Dear Mary,
I met your sponsored child today.  I don’t know who you are or where you live, all I know is that you live in the United States.   I wanted to share with you about her.  Her name is Kiran Manig Mallik and she lives in Kolkata.  Her home is the smallest home that I have ever been in.  It’s about the size of a 2 person tent, maybe even smaller.  There are 5 people who live in the home and at night, Kiran’s father and brother sleep outside on the street because there is not enough room in the home.  The area where Kiran lives reminds me of the movie “Slum Dog Millionaire”.  The poverty was severe and the conditions were horrible.  I kept crying as I walked her neighborhood.  It’s also a dangerous neighborhood.  There are brothels about 2 blocks away from her home where young girls are enslaved and sold to men.  We walked by the brothels and my heart broke.

Kiran was a blessing to be with.  I think she is around 11 years old and she is just beautiful.  Her personality is very joyful and outgoing.  Her project worker said she is very smart.  She walked with Keely and I through the slums and held our hands.  She would kiss our hands and hug us periodically.  She sang “Lord I Lift Your Name On High” and said it was her favorite song.  At one point she enthusiastically said, “I am so happy”.  Both Keely and I burst into tears as we looked at the conditions of where she lived.  Keely had sunglasses on so she could hide her tears; I just had to look away because the tears were streaming down my cheek.   At one point Kiran declared us as her new best friends.  I don’t think that all this love was for us; I think it was for you.  We just represented you.   Mary, she said she loves your letters.  She said that you have encouraged her and she would love to meet you.  She said she loves you very, very much.  She wants a picture of you and said you have not sent one.  It would mean a lot if you sent her a picture because she wants to see your face and pray for you.

Thank you for sponsoring her.  You are very lucky to have such a sweet little girl,

Blessings,

Patricia Jones

LETTER #2

Dear Julia, Grace and Isabel,

This was my Crocodile Tears day.  I started thinking about tomorrow and meeting Remya.  I was in the computer room this morning and the tears came when I imagined meeting Remya.  Julia it should be you meeting her tomorrow since you have been writing her for seven years, I know how much you love her and you are the one who has been writing the letters.

I cried again, when I started talking to Spence about tomorrow and meeting her.  I was just asking about the day and then the tears came out.  I think the emotions of the week have caught up.  Then I cried at lunch at the thought of meeting her, and again in the bus and then in the shower.

We will be going to go to a Science Museum with her and the other sponsored kids, then we will go to a restaurant.   I will write all about it tomorrow.

I Love You All So Much,

Mommy

THIS IS THE LETTER THAT JULIA WROTE TO REMYA, her Compassion sponsor child.  I WILL BE GIVING IT TO HER TOMMOROW.

Dear Remya,

I’m sorry I couldn’t be there, but I wanted to get you some pictures of me and my family, and friends.  I also wanted to give you a journal so that you could write about all the things you are doing and learning so that one day you can read what you did and remember how you came to be who you are.
I wanted to tell you to always love Jesus because he will be there for you all the time.  He will never leave you.  He will always love you.  Even when it seems like He is not there, don’t give up.  I also wanted to tell you that writing to you has made me become a better Christian.  Seeing how God is working in your life really helped Him work in my life. Thank you.

I left a few places empty at the end of this book so that when I send you pictures you have a place to put them.  I hope you have a wonderful time with the things I sent to you.  I hope they got to you safely.  I will pray for you and you family.  I love you.  God bless,

Love,
Julia Jones

PS.
Dear Stephen, Julia, and Grace,

What about this dog?  It’s Free! I just have to figure out how to get it home.