Month: June 2016

“The Talk” With Your Sponsored Child

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The Talk

With almost half of Uganda’s population being under the age of fifteen and with HIV/AIDS running rampant, sex education or having “The Talk” is of the utmost importance to these children.

While I felt confident Lucky has exposure to sex education through his school, church, and child development center – as his sponsor, I felt the need to address the topic to ensure he understands the critical nature.

Is this a letter topic for every sponsor to send to their child? No.

In my case, Lucky does not have parents or grandparents so I do approach some topics with him that I might reconsider if this were not the situation.

My strategy was to introduce three preventable epidemics that affect his village and encourage him to discuss in person with his mentors and tutors at his child development center. The three issues I chose were malaria, teenage pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS.

Because many children in his village are not involved in Compassion’s program and do not have the opportunity to attend school, I asked Lucky to help educate these children as well.

“The Talk” Letter

Feel free to use in your letters to your sponsored child.

The Talk 1

The Talk 2

Are you wondering if you should write a letter to your child with this theme? I am going to list the criteria that I deem necessary to consider beforehand.

Child’s Age – This is definitely a topic for the older sponsored child.

Culture – Research the country. A few things to think about: Look up school curriculum for your child’s country. How are schools addressing the issue? Is the topic viewed as taboo or openly expressed? Is teen pregnancy an issue? Is HIV/AIDS a significant problem in your child’s country? If your child is female, are child marriages and abuse common?

Relationship – Is trust established in your relationship with your child?

Maturity – Does your child have the maturity level to comprehend the information?

Parents – Please be mindful not to cross any boundaries with parents.

Religion – Keep in mind the religious views of your child to cater towards your wording.

The letter does not have to be awkward. No uncomfortable diagrams required.

Finally, this education and awareness could save a life so please consider this letter writing theme for your older sponsored child.

International Day of the African Child

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InternationalDayAfricanChild

Forty years ago today in Soweto, South Africa around ten thousand children marched in a line more than a half mile long protesting and demanding their rights to education. Many of these young, precious, and innocent children lost their lives on this day.

International Day of the African Child

I had never heard of “International Day of the African Child” until two years ago when my dear friend in Kampala taught me about this holiday in Uganda and all of Africa for that matter that originated in 1991. In a letter from Lucky a few years ago, he told me as well that the day is very important to him and his classmates. The children have parades and celebrations every year on June 16.

Every child deserves the right to an education.

After learning about this special day, extreme guilt smacked me in the face as I looked back at all of the days in my youth when I dreaded school and did not want to go, never realizing that there are children half way across the globe that would give anything just to have the opportunity to go to school.

African children gave their lives for this right that I freely had growing up in the United States. As a child, I never considered education as one of my rights. It was just something all kids had to do with no say in the matter (which is a good thing).

The theme this year is “Conflict and Crisis in Africa: Protecting all Children’s Rights”. Not only do children deserve the right to an education, but they also deserve rights to protect them from violence, abuse, trafficking, child sacrifice, hazardous labor, prostitution, armed conflicts, military child recruitment, abduction, and exploitation.

Sadly, there are many today that do not have these rights or at least do not realize their rights and are trapped in unbearable situations.

Please take a moment today to remember the fallen children of the Soweto Uprising, and pray for the rights of the beautiful children of Africa in addition to giving thanks for your education and freedom.

Finally, If you sponsor a child in Africa, take a moment to write them and let them know how much you love them.  If you sponsor a child in a different continent, write them and let them know how much you love them. If you do not sponsor a child, tell a child close to you that you love them.

We must do everything within our power to protect the “least of these”.

It is not charity. It is justice.

Compassion Birthdays

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Compassion Birthdays

As we get older, birthdays can lose their zeal. My four year old asks me at least once a day if it is her birthday so she is my constant reminder that birthdays are very special.

A birthday is a gift from God. This is the day He specifically chose for us to enter into the world.

Ugandan Birthdays

A dear friend of mine who is from Kampala told me that Ugandan children in her area celebrate birthdays with a big cake bought by the child’s parents. The child cuts the cake in class and serves all of their friends. Lucky’s birthday falls on a public holiday so she suggested he either make arrangements with his teachers beforehand or celebrate with his siblings at home. She recommended I buy him a cake and sodas for him to share with his neighbors and friends.

Compassion Birthday Gifts

During my first year of sponsorship, my family decided to send Lucky a birthday “gift”. Compassion recommends $20 for a birthday gift so that is what we did. I knew a CI counselor would assist Lucky in making his purchase and with Compassion gifts, the entire amount must be spent.

The one year anniversary of Lucky’s mother’s passing was near his birthday, and I so wanted him to have a very special day. After learning about the birthday tradition among children in Kampala, I wanted the same for Lucky. I wanted him to feel loved and celebrated. I wanted him to feel like other children and not “different” being an orphan.

Using the online letter system, I sent Lucky a letter to let him know a gift was on the way for him. While I knew he would have the final say in how to spend the money, I told him in the letter that I wanted him to celebrate. This was his day and while I could not be there with him, I would be there in spirit. I told him that I would like for him to buy a cake and sodas and share with his siblings, friends, and neighbors.

And that is what he did.

And my heart was happy.

Below are the items Lucky purchased in Ugandan shillings and my favorite quote from the letter he sent to me thanking me for the birthday gift.

2014 – Lucky’s Birthday

Shoes: 20000

Birthday cake: 20000

Drinks: 10000

Pens: 2700

Total: 52700

“I know you love me so much. May God bless you for being my mother in Christ after losing my biological parents.”

My family decided to send him a $20 birthday gift again the following year. Below are the items Lucky purchased in Ugandan shillings and my favorite quote from the letter he sent to me thanking me for the birthday gift.

2015 – Lucky’s Birthday

Trousers: 3000

Shirt: 20000

Meat: 9000

Sugar: 3000

Offering: 1800

Total: 63800

“I thank God so much for giving me this chance to write to you. Let me first thank you for the gift you sent to me. After receiving 63800, I became so happy because of your support and love you have for me. I also thank you for the letters you sent to me, because you have really shown me love.”

The part that really impressed me was the offering he gave to his church. When I did the math, the offering Lucky gave was equivalent to one entire day’s pay for a farmer in his village.  My heart was overjoyed. I so wish I could have seen him as he placed his offering in the basket.

I am so proud of this child and so blessed to be his sponsor.

For FAQ’s regarding gift giving with Compassion International, click HERE.

Need a quick birthday letter? Click HERE.