Marlies & Tadeo
To sponsor children can be a rewarding experience. Within the last 27 years, my husband and I have sponsored many children. At times, it was quite a challenge to keep up with writing letters, sending pictures and small gifts because we wanted our children to feel loved. I was touched when most of them called me mum. One young boy from the Ssese Islands in Lake Victoria, Uganda, even called me “mother.” His name is Tadeo. Today he has finished his education at a university in Kampala and has a good job as art teacher in a high school. He is now married and has two cute little boys, Emmanuel and Enoch.
Tadeo was one of those children who didn’t have a chance. Both parents died of AIDS and he was left as an orphan. There was no one who felt responsible to pay for his education or meet his other needs, but somehow he survived. When he was about eight years old, the child sponsorship program was started on the Ssese Islands and he was chosen to be on the waiting list. This was the time when we became his sponsors. In the beginning, he was still very shy. It seemed like he couldn’t quite believe it that someone whom he didn’t even know was ready to accept him “as son” and love him. As time went by, he became more confident and secure and a wonderful relationship followed. The other day he even called me on the phone. We didn’t exchange too much information—this was regularly done through letters—but it was so nice to hear each other’s voice.
Even though Tadeo is already 27 years old, to him we are still “mother and dad.” In his most recent letter, he thanked us for the umpteenth time for making the difference in his life.
You can create a lasting relationship just like Marlies and Tadeo. Writing to your child means so much to them, to know someone cares and wants to know them. Here are some tips to get you started:
- How do I go about writing to my sponsored child?
- What could I write about?
- Can I send my child a gift?
You can send all communications with your child’s name and number to our address in the U.S. We will gladly forward them on to your child.
You could talk about your family, your church, your school or pets. Your child would also like to know about the area where you live and the kind of work you do. Perhaps you have an interesting experience you would like to share. Colorful pictures, photographs or picture postcards are always appreciated. It would be advisable to avoid speaking about material possessions like your home, cars or toys. Please remember your child lives in a needy environment and has been deprived of many things that we enjoy each day.
We are not able to send physical gift packages. However, we can send flat items that fit in a 6×9 envelope. This may include stickers, photos, postcards, etc. If we receive a gift from you outside these specifications, it will be donated to a local charity.
More questions? Check out our FAQs
