Another Gift from Sri Lanka (CCF)

This beautiful card arrived today from Nisansala in Sri Lanka

Nisansala is one of my sponsored children thru Christian Children's Fund. I recently posted about her here. At the very young age of seven years, seven months, she is quite an artist! I am very impressed with her drawings.... and her lovely messages of love that she sends so often to me. I may never actually meet these children, but they are very much a part of my own family, and my heart...I started sponsoring thru CCF over 25 years ago, to help children and to try to make a difference. In return, i am so surprised at how much their love has changed and enriched my life...

A New Year Message from India (CCF)

Nirupam and her Mother.

I received another special message in the mail yesterday. This one is from Nirupam, who also lives in India. (In case you are wondering where all these messages are coming from, I sponsor 2 little girls from India, one from Sri Lanka, and one from Mexico, all thru

Christian Children's Fund. ) Nirupam's art work may not be as elaborate as the others
But her message really melted my heart.... Happy New Year!
(If you cannot read the writing, it says: "May the magic of Christmas and New Year-2009 touch your heart the way you have touched mine..."
And for me, that's what it's all about....

Gifts from my "other" children (from different Mothers...)

I received a few special gifts in the mail from two of my sponsored children just before

Christmas Day...

This is my Christmas Card from Km Neeta, from India. She included one of her precious stickers of Minnie Mouse on the card too!

And here is my yearly "report card" and photo of Nisansala from Sri Lanka. I am amazed at how much she has grown in just 1 year! (Last year's photo here) Her report card says she wants to be a doctor when she grows up.

This is her holiday gift to me. She is quite the artist!

Nisansala also sent me this beautiful drawing in a separate letter that arrived on Christmas Eve. This child lives in a war zone, yet she can go into her imagination and draw such beautiful and peaceful scenes. One of her favorite things to do is read books. I know this is a good way to escape what is going on around you...

Maybe she has learned how to carry Peace around inside of herself ... There is so much we can learn from children...

Letters from my Other Children

For more than 25 years i have been sponsoring children thru the organization called Christian Children's Fund. It started out with one little girl named Prameela in India, and has come all the way to the present day, where i currently sponsor four children. Km Neeta and Nirupam live in India, Nisansala is from Sri Lanka, and my newest child, and the youngest of them all, Imelda lives in Mexico. With one exception, i have always sponsored little girls mostly from third world countries. (My little boy, Louis Buck Elk, is a Native American from South Dakota, and i imagine he has grown into a wonderful young man by now. ) I have always been drawn to India, and have always felt sad about the mindset of some people in very poor countries and how they view girl children. I have read and have been told-"A son is a blessing to the family and a girl is a burden." So this is my attempt to try to lend a helping hand and make a bit of a difference in those little girl's lives. Anyway, after spending the day with my daughters and granddaughter, I came home to 2 new letters from India. I thought you might like to see what these sponsorship letters are like. First you get a letter, hand written by the child or a spokesperson for that child in their own language. Sometimes it is a parent(if they can write) and sometimes it is a field worker or a sibling writing in behalf of the child. Then you get the translated letter to read. Sometimes the child will include a drawing as a little gift. I love it when i get a drawing!

Here is my favorite drawing of all from Nisansala in Sri Lanka

The first letter i read today was Km Neeta's letter. Here is the original letter handwritten in her language:
and here is the translation: (I had to retype this as i could not get it to scan big enough to read..It is typed exactly as it is written.)

Dear Ms. Robinson,

Greetings,

I am quite fine here with my family members and pray to God for your happy and peaceful life. I am very glad to receive your nice 1 card/note and stickers. My Family members and i hearty convey you thanks for your nice card/note and stickers. I liked your nice card and stickers very much. It is not talk about Valentine Day in my village.

The Summer has set in here. Some times it does fall rain, with fast wind here and temperature becomes very below. Farmers are reaping and thrashing their crops. It is not sown any seeds during the summer. Several people of my village go to do work of wage in stone mine and digging community pool.

I go to school every day. Now my school runs 7 AM to 12 PM during these days. My annual examination will convene in May.

My family members and i once again convey you thanks and wish for your happy, healthy and peaceful life. Your sponsored child, Km Neeta

This is Km Neeta and her Parents in front of their home. As i receive more photos and letters i will share them with you in hopes that maybe someday, someone else's heart will open up to a child who needs a little help, somewhere else in the world.