Sweet Greetings from Burkina Faso, Colombia, and Thailand

Happy Mail Call Monday!!

We got a few more letters this week- what a blessing!

Our first letter of the week was from Reine in Burkina Faso!

Reine wrote a short letter about what's going on where she lives. She says she's doing well and her country has been getting a lot of rain, so the crops are doing really well! She also says that Burkina Faso celebrates their independence day on December 11. Reine responded to my letter about libraries by saying that there is a library in a nearby Cultural French Center, which I think might be in a college. And she also said that there are hippos in her country! She asked how much rain we get, and asked us to pray for her family.

Next we got a letter from Michel in Colombia!

Michel's letter arrived a week or two later than Julian's, which was a bit unusual. I'm glad we heard from her! She wrote a form letter about her last doctor's visit, but she said she doesn't remember when it was. Michel said that at the center, she likes jumping rope, running, playing potato sack races and freeze tag! She has also learned to brush her teeth thoroughly and take a shower every day. :) Michel said she was happy to write to us and asked "has your hamster ever felt ill?" Which is funny because I don't have any hamsters! She asked that we pray for her father, who had an accident recently and was injured. I will be asking her what happened in my next letter!

Lastly, we heard from Thanakan in Thailand!

Thanakan's letter was about her friends. Her best friend is a girl named Nanchatapa, and they are best friends because they go to school together! Her friend also goes to the same project! She said she likes to play "bungee string" with her because it's fun! One of the volunteers from Thanakan's project helped her write the letter, and said that she loves getting my letters and she thanks God for letting her join the project! Thanakan drew a gorgeous picture of multicolored trees- they look like they're from a Dr Seuss book. The project volunteer said Thanakan wanted to know if I liked her drawing! She asked that we pray for her studies and said she is praying for Brandon's grandmother.

Sweet Greetings from Thailand, Mexico, Ethiopia and Colombia

Happy Mail Call Monday!

We *almost* went another week without letters, but the mailman came around late on Saturday and dropped off four envelopes!

The first letter was from Yekersew in Ethiopia!

Little Yekersew filled out a form letter about his family. He has two sisters, and spends most of his time with them and his mom. He lives in a town, and his favorite family activity is playing together! He said that his favorite way of helping his family is by obeying them! He also shared that his family is Protestant, and he asked that we pray for his schooling. He drew a donkey for us!

Next was a letter from Julian in Colombia!

Julian shared that his last medical checkup was August 2014, and he learned that he should take vitamins, shower, eat healthy, and brush his teeth after every meal. He said that he likes running and playing soccer at the project, and he was very happy to get our letters and read more about us! Julian wrote that he does like pizza, and he enjoys drinking Coke! He said that he went on a vacation to Bogota with his dad, and they played soccer and practiced target shooting. He shared Psalm 46:7 and sent lots of hugs and kisses! :)

We also got a letter from Brenda in Mexico!

Brenda sent a letter about her favorites! Her favorite activity is watching TV, her favorite animal is a dog, she likes soccer and Superman! She asked that we pray for her siblings, asked about our pets, and said thank you for all the gifts! She told me that she went to the park near her house and her whole family played together and had a lot of fun. She also likes to eat quesadillas! Me too! She drew a happy picture of a park with butterflies!

Lastly, we heard from Pitchaya in Thailand!

I love getting letters from Thai kids- they write such great responses! Pitchaya listed the number of letters and all the gifts and extras he has received since the last time he wrote to us. He said he enjoyed the letter about Malala and he also liked all the pictures we've sent. He especially liked the letter and pictures of the farm, and said he thinks the farm must have a lot of interesting things to do. :) He was also happy that Stephen graduated high school! Pitchaya said he has started university and they had an orientation day to welcome new students, and it was a lot of fun (and he liked the food.) He asked us to pray for his health and his family,and he sent these pictures! The group photo is him with his friends from university!

Sweet Greetings from Thailand, Haiti, Burkina Faso, Peru and Honduras

I forgot to post last Monday, so there are two Mondays worth of mail this week! :)

Most recently, we got our first letter from Pitchaya in Thailand! 

