Letter from Leonardo

I began sponsoring Leonardo shortly before his 8th birthday in April.  I immediately sent a gift and a card. 

I chose Leonardo because he and two siblings live only with their father, and he looked so poor in his picture.  (I know they're all living in poverty, but considering that the children usually wear their best clothes for picture day, and Leonardo looked soiled and disheveled, I thought he looked worse than most.)  I sent more money than usual because I wanted him to get some new clothes.

Today, I received a letter to thank me for the gifts with a picture of what he bought, minus the cake. He purchased clothes, shoes (two pairs in the picture!), and a cake for his birthday.  The item that made my heart smile the most is the cake.  I'm SOOOOO happy that Leonardo had a cake for his birthday!

He says that he is happy to have a picture of me and that I am beautiful.  (The translator left that part out, which I think is rather important!  lol)  I love when my children tell I'm beautiful.  Not many people have done that in my life.

Leonardo's tutor says he is a very happy and kind boy.  Aw.  

The picture was faded, so I enhanced it a bit in Aperture.  Aquí está con sus regalos.

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.

Letter from Camilo Alberto

Oh how I LOVE letters with photos of children with the gifts they've purchased with the money I send.  It's not the things that are so important, but that look that lets me know I have helped that child to feel treasured and worthy.

This is Camilo Alberto (he sometimes uses "Camilo" when he writes, sometimes "Alberto") from Colombia.  His birthday was at the end of March, and he wrote to me on that day. He was very happy to be 8 years old.  :)

In the photo, he's holding shoes, a shirt, and socks that he purchased with the gift I sent.  I wish the photo were in color because those shoes look quite spiffy.

Camilo is a very special boy.  Even though he just turned 8, he has been writing his own letters for a few months, and he writes very well.  His letters are quite long for one so young.

Camilo has a very sweet heart.  He calls me "my dear Mindi"--"Mi querida Mindi"--and says he wants to share John 3:16 with me where God expressed His love for us through the sacrifice of His son for us.  He tells me what he does at the Compassion project, what he eats there, and that the person he likes best there is his tutor Adriana because she teaches them many things.  He thanks me for being so nice to him.  (That melts my heart.)

At the end of his letter, he asks me to pray for him and his family and says that he will pray that God guides my every step.  He seems much older than 8.

Camilo had been waiting over 6 months when I chose to sponsor him.  That was before Compassion posted the exact number of days, so I'm not sure exactly how long this sweet, special boy had to wait, and although I am not happy that he had to wait, I am thankful that God kept him for me because he is a blessing.

He also draws very well.  Below is the drawing he sent with this letter.  The front of the building says "la iglesia"--church.  I'm assuming that's his family going to church.  How awesome to see that this little boy has such a heart for God already.  

I see a visit to Colombia in my future.  :)

Today I rode my bike (in spite of the stress fracture in my foot) for the first time in months.  These are the things that I learned or were affirmed to me.

1. I LOVE riding my bike--such a feeling of freedom.  (affirmed)
2. Over the winter, the padding in my helmet has disintegrated.  (learned)  I really don't feel like spending money on myself.
3. Little kids don't watch where they're going when they ride their bikes.  (affirmed)
4. Cars are dangerous even when I'm on a bike path or service road.  (affirmed)
5. My foot hurts when I ride.  (learned)
6. I am grossly out of shape.  (affirmed)

At this point, I have no idea how to connect this to Compassion, but maybe it will lead to something.  I know I was really, really happy to be on my bike even though I rode slowly and was very cautious because of my injury.

Six Months (Seis Meses)

In six months, I will be in Perú serving the children who live in the jungle, teaching Vacation Bible School to them and hugging them every chance I get.

Summer is my favorite time of year--I actually get depressed in the Fall and Winter, for which I have been reprimanded and criticized, but it happens.  Because of that, I don't ever wish for summer to go by fast, but I can't wait until October when I will be in Perú with those children.

Besides that, on the last day in the country, I will get to meet Jack.

But six months seems such a long time.

If it seems that long to me, imagine how long it seems to a child.  Not just a child, but a child waiting for help, waiting for a sponsor to love and nurture him or her.

