Many sponsors have asked similar questions in the process of their sponsorship—why is writing to my sponsored child so important?
Our answer: Your sponsored child considers a letter, card, or small package a very special gift—one they will truly treasure. The majority of our sponsored children do not have many belongings . . . but the letters and packages they receive from their sponsors belong to them . . . and only them, and they are so excited that someone cares about them.
Our correspondence coordinator Laura Cole spends hours each day going through the thousands of letters and packages that come to our office. She recently traveled to India and Nepal where she was able to deliver bags full of correspondence to our sponsored children there.
At the Abhinas Children’s Home in Nepal, Laura explained that the children loved showing off their rooms and usually kept all of their belongings on their beds, which only consisted of a few items of clothing, their school books, and maybe a few toys. “What I found is that these kids don’t have a lot to claim as their own,” Laura said.
Although these children may have very little, they were so proud of the letters, photographs, and drawings their sponsors had sent them—all displayed proudly on their individual wall space. And though we may take for granted receiving letters from our friends and family, they mean a great deal to our sponsored children.
While in Nepal, Laura also visited a local community program in Magapauwa. She had the opportunity to meet a 6-year-old girl named Ranju and personally delivered a letter from her sponsor. Some of these children are not accustomed to receiving letters—the idea is completely foreign to them. But today was a special day for Ranju as she received a letter from her sponsor.
Vijay, a Children of the World alumnus, is now working with our partner Pastor Kam in Nepal. He was able to translate and read this letter to Ranju. Once he finished reading it, the other children gathered to look at the letter and passed it around for everyone else to see. “It brings so much joy to the children to know that someone they’ve never met is thinking of them, praying for them, and loving them,” Laura said.
Sponsors, just taking 10 minutes to write a letter to your sponsored child will mean the world to them. Your letters don’t have to be long . . . they can be simple and will still have a great impact. If you’re unsure of what to write, you can always start out with simply introducing yourself and asking your sponsored child a few questions about their favorite activities or subjects in school.
If you’ve never written a letter to your sponsored child, today is a great day to start! Once you’ve written your letter, address it and mail to:
[Sponsored Child’s name and ID #]
c/o World Help Child Sponsorship Program
P.O. Box 501
Forest, VA 24551