Patrick O'Connell

Saying Good-Bye to Harriet Nsiimire

Sad news...

For the past couple of years my family and I have been sponsoring Harriet Nsiimire in Uganda through World Vision. Last month we received a letter from World Vision with the following language: "The World Vision office in Uganda notified us that Harriet and her family moved away from the community where World Vision sponsorship assistance is provided."

Because of the chaos of the move to KC and the forwarding of our mail, we have only now opened the letter and realized that Harriet has left the program. We are really saddened to hear the news.

I pray that Harriet and her family are well and that this is all for their best. We have been so enriched as a result of Harriet. Even though we never met Harriet, we've corresponded with her. Once she sent us a Christmas card on which she'd drawn animals. My children would sit down and write letters back to her. It's like she was one of the family.

We will find another child to sponsor. But it will be awhile before our heart mends.

God be with you Harriet, wherever you are...

Thank You Letter From A. Rajapandi

We received a thank you letter from Rajapandi this week. He thanked us for the $25.00 dollars we sent him for Christmas. I wish we could send more but Compassion has limitations on these sort of gifts.

Raja writes:

Dear Aunty and Uncle:

Greetings in the sweet name of Jesus Christ. Here myself and my family members are well. I wish the same with you. I received your gift money. Thank you very much. I bought a steel cot for the money sent by you. Noe I sleep on the cot. Whenever I go to my bed I remember you. Thank you for the kind help. My family members are also very happy. I pray for you. May God bless you.

With Love, A Rajapandi

Rajapandi's letter really puts the spending fast into perspective for us.

Letter from Nsiimie Harriet dated August 2006

We recently received this letter from Nsiimie Harriet, our sponsored child in Uganda. The letter is dated August 28th.

Dear Declan,

How are you and how is your family doing? As for me and my family we are doing well. Am happy to hear that you loved my pictures. I looked at yours too. They are beautiful. I also like to draw. It had been hot here in Uganda and our crops are being affected. In your letter you asked me if I like animals. Yes, I like them. I see many animals where I live. These include cows, goats, sheep, pigs, chicken and so many birds. It's really nice to see animals.

I also enjoy playing hide and seek. What is baseball? In my  country we do not play baseball. The boys play football only. All my people send you greetings. Thank you for all of your help and may God bless you. Stay well.

Your friend, Nsiimie Harriet

At the bottom of the page, she drew several beautiful stick figures entering and leaving a house.

Bailie's letter to A Rajapandi

This is the letter my daughter Bailie is sending our sponsored child A. Rajapandi. We have been in correspondence with him since the spring of 2005. I plan on adding to this blog all of the letters he's sent us.

Hello A. Rajapandi:

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ. I was very happy to hear that you and your family members are well. My family sends you greetings as well. By the time you receive this letter you will have celebrated your 9th birthday. Happy Birthday! Great job on your half year examination. We are just finishing our summer season. Our summer was very hot also. In American we have yearly grades. We have 1st grade, 2nd grade and so on up to 12th grade and then we go to college for four years. I am going into six grade. I am switching schools this year to middle school (6th-8th grade). I am a little nervous. I am going to meet a lot of new friends. Well, keep working on your studies and tell your family we send them our love. We will continue to pray for you as we ask you to pray for us.

Blessings.

Bailie

She also included a passage: No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us (1 John 4:12).

Spirng letter from A Rajapandi

We received a letter from our sponsored child, A. Rajapandi, earlier this month. The letter is dated, 5/12/05. I want to begin recording our correspondence. I will tell you more about him in a future post.

Dear Uncle and Aunty (he often refers to us by different titles):

Greetings in the sweet name of Jesus Christ. I am well here. My family members  are also well. How are you. How are brothers and sisters> I got 5th rank in my half-yearly examinations. In our centre we celebrated Easter Festival. A flower show was conducted in our centre. It was very beautiful. A Bible test was conducted in our centre. I got a prize. A retreat was conducted in our centre. I learnt new songs, stories, and verses. Now here it is summer season. The weather is too hot. I pray for you.

With Love,

A. Rajapandi