Writing Your Sponsored Child

Your financial support is an incredible gift to your sponsored child that will change their life forever.  But, did you know that your sponsored child probably longs for your letters just as much?  We all start our sponsorships with the best of intentions to write, but often life gets in the way and we don’t get letters in the mail nearly as often as we would like.  Here are a few tips to help you overcome some of the most common roadblocks to writing: 

I don’t know what to say.

Start with the basics.  We did an informal survey of our Galilee and WHS students and asked them what they would like to know about their sponsors.  The most popular answers were:

·         Sponsor’s family

·         Sponsor’s job

·         Sponsor’s hobbies

·         Where their sponsor lives and what it is like there

·         Seasons where the sponsor lives

·         Sponsor’s upbringing (where they grew up, number of children in their family, etc).

Ask questions, and answer any questions they ask of you.  You might ask them their best school subject, favorite hobby, or what they want to be when they grow up. 

Encourage them.  A sponsor is a very influential person in a sponsored child’s life.  Your letters are great motivation to these children, so encourage them to work hard in school, celebrate their successes, and let them know you believe in them when they falter.  Tell them that you think of them, you pray for them, or that you love them.  For some of these children, yours may be the only encouraging voice they hear aside from the school staff.

Join the Letter-of-the-Month Club.  Beginning in January, we will be introducing a “Letter-of-the-Month Club” on the blog.  In the first week of every month that the children are in school (9 months per year), we will have a post reminding you to write and suggesting two to three potential topics.  This should be a great way to increase your letter-writing and explore some fun topics!

I am afraid of saying the wrong thing.

Do not let the fear of saying the wrong thing keep you from saying anything at all.  Our "Nairobi Kids" are incredibly resilient and unlikely to be easily offended.  Just follow a few common-sense rules:

·         Be age-appropriate

·         Try not to focus on material things

·         Be sensitive in discussions of religion or politics - do not try to “indoctrinate”

I don’t have time to write long, thoughtful letters.

A few short sentences is sufficient to let your child know that you are thinking of them.  If you struggle with letter-writing, stock up on greeting cards and postcards.  Your sponsored child will be thrilled to receive a short note from their sponsor.  They may even use your postcards to decorate the walls of their humble homes!

I have too many sponsored children to write often.

When you sponsor a number of children, writing to everyone can become a burden.  Consider typing your letters on a computer so that you can write one basic letter and then quickly modify it for each child.  Postcards and greeting cards are also great time-savers.

Writing in English is difficult for me.

Your sponsored children will understand any English errors – English is not their native language either.  It is a great lesson to them to see that their sponsors have to work hard to learn new things as well.  If writing in English is time-consuming for you, consider writing short cards and postcards rather than letters. 

I have trouble getting everything I want to send together.

Sometimes we write the letter, but then fail to send it because we do not have what we want to send with it – the photos need to be printed, we forgot to buy the stickers, or we want to find the perfect map on the internet.  If this is the issue, just send whatever is missing next time.  Your child loves knowing that you are thinking of them – the extras are just a bonus. 

“Perfection is the enemy of the good”

-Voltaire

More than anything, your letters are a reminder to your sponsored child that you care about them.  Please do not let these roadblocks stand in the way of developing a deeper connection to your sponsored child through letter-writing. Our Galilee and WHS kids will be back in school in mid-January.  Wouldn’t it be great to welcome them back with a letter?

~submitted by Brooke