With the new online writing tool, which can be accessed through your account on the Compassion (US) website, you can choose from a number of fun, beautiful templates! You can also add up to three digital pictures to your letter, which is such an exciting feature. Plus, for sponsors with multiple children, you have the option to duplicate the letter, so I can write all 21 of our children in about an hour. It's amazing!
In October, I received a letter from our sweet Mary Jane in the Philippines, who has always had a special place in my heart. Her situation was already fragile, as her father is in prison. In this particular letter, I learned that her mother had run away, leaving Mary Jane and her siblings in the care of her uncle (I have since learned that her mother has returned - praise God!). This news was so major, though, that I wanted to respond as quickly and effectively as possible. So I used the website's new letter writing tool.
This feature is so easy to use, but still results in a personalized, beautiful letter for your child. I wanted to show Mary Jane that we love her and support her, and that despite the unstable family situation, we love her like family, too. So I decided to upload a digital copy of Mary Jane's photo and included it in the letter. (Did you know that Compassion US can email you the 2 most recent photos of your sponsored child? If you haven't done so, I would definitely recommend that you request them!)
Little did I realize how special this would be for Mary Jane.
I tell you all this to set up the beautiful response letter we received today from the Philippines. This is the opening paragraph, which almost had me in tears.
"We received the letter that you've sent. Mary Jane was very happy because she saw her picture together with you. She is very happy because it looks like she's your daughter. Thank you for the love that you've shared to Mary Jane. You gave us a great happiness."
Wow. To be honest, I can't stop reading it. There is so much hope and trust in that statement. She also drew a picture of the three of us together, with "I love you" printed beside it in her precious (pink!) handwriting. We love our little girl so much.
I am about to write to our other sponsored children, so that I can include their pictures in this same way. It does seem to diminish the distance between us, doesn't it? We are literally across the globe from Mary Jane, but these pictures make us seem so near to one another. It almost makes my heart ache a bit, just looking at it.
Please feel free to use this idea if you want. Why not write your sponsored child right now? It is so easy and only takes a few minutes, but it means so much.
