Frequently Asked Questions About Writing to Your Sponsored Child

We recommend writing two to six times a year. Wondering when to time your notes? Consider setting a reminder to write a few months before special occasions, like Christmas or their birthday.

Your messages are typically delivered to Compassion centers on a monthly basis. If you write to your sponsored child more than monthly, your messages could be delivered all at once. All those notes will deliver so much encouragement! But just know that your sponsored child may respond to several of your notes at a time by sending a single letter back.

You’ll receive at least two communications a year or up to six if you write more often. You’ll also receive an updated photo of your sponsored child at least once every two years.

Messages are incredibly important, but they’re just one part of our holistic program. The range of two to six child notes per year helps Compassion prioritize time and resources in two main ways:

• Children have time to enjoy other activities at their Compassion centers.
• Staff and volunteers can keep up with translating and delivering messages.

Sometimes, special circumstances can slow message processing or photo updates for a season. During these seasons, your prayers and messages for your sponsored child show that you care and are thinking of them.

We ask that all communications (whether digital or in print) go through Compassion to ensure the protection of you and your sponsored child. Read more about Compassion’s high child protection standards.

Online messages go directly to the national Compassion office in your sponsored child’s country, and physical messages sent to Compassion headquarters are scanned and then sent digitally. The national office then processes and translates the message into your sponsored child’s language. The national office either forwards the message to the child development center digitally or prints and physically delivers them. Learn more about everything that happens when you send a letter to the child you sponsor.

Whether they’re short or long, the messages you write to your sponsored child can provide life-changing encouragement. Many graduates of our program say they keep their sponsors’ messages in a safe place and reread them whenever they need inspiration. Read 18 reasons to write a message to your sponsored child.

While we do everything possible to ensure the letter delivery process is smooth for you and your sponsored child, mistakes happen when processing millions of letters each year. If you received a message that wasn’t translated or have difficulty viewing it online, contact us online or by calling 800-336-7676 from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. MT Monday through Friday.

Here are the most common reasons:

• We can’t figure out who sent the message. If you write a physical note, please use the Compassion stationery you receive in the mail if possible because it includes the names and Compassion ID numbers of you and your sponsored child. If you use your own stationery or send any other items like photos or coloring pages, always include your name and supporter number as well as your sponsored child’s name and child number.
• The letter may have included personal information or inappropriate language or content. We reserve the right to decline to forward any messages, photos or materials that do not meet guidelines or child protection standards. If your message does not meet child protection standards, we will notify you. See the Writing Topics and Guidelines section for details about what to share and not share.

You can send a message and photos to your sponsored child through Compassion’s online writing tool by logging into My Account. Or you can send a message and photos with Compassion’s mobile app by downloading it from the App Store (for Apple devices) or Google Play (for Android devices).

No. We realize that social media is a common way to communicate in our culture and possibly the culture of your sponsored child. But we cannot appropriately protect your sponsored child if we don’t facilitate all correspondence. We have a responsibility to protect children from sponsors who don’t have the children’s best interests in mind and to safeguard privacy for the child and their sponsor. So we ask that:

• All communications go through Compassion.
• You don’t accept friend requests from your sponsored child or anyone claiming to know them.
• You don’t attempt to find your sponsored child or their family on social media.

Read more about our high child protection standards. We know these boundaries can be frustrating for some, but please know the notes you send through Compassion bring so much encouragement. Using My Account or the Compassion app is the quickest, most convenient way to communicate with your sponsored child.

You’ll receive your first message within 180 days but usually much faster! Occasionally it could be longer if special circumstances occur, such as natural disasters, conflicts or technology delays in your sponsored child’s country.

• While you wait, you can share words of hope with your sponsored child by sending a message to them. It doesn’t have to be long to make an impact!
• Your sponsored child will find out you sponsored them within two to three weeks of your first contribution. So remember that, even if you don’t get a message from them right away, they know your name and that you chose them!
• Pray for your sponsored child. You can use this prayer guide to get ideas for how to pray.

Messages vary with a child’s age, personality, literacy level, culture and teachers. But all letters will give you a valuable opportunity to learn about your sponsored child and see their skills grow. Here are possibilities for what their messages will be like:

Personal: Some young people pour out their hearts in messages to their sponsors, gushing about their gratitude and sharing their hopes and dreams. The level of emotion varies based on writing skills and cultural norms. Each child’s unique personality also influences the way they write, so consider reading their messages as a chance to get to know them.

Templated: Some children, especially the youngest ones, follow templates to write messages at their Compassion centers. Teachers often write a list of suggestions or samples on the board to help the kids with their letters as they learn literacy skills. These suggestions can often make the child's messages sound scripted or unoriginal. Even so, your sponsored child still shares about themselves through those templates. Treasure every bit of what you learn! You might even consider keeping a journal about your sponsored child to help you remember those details.

Simple: Some children might find it hard to open up to someone they’ve never met in person. Some enjoy writing to their sponsors while others might be thinking about the playground outside their center. Some children live in cultures that are more reserved about expressing emotions than you may be used to. Whatever you receive from them, whether a drawing or in words, shows they’re thinking of you. Celebrate moments of connection no matter how big or small!