Pitchaya called me sir, but that’s ok. He says that his family is fine and he was on school vacation. He shared that he was working a part time job to earn some money, which is awesome! He was working at an iron welding shop, and the work was “not too difficult and not too easy.” When university started a new term, he was going back for his second year studying logistics. He was not satisfied with his grades so he asked that we pray for his studies. Pitchaya also responded to my letter about tapirs, saying that he knows what they are and described them in good detail. He said that there aren’t many in Thailand, but they live in a sanctuary. He also said he donated some of his wages from his part time job to the Nongsua District church, which is small but beautiful. He said the children will have a chance to learn more about God there. I’m proud of him for his generous heart! 

Last week we heard from Abdias in Haiti! 

Abdias is such a lovely writer! Abdias says that he is happy to have the privilege to write again, and that he and his family are doing well. He also says that he had a good term at school "in the name of God the omnipotent." He is moving up to 9th grade. He said that he's spent his summer holidays riding biks, playing ball and "many other amusing things." He is also taking sewing classes at the project, and he has learned to sew trousers and shirts. He shared that his family and his church pray for us, and he sings in the choir. He asked that we pray for God to give him strength in all he does. 

We also heard from Carlos in Peru! 

Carlos says that he and his family are doing well and he's very happy to write to me, and to get my letters. He said "thank you for remembering me with your mind and heart" and said he really likes when we send pictures. Carlos said that his country won third place in the "Copa America" tournament, and that everyone celebrated. He asked that we pray for his studies and for his family, and he said goodbye with big hugs! 

We also heard from little Sandier in Honduras! 

Sandier's letter was written by Iris, his tutor, as usual. When I meet Sandier next year, it would be fun to meet Iris, too! :) Iris says that Sandier is doing really well, and of course he has eaten pizza, it is his favorite food and he eats it whenever he can. He said he's never met a brand new baby (he has a little sister but is too young to remember her as a baby) but he would like to take care of a baby! He also listed several holidays in his country, and said he really likes his birthday, mother's day, and independence day. He liked the card and letters we've sent and he asked that we pray for his best friend Ezekiel because he broke his arm. Poor little guy! Sandier also asked that we pray for peace for Honduras. He said goodbye with blessings and hugs, and he drew a pretty picture of mountains with TONS of birds flying over! 

Earlier last week, we heard from Kevenel in Haiti! 

Kevenel had a helper write this letter, but it was written on "big kid" stationery for the first time! His helper at the project said that he was "delighted" to greet us and he wants to know how we are doing. He loves to get our letters and his family is doing well. He said that he has not yet eaten pizza, and he asks that we pray for his protection during his holiday from school. He also said "It's very warm in his country at this moment and the Haitians can't stand it." Sounds like everyone had a hot summer! Kevenel said not much is going on where he lives and he wants to know if I've ever been in a canoe. :)  

We also got a letter from Barry in Burkina Faso! 

Barry's letter was also written on big kid stationery! He said that he is glad to get our letters and he and his family are in good health. He said that the schools are closed or a few months because of the summer holidays, and he likes going to farms and helping his parents. He said thank you for praying for him and his family, and they are also praying for us. He also shared that he moved up a grade, and he is really happy about that! He asked us to pray for him so he can fear the Lord, and he asked if I have been to a farm. At the bottom of the letter, Barry drew many little pencil drawings, including a shopping bag, a house, a faucet, a person, a truck, a bowl, a soccer ball, a bike, and some other random things! 

Sweet Greetings from Ecuador, Honduras, India, Thailand and the Philippines

Happy Mail Call Monday!

A few more letters rolled in this week! The first we received was our first letter from Mary Paola in Ecuador! 

Mary P says it's an "honor" for her to send me letters, and she says she's doing very well with her family. She is also very happy in school. She wants to know if there are lots of trees where we live, and told me there are lots of trees and "rich flora" where she lives. She asks that we pray for her studies so she can continue to do a good job, and she wishes us success and she will always be praying for us. On the back page, she drew a really nice scene with trees, mountains, and birds! I am looking forward to hearing more about Mary P's jungle home. I also noticed that she has really nice handwriting, that looks a bit like my own! 

Next up, a letter from Thanakan in Thailand!

Thanakan is such a sweetheart. I was so happy to hear from her! She wrote a form letter about her family. She doesn't list any siblings in the space provided and says she lives in the mountainous region. She likes to help her family by cooking and cleaning, and her family has a Christian background! Thanakan had help writing her letter, because she's still pretty small. Her helper said she wants to hear from me often! She asked how our family is doing and said that she is living with her older sister right now because her dad had an accident and lost his leg. :( So her dad and mom are staying in another village. I hope that they are reunited soon. I am thinking about doing an inquiry as to why exactly she can't be with her parents right now, but I am assuming that they are just staying closer to the hospital or a rehabilitation center. Regardless, I am going to try to send a small family gift to Thanakan soon, so she can maybe use it to buy food for her family while her parents are away. The project helper was sure to tell me that Thanakan is a very good girl, and she is always thinking of me! She also drew a very pretty picture of a river with some flowers.

