Writer. Contributing Editor at The Discarded Image. Digital Content Strategist. Here's where I publicly explore the books I'm reading, the projects I'm working on, and other current interests. Another family member to be thankful for
Last month, Brandon and I learned that Yonas, the boy in Ethiopia we had been sponsoring for the last 9 years through Compassion International, had left the program. He is 16, needs to work to help provide for his family, and hasn’t done well in school, so he opted out of the program against the advice of his local support advocates. The news was harder to take that we anticipated. After praying for and writing to this little boy for so long, he really had become a member of our family, albeit one we never met in person. Compassion promised to assign us a new child right away. Within days, we had a photo and brief description of Vilnette, a six-year-old Haitian girl with black, serious eyes.
Thanksgiving Day seems an appropriate time to write a letter of introduction to our new sponsored child. Here is what I’ll be mailing tomorrow:
Dear Vilnette,
We’re so happy to become your sponsors! For many years we sponsored a boy named Yonas in Ethiopia. He has grown up, so we get to sponsor you now!
Compassion has told us a bit about you. We want to tell you about us, too. We live in the U.S. in Pennsylvania, where there are lots of deer, squirrels, and tall trees that stay green even in winter. It’s winter here now, and we had our first snowfall of the season yesterday. Now everything is covered in white, and it is cold.
Like you, we enjoy listening to music. We also love to read, cook, take walks through our neighborhood, and spend time with our friends. We are both writers, and Mr. Withrow is also a student in graduate school. He is preparing to become a college professor. We don’t have any children, but we have eight nieces and nephews that we love to play with. There are lots of kids your age at the church where we worship God on Sundays.
Both of us have been Christians since we were little. Our parents raised us to love Jesus and to trust him to forgive our sins. We are already praying that you love Jesus, too!
Compassion gave us a beautiful photo of you, so we’re sending you a picture of us to keep, too. When you look at it, remember that we love you. We know God has a special plan for your life, Vilnette.
We will write to you again soon. Until then, goodbye.
With our love,
Mr. and Mrs. Withrow
On this Thanksgiving, welcome to the family, Vilnette!
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