Thank-yous: If you send a birthday gift, family gift, center gift or other type of monetary blessing, your sponsored child may write to tell you how much they appreciated it and what it was used for. Read frequently asked questions about giving gifts.

Photo updates: The staff at your sponsored child’s Compassion center may include a candid photo of your sponsored child with a caption by a volunteer or tutor. This gives you an authentic snapshot of the valuable moments church partners see when your sponsored child comes to the center.

We hope you’ll continue to find joy in learning about your sponsored child through their letters and sharing God’s love with them. The words of encouragement you offer are truly life-changing for a child in poverty.

We don’t currently have the ability to inform sponsors each time their messages reach their sponsored children. But rest assured that Compassion values your letters and takes special care to deliver them. Learn about the journey of a letter!

By default, you’ll receive a printed copy of your sponsored child’s scanned letter. You’ll also always have access to messages in My Account and on the Compassion app. You can choose to receive messages by email, app, mail or all three! Log in to My Account, select Communication Preferences, and then, on the navigation bar, select Child Letters to change how you receive messages.

There are a few reasons that someone might write on your sponsored child’s behalf:

• The child may be too young to write, so a caregiver or tutor may write on their behalf.
• Since they only have one piece of stationery, your sponsored child might ask a tutor to rewrite their words in tidier handwriting.
• If a child doesn’t feel confident in their writing skills yet, they might dictate their words to a tutor.

• Learn more about the people who help children write to you.

Each person responds to conflict or distressing experiences differently. Some children may need some time to feel comfortable sharing about their experiences while others may choose to process their experiences in a different way — perhaps with their parents, their pastor, a frontline church partner staff member or another trusted adult. Like you, we respect a child's right to share their experiences with whomever they choose.

Even if your sponsored child doesn't share about their experiences with you, you play a valuable role in helping them feel known and loved through your messages. And know that we’re committed to ensuring that children in our program receive age-appropriate support to heal from any form of trauma they experience.

• Many children don't grasp the concept of "conversations" through written notes.
• Your sponsored child might not have your message handy when they’re writing a reply.
• Or maybe they’re just a little forgetful — they are kids after all!

We recommend limiting the questions you ask to one per message. Asking a question shows you care about them, but it doesn’t make them feel overwhelmed about answering a lot.

Think of communicating with your sponsored child less like a pen pal relationship and more like an encourager relationship. You might be one of the biggest encouragers in their life!

Your sponsored child might use multiple spellings of their first name or a nickname (which might be written in various ways depending on their culture). Or it could be a typo in processing or records.

You play the important role of encourager to your sponsored child. Even if you send only a short message, your words provide hope. Use these writing ideas to get started, but overall:

• Send photos with captions! Children love seeing them.
• Share a Bible verse that encourages you. (If your sponsored child lives in Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, read these FAQs by logging into My Account.)
• Talk about what God has been teaching you lately.
• Sign your first name only, just like your sponsored child does.

In all sponsor-child communication, we prioritize protecting children. So we screen all messages with our high child protection standards in mind. Your message may not be delivered if it includes the following content:

• Personal contact information, like your full name, home address, email, phone number or social media profiles.
• Suggestions that your sponsored child comes to visit or live with you.
• Promises that you will send a particular gift.
• QR codes, website links or YouTube recommendations.
• Unnecessary references or descriptions of violence and war.
• Inappropriate use of nicknames like “my love” or “darling” or any other overly affectionate expressions of love toward your sponsored child.
• Possessive language about the child, like saying they are your son or daughter or you are their mom or dad.
• Medical advice.
• Criticism of the child for not smiling in their photos. Many children want to seem like they are taking the program seriously and not goofing around.
• Criticism of the child for not answering your questions.
• Negative comments about the child’s school performance.
• Negative comments about the child’s country.
• Anything that could threaten the safety of the child.
• Discussion of sexuality or sex-related topics. Compassion does not believe it is the sponsor’s role to discuss these topics; it is the role and responsibility of the child’s parent or caregiver.
• Political campaign items.
• Items and gifts aside from flat paper gifts and stickers.
• Inappropriate photos.
• If you sponsor a child in Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, learn more about our protection guidelines by logging into My Account.

You’re always welcome to send photos with your notes. Your sponsored child will love seeing you and photos of your life just as much as you love seeing photos of them! Here are some tips:

• Send photos of you and your family, you in a beautiful area of your city, interesting places you’ve been or yourself with your favorite food. Find more ideas here.
• You could take a photo holding your sponsored child’s photo to make a connection.
• Include captions in your message that explain what’s shown in the photos.
• You can easily attach photos to your digital messages in the Compassion app or My Account online writing tool.
• If you send a photo in the mail, include your sponsor ID and your sponsored child’s name and ID on the back.

Yes. We are a Christ-centered, church-based ministry, and we encourage you to discuss faith with your sponsored child.* Your messages to your sponsored child offer an opportunity for them to hear the gospel and demonstrate faith in action.

