Letters of encouragement from sponsors are often longed for and treasured by the children we serve for years to come. Letters bring great joy and delight, a reminder that they’re known, they’re loved, and they matter. Because of this, we want to make sure the processing and translation is done with excellence.
The average letter takes around 30 days from being written to it arriving in your inbox or via the Compassion App. We are aware that some letters are taking a lot longer to arrive due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions in some of the countries we work in.
Like us, sponsored children become discouraged if they don’t receive a reply when they write a letter. To help manage this, children are asked to write two letters per year.
When you send a message to your sponsored child, they’ll also write back. We call these reciprocal letters and you may receive up to six replies per year, depending how often you write.
If you haven’t heard from your sponsored child recently we’d love to encourage you to send them a message if you haven’t done so for a while. This may help ensure you receive a letter soon.
Your letters make a powerful difference to your sponsored child. Independent research shows that receiving two letters a year boosts your sponsored child’s self-esteem.
But don’t just take our word for it, let’s hear the difference your letters make from the children who receive them.
Joan, Uganda
“What my sponsor has told me has changed my life… they have encouraged me to read the Bible; this has changed my life! Even reading books so that I can improve on my academics which has also helped me.
“Children include me, we feel happy when our sponsors write letters to us because it lets us know that they care about us and they also love us. I encourage those who don’t write to their children, I encourage them to write to them because they also want to feel special.”
Victor, El Salvador
“My sponsor sends me so many letters and photos they can’t fit in two hands!”
Maria, Peru
“[My sponsor’s] words were so timely they lifted me up… I am thankful to my sponsor because they make my heart really happy. Every time I receive a letter from them, I thank God for their lives.
Through their letters, they have taught me many things; for example, I didn’t use to pray as I pray now. My sponsor always prays for me, and I have learned to pray for my dad as well. I prayed that my father will come to Jesus.”
Project staff and volunteers who help distribute the letters also testify to the difference they make. Pastor Gad, pastor of Kabindi Church, Uganda, explains:
“We thank God for supporters who are so loving, who keep writing to their supported children, giving them encouraging words, scriptures and assuring them of their love. Children become excited whenever they receive letters from their supporters. They look forward to receiving the letters. They look forward to the time of writing back and sharing how they feel about them.”
It’s easy to turn letter writing into a big thing for which we need to set a lot of time aside. But this means we never get around to it. Instead, think about sending a simple message, which is full of encouragement. Here’s some ideas of what to say:
Visit our blog and discover more awesome ideas to help you overcome writers’ block
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Compassion UK Christian Child Development, registered charity in England and Wales (1077216) and Scotland (SC045059). A company limited by guarantee, Registered in England and Wales company number 03719092. Registered address: Compassion House, Barley Way, Fleet, Hampshire, GU51 2UT.
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