Children want to hear from their sponsors
August 27, 2009 at 11:41 am Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA) 1 comment
In spring of last year, CFCA sent out special postcards to sponsors to encourage them to write a letter to their sponsored friend. The response has been wonderful. Many children who had not yet received any letters heard from their sponsors for the first time.
“I am very happy because I have received letters before but never one like this,” said Jilma, who lives in El Progresso, El Salvador. “My sponsor has told me in her letters that she has a beautiful garden and lots of flowers.”
The Vellore project in India saw an immediate increase in communication between sponsors and their friends because of the postcard campaign. Additionally, nine children received their first communication from their sponsors.
In the Zamboanga, Philippines, project, an estimated 140 individuals received their first correspondence from their sponsor. Project coordinator Maribel Mandi said the children and aging were delighted with the postcards, and it helped give them motivation to openly express their emotions.
“A short message from a sponsor adds life and growth to the child and sponsor relationship,” said Mandi. “The postcards created a SMILE.”
Many children in the Quito, Ecuador, project had not heard from sponsors, and the postcards brought them much happiness.
Letters are an important benefit
“I can tell you with great certainty that the kids and their families value the letters and photos that sponsors send more than anything,” said Dan Pearson, project director for CFCA international operations. “Imagine the lives of these kids. It is hard for them to believe that someone they have never met chose them and is sending help every month to give them a better chance in life.
“The sponsor is often a central figure in the child’s life, and they want to know who this person is. They want to know what they look like, who is in their family, and why they decided to help.”
In an age of instant information, emails and text messaging, letter writing is becoming a lost art. It is one of the many gifts that our brothers and sisters in developing countries can give to us—to remind us of the joy that can be found in taking the time to sit and write a simple note of love and encouragement.
On behalf of the sponsored children and aging, we thank you for writing, and we encourage you to continue growing your relationship through letters.
Below are the three postcards we mailed to sponsors
Entry filed under: Around the World with CFCA. Tags: aging, cfca, children, christian, letter, letter writing, letters, Postcards, technorati.
1. Vincent Nguyen | August 27, 2009 at 1:08 pm
This is a great story that promotes such a great message. I firmly believe that writing has become a lost art in this day and age of instant communications. But at the same time, writing a letter has become much more meaningful to anyone that receives one. I think of how I feel when someone sends me a short thank you note that was actually handwritten and signed by them and can’t help but feel that this feeling is probably multiplied tenfold when a child receives a letter from their sponsor. Bless you sponsors for bringing joy into their lives and thank you CFCA for the great work you do.