Just remember that a child does not have to be Christian to participate in or benefit from our program. Each child has the opportunity to hear the gospel in an age-appropriate and culturally relevant way. But neither the children nor their families are obligated to become Christians. So please talk about faith in terms of how Jesus has changed your life and why the gospel is important rather than pressuring them to accept Christ.

*If your sponsored child lives in Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, learn about special writing guidelines.

When you’re going through a difficult season, you can share about it with your sponsored child. Honesty and openness invite a child to a deeper, more personal connection with you. It’s best to keep your explanations of your hardship free of idioms that might not translate well, like “passed away,” and don’t go into too many details.

For example, you might simply state, "My mother died" or "Susan and I are getting divorced," rather than explaining the details or using indirect expressions.

Because your sponsored child's perspective is different from yours because of culture, age and personal experiences, he or she might not ask additional questions. But they care about you, and they’ll likely pray for you if you ask them to!

Discussing personal issues like illness, mental health or trauma with your sponsored child and their family requires extra sensitivity. Many cultures have stigmas or different norms when it comes to health matters.

If you’re uncertain whether to ask a sensitive question about your sponsored child’s well-being, it might be best to not ask it. Instead, you might write out a prayer for your sponsored child’s general health and share a Scripture about God protecting our minds and bodies.

Speak to your sponsored child honestly and clearly. Going into detail about why you can’t continue the sponsorship is unnecessary. Instead, focus on the positive aspects of the connection the two of you built. For example, you may write about:

• What you enjoyed most about sponsoring them.
• How you grew stronger in your faith or as a person.
• What you learned from your sponsored child — about their country, culture or even about yourself.
• How proud you are of them.
• How you will continue praying for them.

Yes, they need encouragement too! Many families read messages from their child’s sponsor together — especially if the child is younger or a toddler. Make sure to convey your respect for the caregiver and how hard they work to raise their child. For example, you might say:

• You’re doing an excellent job raising (child’s name).
• May God continue to give you wisdom in your parenting decisions.
• I pray for Jesus to bless your entire family!

Members of your group can take turns writing to your sponsored child. To make it less confusing to the child, please explain that you’re taking turns, and pick one person to sign the message. For example:

“My friend Sarah wrote this message. We’re part of the same youth group. I hope you’re doing well! — Your name”

To write multiple messages to the same child, it’s OK to make copies of the stationery we send. But remember, each barcode is unique to each child, so don’t mix them up if you write to multiple children.

If you use your own stationery or paper, remember to write the sponsor ID of the person who has the account.

Attn Correspondence Dept
Compassion International
Colorado Springs, CO 80997-0004

• Include your sponsor ID and your sponsored child’s ID on every piece of paper you send.
• Put your full name and return address on the envelope.
• Use stationery provided by Compassion for quicker processing.

No. Even if you can write in the child’s native language, please don’t write in the section for translation. Writing or drawing in that location will delay delivery of your message and make the translator’s job more difficult. If you need more space for your message, you can always add another sheet of stationery. Keeping everything organized helps the message get to your sponsored child sooner!

Yes! Please organize your communications and label everything with each child’s name and ID number. Paper clips are fine, but please avoid staples because we scan papers one sheet at a time.

We aren’t able to send packages to children in our program because of time and financial stewardship. We know sending larger items to your sponsored child would be special, but it’s not possible with our mail system.

Instead, learn about different monetary gifts you can send to your sponsored child, their family or their center by logging into My Account.

When you give a monetary gift using My Account, you’re helping support your sponsored child’s local economy, and you’re ensuring your giving has the biggest impact. The staff at your sponsored child’s Compassion center work with their family to decide how your gift will best be spent. They’ll also likely write a thank-you note so you can hear how they used your gift!

Yes. Children love photos and other paper items such as stickers, pop-up cards or bookmarks. Here are important limitations on what you can send. Follow these guidelines to reduce strain on our staff and ensure your sponsored child receives your items:

• The paper item must be no larger than 8.5-by-11-inches.
• You can send up to six sheets of paper per mailing.
• In the case of coloring pages or other items that stay the same when scanned, our staff scans and delivers it electronically.
• Because of how our digital delivery system works, your flat paper items must accompany a written note. Your message could be as simple as “God loves you, and I’m praying for you!” This goes for Compassion birthday cards and Christmas stationery as well. Always put your personal touch on everything you send.
• Write your sponsor ID and your sponsored child’s name and ID on the back of each paper item you send.

Items may not arrive at the same time as your message.

No, but remember that a person in your child’s country will have to translate it. They are highly trained, but to make their job easier, here are some tips:

• Write clearly.
• Write with ink that will be dark enough to read after being scanned. Light pencil or yellow pen ink are typically too faint to process and read.

Yes! However, the bar codes on the stationery are unique to each child. If you write to multiple children, be careful to use the correct stationery.

This can be a great way to include family members who want to write. You can also use your own paper for extra sheets.

No. You always need to include some sort of message on anything you send to your sponsored child. It can be a quick Bible verse or simple sentence like, “Jesus loves you!” If you don’t include a message on the cards or stationery we send — even if they may already include a message from Compassion to your sponsored child — we won’t be able to deliver them.