We have a pen pal :)

Every year, Sydney helps me fix a shoebox or two for our church to send to Operation Christmas Child/Samaritans Purse. The boxes are packed with school supplies, toiletry items and toys and are sent to children in 3rd world countries around the world. When the shoeboxes are given out, the child will receive information about Jesus as well! These shoeboxes are often all the children receives for Christmas!

We received a letter in the mail last week from West Africa! A girl in Burkina Faso, Africa received our shoebox and wrote to us! Her name is Pauswende and she is 13 years old. She says that her name means "pray God" in her native language and she enjoys playing and helping her mother cook. She also gave her address so we could write back to her!



I think it's amazing that we are able to send these to children all over the world! (Last year, we received a letter from a girl in Jamaica!) It's also hard to believe that a letter from Africa can arrive here and not get lost in the mail!!

It's a good experience for Sydney too...she remembers fixing those shoeboxes and when we get letters like this, she can understand that we helped this girl in a small way! She's already asked about fixing another shoebox :)

We'll be sending a letter back to her very soon!