Playing Mailman

Posted by Sara Coggins, Kids Connection Manager

Last Saturday evening I got to play mailman at Savva orphanage.  This is a task that I dread and love at the same time.  Every first Saturday of the month we go from group to group at Savva orphanage.  As we walk in, the children eye the box that we carry our letters in.  No matter what other announcements we have for them, their eyes often stay glued to the person opening the letter box.  I liken their anticipation to the excitement of a child on Christmas morning.  On Saturday, as I read off the names of the children receiving letters, you could see their faces light up.  It was such a joy to see how important one small piece of paper or a picture of their sponsor is to them.  

It is the moment after we finish handing out letters that I dread each month.  You can visibly see the faces of those children that did not receive a letter cloud over.  It is especially hard when they have never received a letter.  Those that have received a letter before understand that it takes time for letters to get back and forth.   Those that have never received a letter often have some of their deepest fears confirmed - I am not special, no one wants to be my sponsor, no one cares.  It is hard to read these reactions on their faces and answer questions like "I have written 5 letters in the last six months to my sponsor, why haven't they written back?" 

The great thing is that children quickly forget.  On Sunday one of the girls was telling me that she thought she didn't have a sponsor because she had not received a letter.  When we told her that she did in fact have a sponsor, her face lit up and she was thrilled.  Just knowing that someone cares enough to sponsor her made a difference. 

Thank you to all of our sponsors.   Your letters and pictures mean the world to your children even if they don't do a good job expressing that to you.  Thank you for showing them that someone cares just for them.