Why are my Letters Important?

Letter writing is your opportunity to hear firsthand about the benefits your sponsorship provides. It allows you to form a close relationship with your child and foster his or her growth. Through letters, you can follow your child's progress through the years, share prayer requests, and form a lasting bond.

Letters are also an important part of your child's development. Letter writing improves children's basic literacy skills, their self-awareness and their ability to put thoughts and feelings into words.

How Often Should I Write?

You may write your sponsored child as often as you like. Whether you write once or several times a year, your sponsored child benefits from knowing that you care.

For your convenience, Compassion sends Christmas and birthday cards you can fill out and return to our office. It's a simple way to send a personal greeting on these special occasions. With your first letter, we recommend you send a photograph.

What Should I Write About?

You may write about you and your family, hobbies and sports, your work, your church or your school. You may also discuss your relationship with God, explain special customs for holidays or describe the area where you live. Don't forget to include encouraging words. With your first letter, we recommend you send a photograph.

The key to writing a good letter is to keep it simple and write about things your child can understand. To make translating easier, avoid using colloquialisms and slang. Please, print your letter and keep it to one page.

You can also enclose small paper items such as postcards, greeting cards, bookmarks, stamps, stickers, pages from colouring books and photos. Items other than paper cannot be sent because of customs restrictions.

Please, avoid discussing (or sending pictures of) your material possessions, as this will only accentuate the differences between you and your child. To prevent disappointments, avoid suggesting that your sponsored child visit you in Canada or asking what kind of gift he or she would like. If you wish to send a gift, click here to find out how you can do so.

We also request that you do not include your address or telephone number on your letters. If you sponsor as a group, appoint one letter writer. It is less intimidating for a child to correspond with one person representing your group. Your group may write the letter together; but simply have the same person close each letter with his or her name on behalf of the group.

Where do I Send my Letters?

You may mail your letter to: Compassion Canada PO Box 5591, London ON N6A 5G8, or e-mail it through this Web page.

If you mail your letter, you can write on your own stationery or use Compassion's letter writing form.

Please, remember to include your sponsored child's name and number as well as your sponsor number on each item you send.

How Long Does it Take for a Letter to Reach my Child?

To accommodate for translation and delivery time, it usually takes at least two to three months before your sponsored child receives your letter.

Your letters go on a long journey: Every two weeks, our head office forwards the mail we receive to the appropriate country offices. When your letters arrive at their destination, they are translated in your child's mother tongue (Note that English is the language of choice to communicate with field offices, as it is most widely understood by our local translators).

Once translated, your letters are delivered to your child. Often in remote or highly transient areas, letters must be hand-delivered by a Compassion representative.

Will my Sponsored Child Write me Back?

Your child certainly will, although he or she may need assistance to write his or her thoughts. Allow your sponsored child time to develop writing skills. Most sponsored kids start to write their own letters when they reach the fourth grade. Their words come straight from the heart, and often shine with hope and simplicity.

Children with special needs and those whose schooling has started late may continue requiring the assistance of a staff member to correspond with you all through their school years. But letter writing is still an important source of encouragement for them.

You should receive two to three letters a year from your sponsored child. If you have not heard for six to eight months, please contact our office.

E-mailing a Letter to Your Sponsored Child

Click here to e-mail your letter directly to us.