The Compassion US website has 103 children who have been waiting six months or longer for a sponsor.  Imagine the joy you would bring to a child and his or her family if you would choose one to sponsor.

Here's the link--go for it!  Children Waiting Longest for a Sponsor

Amazing Letter from Jack

Jack wrote this letter in January, the day before my birthday.  Kinda cool.  :)

First the bad news.  Jack had his appendix removed.  Therefore, he did not have a good Christmas, and he is not permitted to play the trumpet (mi instrumento preferido) or . . . futbol!  He loves futbol.  So I guess Jack and I have something in common--neither of us can do what we like because of an injury.  I am very glad that Jack is in the Compassion program so that he was able to receive proper care.  

Jack writes to me more than any of the others that I sponsor, but this is the first time he has sent pictures.  In his previous letter he said he would try to send some, and he sent four.  I LOVE them!!  In the letter and with the pictures, he says, "I love you very much, Mindi" three times.  I can NOT wait to meet him.

This picture is of him and his friends who like music.  He is second from the left.  He writes on the back of the picture: "En esto foto salgo y con mis amigos que les gusta la musica."  (If you know Spanish, you will see that his spelling and grammar are not perfect.)  The picture is printed on plain paper, so the quality is not great.

For this one he says that he is with the instrument he plays in school.  Is he a cool cat, or what?  :)  ("En esto [esta] foto estoy con mi instrumento que toco en mi coligio [colegio].)

In a previous letter, Jack told me that his school football team was playing in the championship.  I'm wondering if this is from that championship.  He says it is when he and his friends played in the Olympics.  I love this photo, too.

And this is the best one.  He says this picture was taken of him when he was thinking of Christ and that he hopes I will put it in a frame and think of him when I see his picture.  (Esta es mi foto cuando me tomaron pensando en Cristo.  Espero lo lengo (?) en un cuadro y cuando lo via mi foto piense en mi.)

There are no words for this one.  <3

This is the part of the letter that really gets me (other than the three times that he says he loves me very much).  He says, "I want to know will you ever visit me so I can meet you?  I long to meet you and I hope God will allow me to."

And I long to tell him that I plan to be there in six months, but I dare not say it. Not only have I read Of Mice and Men, but I have taught it several times, and I know about those "best laid plans," although I believe this one will work out.  There is a special bond between us, so we need to meet.  It is so cool to me to think that Jack was originally my correspondent child.  

So that's my awesome letter from Jack.  I hope it brings you some joy.  It certainly brought great joy to an otherwise very tiring day for me.

I can't wait to meet him.  I just want to sit and talk with him . . . and maybe play a little futbol.  :)

La Bota Fea

Yesterday I had to go to the bank, the grocery store, and the dollar store.  Okay, the dollar store was not a "had to," but I wanted to stop there to look for some goodies for my Compassion children.  I had found some card games such as Go Fish and Old Maid with a Biblical theme there a couple of months ago, and I wanted to see if there were more.  There weren't.  Oh well.

I was frustrated because I have to wear the boot you see to the left because I have a stress fracture that resulted from moving many laptop carts (mobile learning labs--very heavy) for about 3 1/2 hours straight at school in March.  My foot hurt afterwards, but I kept thinking it would get better.  A month later, I finally saw a podiatrist who gave me the ugly news along with the ugly boot.  (I like to say that Neil Armstrong let me borrow the boot he wore on the moon.)

In the dollar store, I noticed a display with luau supplies.  I like to invite my friends and their children to my house for a beach party in the summer, so I hobbled over to look.  Another lady reached the display just as I did.  She was on crutches with a brace on her knee and only a sock on her foot.  She told me that she had a broken toe (been there) and that she had also just had knee surgery.  The dilemma she faced is that she is supposed to begin bending her knee as part of her therapy, but she's not supposed to move her foot.  Um . . . . not working.

What I realized, as we all have so many times, is that there is always someone with a bigger problem, and I just need to get over myself and stop whining.  Yes, I need to take care of my foot.  Yes, it is a challenge to do that with my job and my personality.  But it will get better . . . eventually.

Then I went to the grocery store.  And there, as always, I saw the constant reminder of how much we have and how little so many others have.

In spite of my ugly boot and my very painful fractured foot, I am thankful.  And I'm no longer whining.