presents in there! : ) Seeing Brendita holding the dolly I sent to her (which I hugged and kissed on the forehead before packing) just makes me feel so happy. Ridiculously so. I'm very thankful I had the opportunity to send those gifts to Brendita, and I'm glad I was able to send her own Bible with her name on it! That's something she can use and hold on to even after she outgrows her dollies! 

And in other letter-writing news, something really good happened last week! On Thursday, Compassion called and told me that Carlos' financial sponsor had dropped him. They asked if I wanted to pick up the sponsorship, but I wasn't sure we could. I was frustrated because Carlos actually graduates in November- picking up his sponsorship would only mean an 8 month commitment. Plus, his chances of getting picked up by another sponsor are kind of slim, since he's older. He might not have found another sponsor before graduation, and I really wanted him to have that extra encouragement. I ended up reaching out to the advocate community, to see if anyone could help out. Within half an hour, Carlos had a new financial sponsor lined up, and best of all, I get to continue writing letters to him! God is so good! I have had a lot to be thankful for this week!