Next was a letter from Amisha in India!

It was so good to see a letter from Amisha- we haven't heard from her often and her first two letters were written by project staff, in English. This one appeared to be written by Amisha herself, in her native language! Amisha's letter was a form letter about the future. She said that in the future, she wants to learn about computers, and she wants to dance or sing or act. She wants to be a teacher when she grows up, and she wants her community to be alcohol-free. And she called me Aunty!!! Yay!!! I have been waiting forever for an Indian sponsor daughter to call me Aunty. :) I love it. It's so cute. She said that she and her family are fine, and she hopes that uncle Brandon and I are fine, too. She sends her love regards to my whole family, and the people in her village recently celebrated Ramadan. She wanted me to know that her favorite pet is  cat, and there are lots of kinds of people who live in her community and she will tell me more about them in her next letter- but in this letter she did say that when Christian couples get betrothed they exchange rings and a "wedding string." Which sounds fun. She says she is praying for us every day! :) 

We also heard from Eduardo in Honduras! 

Eduardo says that he and his family are doing really well. He shared that his favorite months are May and December because those are "very beautiful days for me and for my family." He asked about my favorite month, and said baby Lilly is "so beautiful" and he is praying for her and wants to know how she is doing now. He also said that where he lives, it is so hot they can barely stand it, and he remembered from one of my letters that it is cold where I live. Not anymore, buddy! :) He said goodbye with much love. 

Lastly, we got a very exciting letter from Merlyn in the Philippines! 

Merlyn's letter addressed the family gift we crowd-funded for her back in February, because her family lost many belongings in Typhoon Ruby. Merlyn shared that with the gift, she and her mom got rice, groceries, shoes, new clothes, a backpack for school school uniforms, a grooming kit, school supplies- and ice cream! She said they were so happy! Merlyn also asked how Brother Brandon is and what he is up to now, and she said "Thank you very much for not getting tired in writing me. I'm happy every tie I received a letter from you." She also agrees that baby Lilly is so cute, and she is praying for her health! Merlyn said "sister Jessi, my prayer for you is may God keep you and may you have peace. Please also pray me to Jesus to keep me and guide me in going to school and going back home." She also promised to take care of all the new stuff she got. And I got pictures of her and her mom with their gifts! :) :) :) 

Sweet Greetings from Haiti, Peru, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Thailand, the Philippines, and Kenya

Happy Mail Call Monday- the first of August!

Eleven letters showed up in the past week! Wow! :) 

The first was from Barry in Burkina Faso! 

Barry wrote a form letter about his typical week, and says he wakes up at 6 to "have a wash." He goes to the project on Thursdays and Saturdays. After school, it's his job to put the hens in the hen house! Barry shared that his favorite day of the week is Sunday, because that's church day, and he says he's never had pizza but he hopes he can try it some day to see if he likes it. 

Next was our first letter from Yekersew in Ethiopia! 

Yekersew's letter was about his hobbies and pets. He likes playing group games and soccer with his friends. He also said he has a dog named Buchi. He said that he wants to know about our family, and asked us to pray for his health. 

Next was a first letter from Benji in Haiti! 

Benji says things are going well in his "locality" and it's really warm where he lives! He also said there are lots of mangoes, avocado and grapefruits where he lives, and asked if I liked these fruits. He said there is a library near his house, and he asked that we would pray that God will give him life. 

That same day, we got a big letter from Kevenel in Haiti!

Kevenel's letter was a form letter about his last medical check up, which was in 2014. He said he liked seeing the doctor because he found out if he was healthy. He told me that his favorite animal is a goat, and he asked that we pray for his health and his family's health. He also said that soccer is very popular in Haiti, and Easter is a very important holiday there, too. He asked how we celebrate Easter and said that he loves me very much! :) 

Then there was another first letter, this time from Tinnakorn in Thailand! 

