Letters to Purity

I emailed a letter to the young girl I sponsor, Purity, at the beginning of October. I didn't want her to wait to hear from me until I got 'my stuff together' so I sent her a quick introduction and some pictures of me. Compassion has this set up online so that you can pick out a cute template, write a little letter, attached pictures and just hit 'SEND.' Super easy.

Because it can take a while for a letter to reach her in Kenya, I really wanted to get something for Christmas in the mail to her. So yesterday I mailed my first real letter.

Inside the Christmas card, I wrote some encouragement for her and her family. I drew some flowers for her to color, cut out a snowflake, made a personalized word search with some very simple English words she might recognize since she's part of the Compassion program, included photos of my cats and a paper bracelet. I really wanted to send a bracelet to her but read that nothing but paper or things that are laminated are allowed through customs. I really hope the bracelet will go through!

Here's how I made it:

• measure a strip of paper long enough to go around your wrist
• draw/write whatever you want on it
• laminate it with the simple laminating sheets you can purchase at the store
• on the right end, cut a slit about 3/4 of the way upward into the bracelet
• on the left end, cut three slits about 3/4 of the way downward into the bracelet (this will allow for adjustment of size) ta-da!

This bottom photo shows how it connects, although if you connect them "inside" the same way then the edges won't show.

I included the photos so she'll know it's a bracelet because otherwise it really just looks like a bookmark since I mail it "unattached" and flat.

A few friends, who either already sponsor a kid'o or are considering it, are talking about getting together once a month for a "letter writing" party to encourage them. I hope we can meet up, write letters, swap stickers and stuff, and pray for these children. How exciting!