A Final Letter to My Sponsored Child

For the past ten years, I have sponsored a child from India through Compassion International.

His name is Leelakumar.

For a decade – over half his life – I have supported the work of Compassion International in India. Thanks to their efforts, Leelakumar and others like him have attended school, received medical care, had nutritious meals, and have learned about Jesus.

Leelakumar is now grown. I began writing to him when he was 8, and soon he will be 19. It has been a joy to learn more about him and his family, and a blessing to watch him grow both physically and in his knowledge of the Lord.

This year Compassion International was forced to stop all operations in India. After 48 years of faithful service to the most vulnerable children in India, new regulations have forced out thousands of faith-based and other charities.

And so it came to be that I wrote what will be my final letter to Leelakumar.

What do you say as a final word to someone whom you have never met, but have prayed for and watched grow from the other side of the world for ten years?

I wanted to give him a sense of hope, encourage him to rely on God, and leave him with some Biblical wisdom that could stick with him throughout his life.

Here’s what I wrote.

Leelakumar –

It is with both joy and sorrow that I write you this letter. Joy that I have been blessed to correspond with you for so many years and joy to have watched you grow from a young boy into a man.

I am sorrowful at hearing the news that Compassion is being forced to stop operating in India. It pains me to think that so many children will not benefit from the same programs that you had, and that they will be unable to develop relationships with loving sponsors.

But our God is greater than our sorrow! He is in control of all things, and even though we may not understand, we can be certain that He is working out all things for our good and for His glory.

My prayer is that you will always look to Jesus and the Bible for strength, comfort, and guidance in this world. Remember, in Scripture we do not simply have words about God, but words from God!

Look to Him in all things and He will direct your path. We may not be able to know what the future holds, but we can be confident knowing Him who holds the future.

May your love for the Savior and your knowledge of Him increase. I pray for the well-being of you and your family. Love, serve, and honor them, and in so doing you will be loving, serving, and honoring Jesus Christ.

Seek to glorify God in all you do, and pay close attention to the opportunities He gives you to share His love with others. Always be prepared to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those He puts in your life. It is the Good News that we can be forgiven of our sins and reconciled to God – not by our works – but by the finished work of Jesus, who died for us on the cross.

Thank you for enriching my life with your letters over these past ten years. I am proud of you, and will always remain your loving Uncle,

Clay
Romans 12:12


Please consider sponsoring a child through Compassion International. For $38 a month you can personally invest in the life of a child in need. As a sponsor, you enable your sponsored child to participate in a church-based program that offers life-changing benefits including help with:

  • Education
  • Health care
  • Social skills development
  • Christian training

Sponsoring Leelakumar has been a blessing. I am thankful to have had the unique opportunity to be in touch with the same child for ten years. I hope that sharing my final letter with him will encourage some to join Compassion in releasing a child from poverty in Jesus’ name.

You can also advocate on behalf of Compassion International’s work in India by contacting your legislators.

 
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