Tinnakorn covered the entire back of his letter with drawings, and included an extra sheet of paper with drawings! They were all soccer related- apparently he's a big fan of Lionel Messi! Tinnakorn says that he spent his school break at home, and he helped his parents by taking care of his sibling. He said that he and his friends went to the Songkran festival, and his dad is working. He said he thinks of us often, and he wanted to know if I am visiting Thailand this year! Tinnakorn asked that we pray for his family and his studies. 

Another first letter was from Abdias in Haiti! 

Abdias sent us a new sponsor form letter about himself. He has five older siblings, and two of them are older than I am! He said his favorite color is red, favorite food is rice, favorite game is soccer, and he likes cooking! 

Next up was a letter from Mishel in Peru! 

Mishel answered my question about her favorite animal, and said that she likes turtles! She said that she liked the letters we've been sending, and the little notebook that I found for her. She also said she is doing really well in school and is making good grades! And she said "I asked God that my sponsor would send me many letters and God made this miracle happen." I loved that so much!!!

Next up was a letter from Fatuma in Kenya. 

Fatuma sent a form letter about her school. She shared the name of her school and her teacher, and said that her favorite subject is math. She also likes to skip rope with her friends! Her helper at the project said that Fatuma greeted me with "jambo," which was neat because now I know that Fatuma speaks Swahili. Fatuma also said that it is raining every day in her country, and that she liked the "promises" I sent her. 

Another first letter we received this week was from Mjay in the Philippines!

Mjay said he's enjoying my letters and he liked the card that I sent to his whole family. He said there's a library in his school, but not one in his neighborhood. He asked that we pray for the success of his dad's fish vending business! 

Our last first letter of the week was from Sithum in Sri Lanka!

We got Sithum as a correspondent back in March, so it was good to hear from him. His form letter was a "getting to know you" letter, but it was really more about his country than about him! I'm looking forward to knowing more about him in the future! Sithum said he has a brother, and he shared his mom's name. He said he likes to ride bikes, and he wants to be in the army someday! 

The last letter I will share is my favorite letter of the week, because it made me laugh! It was from Carlos in Peru. 

I just love Carlos' letters. He always has so much to say! Carlos told me about an archaeological site in his city, which was the city of the Incan empire. He is very proud of his culture! He said he's happy about my new job, and that God put me there for a reason. :) Carlos also said that they have baby showers in Peru, and sometimes there are pinatas and clowns for the children. He told me he likes penguins and dolphins, as they are very curious. He also wrote about Brandon's birthday. Carlos said that he's glad that God gave Brandon another year of life, and that he can see from the pictures that Brandon hasn't changed much. He also commented on his height- Carlos said that in Peru, a tall person would be 5'9", which is how tall I am. He said "Brandon is like a giant to us." I cracked up when I read that! He also responded to my comment in a letter about pizza, and said he tried it once but maybe he got the wrong kind because he didn't like it. He knows that there are many kinds, though, so he's willing to try it again! Carlos also said he loved the pictures I've been sending, which included walruses (my favorite animal- he said they are beautiful) and Jess's new baby. He said the new baby's pictures are the most beautiful! I love this kid! 

Sweet Greetings from Honduras, Thailand, Togo, Ecuador, Tanzania, and Ghana

Happy Mail Call Monday!

I'm very thankful that we received six letters this week. The first was from little Anahi in Honduras.

Anahi filled out a form letter about her dreams. When she is older, she wants to be a doctor. She wants to help her family by giving them money, and she said she wants to meet me because I am very nice with her. :) And when asked what she wants to do, she said "a cake." That sounds good to me! In the open part of the letter, Anahi's mom shared that Anahi gives thanks to God that God chose me as her sponsor!! I'm thankful God chose me, too! :) Sadly, her family also had bad news to share- Anahi's grandfather passed away in April. She shared the names of all her grandparents and asked that we pray for two of them because they don't go to church and she wants them to know Jesus.

Next, we heard from Thanakan in Thailand!

