Over 7,000. That’s how many words the average person speaks per day. And it’s 7,000 chances — chances to encourage, speak life, give hope, build up. It’s 7,000 chances to make a difference. All it takes is a word.
No one knows this better than children. Children learn by practicing words and forming sentences. But more than anything, they learn by listening.
Turning Words Into Hope
Words have tremendous power to shape children’s lives. And that’s why we love letter writing at Compassion. Letters are words diligently strung together and formed with purpose.
If you’re a sponsor, your letters can bring life and hope.That’s why so many children keep the letters they receive from their sponsors. The letters are a powerful reminder that they’re loved and cared for by God and by you.
So we want to remind you of seven words every child needs to hear. You can use them to bring hope and love to the child you sponsor. Each one is a reminder of who God has created them to be and of all the potential for good they hold in their lives. Each one reminds them they were made for more than poverty.
“LOVE”
It’s so important for children to have someone tell them ( or write them!) that they’re loved. Love means belonging. Love means safety. These are things that children were created to crave. Love is security and the comfort that someone has their back. that they are loved. Love means belonging. Love means safety. These are things that children were made to want. Love is security and “I have your back.”
Owen, a graduate of Compassion’s sponsorship program, heard the words “I love you” for the very first time from his sponsor. And that’s what he remembers most from all the letters he received. Those are the words that helped him believe he was made for something great and that God was watching over him. You have the opportunity to speak those same powerful words to the child you sponsor!
“HOPE”
Poverty tells children there’s no point in dreaming, that there’s no way out of their suffering, and that there’s nothing more for them than poverty. Often, poverty feels like darkness — stifling, deep and absolute.
Hope is light. Hope is the strength to keep going. So in your letters, share the hope you have, a hope that ultimately finds its root in God. That’s the greatest hope we can offer.
“POSITIVE”
It’s easy to forget that positivity has power. The Bible often commands believers to build each other up. Children especially need this. And they need it over and over. Consistency is crucial.
Growing up is hard and can be discouraging. It’s a journey of figuring out who you are. Words shape that experience.
Experts say that people need to hear five positive statements to cancel out the power of one negative word. We have the chance to be that positive voice in a child’s life.
A great place to start is with, “You are …” That sentence can end with all kinds of positive words: “capable,” “smart,” “hardworking,” “loved” (OK, we already used that one. But still!). Use letters to encourage. A child won’t forget it.
“PROUD”
One of the most meaningful things I’ve ever heard is the sentence “I am proud of you.” Especially as I was growing up, hearing these words meant the world. Why? Because I, like all children, wanted to know that I was approved of and that someone else thought I was worth being proud of.
That means it’s so important to tell the child you sponsor about their qualities you’re proud of! It could be a drawing they sent, something in a story they told, moving up a grade or receiving a good test score. Or lots of other things!
Whatever it is, knowing that someone else is proud of them is going to give your sponsored child confidence and courage.
“PRESENT”
The word “present” captures the heart of what children need to know. They need to know someone is there for them.
You can let them know you’re there for them by listening. It’s hard to listen in a letter, but there are ways you can do it! Ask for updates on things they told you in their last letter. Mention what they wrote, telling them their feelings are valid and focusing on writing the truth in love. This helps the child you sponsor know you care and are “listening” to them.
But one of the greatest things you can do is remind them that God is present with them. You may not be right there next to your sponsored child, but God is. This is one of the most powerful and healing truths of the gospel. And we have the opportunity to shower that truth into the lives of the children we write to.
“WORTHY"
This word goes hand in hand with the concept of dignity, which is another thing that poverty tries to rob children of. Like a lot of the words on this list, “worthy” is an identity word, and it has an opposite. Poverty tells children they are unworthy — unworthy of love, hope, people who care or even a future (does this sound familiar?).
Dignity allows a child to fight these lies and believe they are worthy of all the things God has for them. Dignity is where the journey into freedom from poverty begins. And you can remind them that they have incredible dignity and are worthy because they’re made in the image of God and are greatly loved by him.
“SPECIAL”
Finally, children need to know they're special — special in your eyes and special in God’s. They need to know God wants them and that he created them on purpose. That means he has a specific purpose and a plan for their life.
Jesus spoke often about all the lessons adults could learn from children. Kids teach us how to trust, how to look at the world with wonder, how to have faith. Tell your sponsored child how you are learning from them, how they are an example to you and how you see beautiful purpose in their lives.
When you do this, your sponsored child will start to see themselves as God sees them: created special, with unique talents, and made worthy of all the fullness of the riches of God.
NOW WHAT?
Sponsorship is a beautiful journey, and this is just the beginning. So keep writing and finding creative ways to show your love to your sponsored child. Your letters bring life. They are treasured.
They’re also an amazing opportunity to minister God’s love, grace and truth to children who desperately need it.
