Tuesday, August 11, 2015

A Red Letter Day


Each day when I pick up the mail, or when I see Walt walking in with it, I scan the stack for the familiar cream colored envelope from Compassion, with a letter from one of my kids (there is a business we hear from regularly that uses the same color envelope and it drives me nuts when I get all excited about the envelope and then discover it's not from Compassion at all.


I couldn't believe it when Walt tossed the mail into my lap yesterday.

SIX LETTERS from kids!

I am lucky if I get six in a month, but yesterday I got six in one day. all from kids in Kenya, which has now become officially my favorite letter-writing country.

Erik (age 16), to whom I have been writing the longest was happy to report that his school was able to proceed to the county levels in soccer "which was not easy to attain." (He's a real soccer fan.)  He also tells me that it has started to rain now (this was written in May) and that there will be more rain.  I wish he could send some this way!

Samuel, whom I took on because he looked so un-well in his photo, with a distended belly and oversized head, tells me that they normally celebrate their birthdays by going to church and singing together and that he participates in communal work by sweeping and cleaning the nearby market.

Mwongela is one of the newest kids ("The Kenya 7," I called them) I took on, not to sponsor, but to write to because his financial sponsor, a corporation, decided to sponsor 1,000 kids but was not going to write to them all, so many of us took several kids to write to.  He's only 5, so he doesn't write a letter per se, but fills out a form telling me about his family.  His favorite thing to do with his family is tell stories and his favorite way to help his family is to be sent to the shop.  He wants to "grow stronger in Christ and have good health."

Michael, another of the Kenya 7, is 6 so he, too, filled out a form about his family. He has 2 sisters, he tells me, and he likes watching Tom and Jerry cartoons.  His mother does the cooking in his house, but he is learning to cook from her.

Brightone (Yes, that really is his name) is 9 and he writes his own letters, in English.  He always writes long letters (at least a full page).  I had asked the kids where they sleep and he tells me he sleeps wit his siblings "we always prepare our bedroom before the evening, so after doing home work we go to sleep."  His favorite subject is science "because we are taught interesting things in the natural world."  He adds "It is so amazing how God loves us and has good plans for us.  I am being transformed holistically at Compassion's project every Saturday.  Thanks to your support." and signs it "God bless you from your sponsored son in Kenya."

James is 10 and also writes his own letters in English.  It is always amusing to me that NONE of the 30 kids I get letters from ever mention all of our kids, but pick out one, often it's Ned.  I'm not sure why, but this time I had sent him a photo of Ned with Bri and Lacie.  James says "I was impressed to see Ned and the two little girls.  Ned is looking good with his short hair and let him just maintain his hair like that." He ends by saying "be blessed so much, dear."

So I have my work cut out for me today, answering these letters.  I also have one from Venkanna, in India, which arrived over the weekend.  His letter was mostly about Peach.  I had asked each of the kids to pray for her when I was in Iowa.  He says "Mostly I feel bad about your cousin.  How is her health now?  I am praying for you and your cousin.  He also told me that their Independence Day is August 15 and they raise the flag and distribute chocolates.

Anyway, it was a wonderful day for me yesterday and it will be a happy day today, responding to each of these letters.

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