This was our second letter from Thanakan, and she wrote a lot! I had forgotten how much fun it is to correspond with a kid in Thailand. Thanakan filled out her form letter (or a helper did, rather) and another sheet of notebook paper! She sent a form letter about her favorites, which include grilled chicken, the color pink, "chair ball," rabbits, and "Kitty," her favorite cartoon character. In my reply letter I asked her if that meant Hello Kitty, and sent a picture to confirm. We have a lot in common! Thanakan also replied to several of the letters I have sent her. In response to my letter about names, she said that she doesn't know what her name means because where she lives, people just pick names and don't care about the meanings. In response to a letter about new babies, she said that in her village, people will bring a new mother chicken, clothes, and money, but they don't have any traditions for expectant mothers (like baby showers.) She also said that her family has been busy planting corn. In response to a letter about a Compassion graduate who works at an elephant sanctuary in Kenya, she said that her village has an elephant show every year, so she has seen the animals in person- but she doesn't get too close because they are big and could be dangeroous. Thanakan shared her family members with me, and I had to ask if they are all living in the same place: she has her mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, sister, brother-in-law, and some cousins. Thanakan also said that she really loved the little "diary" we sent her (a softcover journal from Michaels) and that she's praying for us!

Then there was a letter from Estha in Togo!

This was our second letter from Estha, as well. Her letter was only written a month ago, so it got here very quickly! Estha wrote a form letter about her hobbies, and says she enjoys choreography with her friend Nathalie. She also said that she doesn't have any pets, because "they are dangerous." Estha said that she was enjoying our letters and the journal we sent to her, and asked that we pray for the "evolution of children" at her center.

We  also heard from Erick in Ecuador again!

Erick's letter said that when he grows up, he wants to be a singer, and to keep studying. He also hopes he can come visit America, and he wants to meet me and talk to me in person!

Then we got another letter from Bonifas!

Bonifas said in his letter that he would really like to be a preacher (I told him in another letter I thought he'd be a great preacher) and that he doesn't just want to be a preacher in Tanzania, but he wants to go all around the world- maybe even come to America and preach here! He also said he wants to be a tour guide in his home country.

And finally, we got a letter from Angelina in Ghana!

Angelina wrote that her favorite animal is the ostrich, and her project has a "cadet" and she is part of it, and she really enjoys it. In my response letter, I asked her what that is, because I have no idea. Maybe something like a color guard? Safety patrol? I don't know. Angelina also asked me to tell her more about the library where I work, and said that she was praying for baby Lilly (my friend Jess's new baby) to have good health. She is also praying for my brother, that God will "comfort him always." She closed her letter by asking that we pray for her to understand God's will.

Pastor's Letter: Thailand (TH-817)

We have been receiving a few more pastor's letters recently! Technically this is from a project director rather than a pastor, but....same difference! This is from Tinnakorn's project in Thailand. 

My name is Mr. Nipon Banditjaroenwong. I am the director of Poeng Kloeng Church CDC where we minister to Tinnakorn.

Thank you very much for sponsoring Tinnaorn and supporting our ministry and center. We are located in a very poor community and our vision is to serve the children, to holistically develop them, and release them from poverty in the name of Jesus.

We offer many outstanding activities which are useful for the children at the center, such as memorizing Bible verses, singing praises, and playing games. For the language foundation activity, we teach the children basic English, basic Myanmar, and basic Karen tribal. For older children, we train them in different careers such as raising the fish, making flowers from the yarn or paper to use in the important day or event. We also teach them how to cook in order for them to develop and make a career out of it. Besides the above mentioned, we also teach them about agricultural work by teaching them how to take care of the vegetables in order for them to grow well. We also celebrate birthdays with the children every month, singing and playing. Many of them have never had this before. And we celebrate holidays.

Besides the above outstanding activities that I've mentioned, the center has many more activities, such as setting up training for the staff. They learn and understand more knowledge of how to take care and develop the children in different age groups. The workers can apply this knowledge and use in their job. We've invited a guest speaker that is an expert in this area to come to share this knowledge with us. The center uses the holistic curriculum of Compassion to develop the children in the four areas of social, physical, cognitive, and spiritual development. The children benefit in their transformation from this, but so do the staff and the community and parents. The children are noticeably different from the ones in the community who do not attend the program at the center and they are admired. The children here are very happy and it is clear to be seen. 

The letters that the children receive from their sponsors make them very happy. They feel the warmth and love of their sponsors when they read the prayers and words of encouragement. These letters help to develop their self-esteem and motivate them to continue in the program and at school and at church. They are very eager and proud to share news about their lives with their sponsors and write letters back. It's very important to provide this avenue for joy for Tinnakorn and correspond regularly.

Thank you for loving Tinnakorn and for supporting us in our mission at this ministry and center. You are quite a blessing. May God bless you more and more. Amen.



Little Jorweysoe attends the same center as Tinnakorn, and he is waiting for a sponsor! Read more about him here.