Snippets of the children's letters to their CEF sponsors....

We never know what a child will write in their letters to their CEF sponsors. Sometimes they are full of practical details about school, sometimes very brief to thank the sponsor and sometimes sad, and occasionally very expressive. Their letters sometimes help us to understand the children and their situations better. Here are two very different letters; one sad, expressing the sadness she still feels since her father's death three years ago and the need for house repairs, and the other describing the joy of experiencing the summer rain.

I’m writing this letter to thank you for your help.

My family used to be happy although poor because there were my parents, my grandparents, my sister, my brother and I. Unfortunately, we aren’t as happy as before since my father died; all  my family’s burden is on my mother’s shoulders. My mother is the only person who can cover the costs for everything for my family as well as care for my grandparents. Therefore, I haven’t seen a smile on my mother’s face for some time; I love my mother so much. 

In the rainy season my family is very sad because my house which my parents saved money to build is leaking and the walls are cracking. There is one small room which isn’t leaking; my mother uses that room for my grandparents to live in. Therefore, she covers our bed with plastic. I wish my house wasn’t leaking and it was stable. 

I am writing this letter to thank you for your help. I would like to tell you about my summer vacation.As you know, I live in pagoda so I didn’t go out with friends in the summer vacation. I just stayed at pagoda and studied Buddhism. When I stayed here I really enjoyed the summer rain. Before the rain came, the sky was dark and cloudy, plus windy. Rain came quickly; everyone didn’t think it would come so quickly as it did. It started with a little rain, and then it was pouring. The street was full of water and the chickens found shelter. Hour after hour the rain came and went, then the rain stopped, then the sky was getting brighter. There was a rainbow, birds came and sang, trees seemed to smile as they were watered. I really love rain because it becomes cooler on hot summer days. It also made me happy.