"We often don’t know our sponsored children very well, but we want our letters to have a personal feel. I've found that explaining about ourselves is a great way to start letters and build relationships. Try answering these questions about yourself and current events. Expand as much as space permits."
Your Family
What are your closest family members like?
What happens when your extended family gets together?
What do you believe is God’s purpose for your family?
What is your biggest challenge as a family?
How has God been faithful to your family?
What prayers has God answered in your family?
Who else in your family knows Jesus? How did they come to know Him?
What’s your favorite thing about your family?
In what way does your family work together best?
What role has your family played in your faith journey?
Current Events
What’s something significant occurring in your town or region right now?
How are you praying about a significant event in your child’s country or region?
What does the Bible say in relation to a current event that concerns you?
How do you overcome anxiety when facing worrisome events?
What goals have you set for yourself? How much progress have you made?
What news has recently made you happy?
How has a recent event impacted your faith?
How does your life fit into a larger trend or situation in your area?
What role has your church played in an area event?
Why do you care about what’s happening around you?
What are your closest family members like?
What happens when your extended family gets together?
What do you believe is God’s purpose for your family?
What is your biggest challenge as a family?
How has God been faithful to your family?
What prayers has God answered in your family?
Who else in your family knows Jesus? How did they come to know Him?
What’s your favorite thing about your family?
In what way does your family work together best?
What role has your family played in your faith journey?
Current Events
What’s something significant occurring in your town or region right now?
How are you praying about a significant event in your child’s country or region?
What does the Bible say in relation to a current event that concerns you?
How do you overcome anxiety when facing worrisome events?
What goals have you set for yourself? How much progress have you made?
What news has recently made you happy?
How has a recent event impacted your faith?
How does your life fit into a larger trend or situation in your area?
What role has your church played in an area event?
Why do you care about what’s happening around you?
Our own personal advice
Things to Avoid.
Promises, if at all avoid making promises. As much as a promise might help you make them feel better if broke the promise becomes a lie. A couple easy promises to make might be "I will always be here for you"
or "I promise I will come visit." We might want these things to happen but life can get in the way.
A better way to put a promise is to say "I want to be there for you as long as possible" or I would love to visit you if I can".
Please avoid talking about items or possessions as much as possible. Consumerism isn't such a big drive here with our kids and it would be helpful to keep it that way for a while. It is okay to say I got a video game for Christmas, or we bought a car or a house without it creating a lustful desire for the kids to have it to. I find the less descriptive you are on the idea it is less attractive and more just information. If you go into how big, how fancy how expensive and colors then you start painting a picture they might wish for.
Children here like moto's or scooters, and cell phone, that is what is in most advertisements.
It would be okay to share I got a computer or a new phone with out letting the child know it's the new iPhone.
Avoid fully encouraging a child's wishes if they unnatural or unrealistic or contrary to what the orphanage goals might be.
For example if the child says they want to come visit you.
You might say you wish they could but it might be hard for that to happen, maybe one day when you'r an adult, possibly.
The child might ask you to please adopt them or send them money.
You might remind them that the orphanage does not adopt our children out.
You might let them know that you do send money to the church for them.
If the child says "I wish you can visit me" in a every letter.
You might say I wish I could, or I wish I could but I can't. Also in the future you might just not respond
to a wish you've already responded to.
Many of these issues we we share with the children what is possible and what is not. Also what they can ask for and how many times they might ask for it. Also for them to learn "no means no". The child's wish might be to see you, but it doesn't need to be said every time and they need to understand many sponsors may not visit for what ever reason.
Lastly to a thing to avoid is a risky picture of you son or daughter. The kids eat up every speck of a picture they love pictures a lot. But I have also watched a boy drool over a picture as well. If you don't want a stranger lusting after you child or you you have to be sure the photo is appropriate.
Obviously no swim suits ;) Remember it is not only your sponsored child looking at the photos but all the children. You might send a very nice photo of your daughter to an older sponsored girl here but know the boys will see it to because they share them with each other.
Hopefully these ideas help a little.
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