You Are a Special Gift!

Each week I hope to write at least one post with letter writing ideas for sponsors to send their kids... last week I shared a few ideas for the "prince/princess" themed letter, and today here are some ideas for a "You are a Special Gift" themed letter.

Sometimes new sponsors wonder how to start writing their new child...  when I first sponsor or receive a new child, there is always such an explosion of incredible JOY, and I feel like I've just received a very special gift, so I sit right down and use the email option to write that first letter immediately.  While I am able to send email letters to both my World Vision and Compassion children, I especially love Compassion's format with the choices of templates and the ability to upload photos right into the letter.  I select the "Birthday Present" template for this first letter, which comes in either blue or pink), upload a favorite photo, and give a very brief description of me and my family... since that is all I can squeeze into this first letter!

First of all, I tell them how excited I am to be their new sponsor, that my heart is just so full of JOY looking at their beautiful picture, and that I can hardly wait to get to know them.  I recently wrote to my little 5 year old Diego, "My name is Deborah, and I am so very, very happy, because today I just became your new correspondence sponsor! Getting a special gift, especially one that you like very much, is just so much fun, isn't it? That's how I feel right now... that I just received a very special gift, and that gift is you! I am looking forward to become good friends with you, and we will be gifts to each other."   Then after telling him about my own boys, I closed with, "I am looking forward to hearing from you and learning about your family.  What are the names (of your brothers/sisters), and how old are they?  A family is a very special gift to us from God!  I say a special hello to your dear father and mother, and ask them to give you a special hug from me!  I am sitting here just smiling with a happy heart as I look at your wonderful picture.  I will be praying for you, and thinking of you everyday with much joy, dear Diego!"

For my 9-year old Lidia I wrote, "Today I had a most wonderful surprise when I opened my mail from Compassion... I get to be your new correspondence sponsor!  I am so very, very happy!!!  :o)  You are like a very special gift to me, and I love you already!  I'm just sitting here looking at your beautiful picture, and reading through all your information, and I already have your picture up on my wall right next to me here where I can see it everyday..."   Then after telling her a little bit about my family, I closed with, "I hope you like to write letters, because I want to get to know you and be friends with you, and I'm going to write to you lots!  I'm sending this letter with lots of love and hugs to you, precious girl, and am praying for you already." 

After writing that first letter, I call in a little $10 "Welcome Gift" to Compassion for my new child, then immediately write a second email telling him or her about it.  For example, in my second letter to 9 year old Keyla, I wrote,"Today I called Compassion to give them a special little money gift to send to you.  I just want you to know that you are so special to me already!  This love gift is just to say, "I love you, and I am so happy to be your new correspondence sponsor!"  Please use it to get something special that you have been needing or wanting, something that will delight your heart and remind you that you are such a special girl to my heart and that I am glad that we get to be friends.  You are so incredibly special to the heart of Father God, and He wants you to remember how precious and valuable you are to Him. 

He has put special talents and abilities inside of you to be discovered, and it will be like opening new presents all the time as you open these gifts from God and use them.  He has made you to be a wonderful gift to your family, to your church and community, to your country, and to me too!!

Lidia has responded already with so much love, and is such an incredible delight to correspond with!  She also wrote thanking me for her money gift which she used to buy a blouse and pants, and she was looking forward to wearing them when her mom got out of the hospital from surgery on a tumor in her throat...  that little gift was an encouragement to her right in the middle of a family crisis.  And it's pretty amazing how even a little money gift on our part can be such a help to our kids.

But most importantly, communicating the truth that they are a wonderful blessing and gift is very significant.   One thing I've learned this part year is that children living in poverty live with the lie that they don't matter... so right from my very first letter, I try to communicate how important they are, that they matter very much, and that God has specially gifted them.   

Maybe you have been the child's sponsor for some time, but have not thought of him or her as a very special gift from God...  receive that child now, commit yourself before God to invest yourself in this precious gift from Him, and convey these truths to your child... that they are very precious and valuable, and that you see them as a very special gift in your life.  :o)

Blessings to you today!