This Week's Letter "Jack"pot

Jack

I received yet another letter from Jack (Peru) this week.  This letter was to thank me for his birthday gift.  He turned 16 on April 15th.  He sent a picture of the clothes he bought with the money I sent and asked if I like the clothes.  He said he will only wear them when he goes out with his friends.  He's such a teenager!  I love it.  He also said he is praying to meet me one day soon.  This is the fifth letter I've received from Jack since January (that's a lot), and in four of them he has said that he is praying to meet me.  It's so amazing to me that he says that since I am planning to see him in October.  He has never said that until now.
Here is the picture of his slick new clothes.

I purchased a Bible to take to Jack when I meet him in October.  It's a Spanish Study Bible for teenage boys.  It just arrived today.  I looked at some of the topics, and I am so excited about how good it is.  One topic is "Why does God allow bad things to happen?"  That is one I will point out to Jack because his father died two years ago, and he still writes about how sad he is.

Francis

The day after I received Jack's letter, I received a letter from Francis (Nicaragua).  She turned 8 on April 7th, so her letter was also a thank you for the gift I sent.  She went shopping with her sister (always), her mom, and the secretary from the Compassion project.  She bought underwear, socks, shoes, milk, popcorn . . . and the obligatory cookies and candy.  I have sponsored Francis for two years, and she always, always buys cookies and candy, and I LOVE that.  She usually buys corn flakes, but I guess she decided to go for popcorn instead this time.  She said that she loves to drink milk for breakfast.  Gosh, how many parents have to make their kids drink milk, and Francis loves it?  :)  Here is the picture she drew for me.  See if you can count the fish she drew.  :)

Nancy

Yesterday I received a letter from Nancy (El Salvador).  The really cool thing about it is that she wrote it herself, and she just turned 7 last week, so she wrote this letter when she was still 6!  That's mind-boggling.  Some of the children I sponsor who are older than she cannot write as well as she does.  She is definitely advanced.  I was shocked when I saw the letter in first person in her hand.  She ran out of room, so her tutor finished for her, but I'm still very impressed.  This letter was about her house, so she drew a picture of it, and to the right in the picture is the living room--la sala.  She says that she likes Christmas because she can spend time with her family and asks that I pray that she finishes the school year well.  She also says that she prays that God blesses me and multiplies what I do for her.  :)  In every letter she tells me that she gets more letters than any other girl at the project and thanks for me all that I send her.

Yuleisy

On the same day, I received a letter from Yuleisy (Dominican Republic), who is one of my correspondence children.  Her letters are short, but she also writes them herself, although not as well as Nancy even though she's older.  Her letter was a form letter where she has to list her favorite things.  She says her favorite hero is Dora, so I will certainly be looking for some Dora stuff to send her.  :)  Her drawing is awesome.  My friend who sponsors a boy in the DR received a letter from him this week and sent me a picture of his drawing.  His mom has the same hair style that Yuleisy has in her drawing, but his mom's hair is not green.  She says that her favorite colors are rojo y amarillo--red and yellow--but she certainly went heavy on the green in this very cool drawing.

Katiusca

The last letter I received this week was from Katiusca (DR), who turned 18 in May.  I just began sponsoring her, so this is her first letter.  She introduced herself, telling me that she is doing well in school and would take the exams in June to see if she passes from 11th grade to 12th.  She asked if I would ever like to visit her community.  :)  My dream?  To begin in Mexico and go through Central America to South America and then to the DR and back home, having visited each child (or teenager) that I sponsor.  I need a lot more money for that!

So it was certainly a banner week for letters.  Now I need to answer all of them, which I love.  I am so happy when I receive letters from my kids because that's how we develop our relationships.  I am blessed to have them all.