Sponsor A Child: Correspondence

 

We encourage sponsors to write to their children several times each year, if possible. While not required, the children are always excited to receive letters and pictures from their sponsors, which they enjoy and treasure. Correspondence will help you establish a special relationship with your sponsored child.

Depending on where your child lives, please mail your correspondence to the
following address:

For Nicaragua:

Hogar de Niños Brazos de Amor
Attn: Emilio Padilla
Apartado Postal L V 2
Oficina de Correos Monseñor Lezcano
Managua, Nicaragua.

For the Philippines:

Arms of Love Philippines
P.O. Box 215
Tagbilaran City, Bohol
6300 Philippines

For Mexico:

Centro Victoria La Roca A. C.
Attn: Sue Leak
Apartado 82
Morelia, Michoacan
58000 Mexico

Correspondence can also be mailed to the Arms of Love office in the United States, or can be e-mailed to armsoflove@armsoflove.org, and we will forward your correspondence to the appropriate children's home

Here are a few guidelines to follow in writing to your sponsored child:

• Please use your own stationary. At the top of each page, write your full name, the name of your child, and the country where he or she lives. Write neatly or type in order to aid the reading and translation of the letter.
   
• You may include cards or other flat items in the letter, such as bookmarks and postcards. Please do not enclose gifts or money, for the reasons set forth in "Frequently Asked Questions."
   
• Enclose photographs of your family, which will be treasured by your sponsored child. Remember to dress modestly in the picture.
    
• Write about subjects your child will understand and relate to, topics that transcend economic, geographic, and cultural barriers. For example, baseball is popular in Nicaragua, but would not be familiar to children in the Philippines. Stories about your family, your pets, and your hobbies can be ideal, and you may discover that you have some shared interests to discuss.
   
• Ask questions of how your child is doing and any prayer requests he might have. Many children want to be with their natural families again, even if they've been abandoned or abused. Encourage your child in his current situation, in his learning activities at school, and in his relationship with the Lord.
    
• Avoid topics that accentuate the differences between you and your child. For example, avoid descriptions or photographs of expensive vacations or lavish parties, the size of your home or the new car that you bought, which accentuate economic differences. Avoid comparisons of the United States with the child's country that might be viewed as implying that the United States, its culture, or its standard of living is "better than" that of the child's country.
   
• Help us protect your family's privacy and do not include your address or phone number in the letter. For example, including your address or phone number may give rise to a temptation for local staff to contact you directly asking for money or other favors, even though they are not supposed to. Denying such a request will put you in a difficult and awkward situation, and granting such a request could lead to problems between members of the staff in the host country. Most nationals in developing countries can use additional money and other resources. All staff are compensated in accordance with local community standards, and it is best to allow the project to assess and meet any additional needs on a consistent and equitable basis.
    
• You may write to your child in his native language, if you are fluent in it. Otherwise, please write in English and we will translate the letter for you if the child does not read English.