Playing Mailman

I posted this story on the Interlink blog, but it was a story that I wanted to share with those of you that don't read that blog.  It shares my experience as children received letters from sponsors and friends last weekend at Savva orphanage. 

Last Saturday evening I got to play mailman at Savva orphanage.  This is a task that I dread and love at the same time.  Every first Saturday of the month we go from group to group at Savva orphanage.  As we walk in, the children eye the box that we carry our letters in.  No matter what other announcements we have for them, their eyes often stay glued to the person opening the letter box.  I liken their anticipation to the excitement of a child on Christmas morning.  On Saturday, as I read off the names of the children receiving letters, you could see their faces light up.  It was such a joy to see how important one small piece of paper or a picture of their sponsor is to them.  



It is the moment after we finish handing out letters that I dread each month.  You can visibly see the faces of those children that did not receive a letter cloud over.  It is especially hard when they have never received a letter.  Those that have received a letter before understand that it takes time for letters to get back and forth.   Those that have never received a letter often have some of their deepest fears confirmed - I am not special, no one wants to be my sponsor, no one cares.  It is hard to read these reactions on their faces and answer questions like "I have written 5 letters in the last six months to my sponsor, why haven't they written back?"


On Sunday I had one girl sit down with me and show me her photo albums.  She showed me a picture of her sponsors and told me their names.  They probably didn't realize it when sending the picture, but that picture is in an album that holds all of her precious memories.  These children read the letters over and over, show them to their friends, memorize the details, and keep them to read again later. 

Although answering questions about why a child hasn't received a letter is very difficult, the joy on a child's face when receiving a letter reminds me why we do it.