The depth of my sponsored children never ceases to amaze me. In Fredeline’s recent letter to me, she let me know that her favorite colors are red and yellow. Following are her translated words –

“I like the red because it is the color of blood. The blood is a vital element to man. As for me, it is life. I like yellow because it is the sun’s color. It shines and is life to man. We need it to stay in good health.”

Fredeline then asked me what my favorite color(s) were and why.

Her color choices and the reasons behind them stretched me to really think hard about my choices and why I chose them.  This fifteen-year-old in Haiti did not tell me that red and yellow were her favorite colors because they were the fashion colors of the season or give me some other flippant reason. She had no shallow words  — she has a wisdom about her that touches my soul.

So here was my response to her –

“I love a rainbow of colors. If I have to pick a favorite right now, I think my favorites would be green and blue. Most trees are green and I love to look up into the sky and see the tall trees we have here. It is like the trees are reaching toward Heaven and when they are set against the blue sky, they are beautiful. I love to take pictures of trees.

This reminds me of a favorite poem of mine. It probably won’t rhyme when it is translated, but it is a beautiful meaning.”

Trees

by Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

***

I also attached one of my tree photographs.

What are your favorite colors?

© 2014 MYCOMPASSIONCHILDREN

Today I received a special handwritten letter from Fredeline. What she said in her letter was a reminder of how important the letters I write to the children are. Her letter to me was so long that she actually had to staple an additional page to the form normally used. It warmed my heart to read her words. I am sharing a portion of her own writing and the English translation below.

Fredeline‘s Letter Excerpts

English Translation –

“Today I feel so happy to be able to answer your letter finally. Above all, how are you and your family? I want to tell you that I am happy to be your sponsored child. I am glad to receive your letter and any other things because my first sponsors did not make so much effort to write me so often like you do. I want to tell you that I love you for that. I hope this feeling is strengthening throughout the coming years. It never snows in Haiti because it is a tropical country. For this reason it is almost warm during the whole year. I would like to see some snow, to feel how it is exactly. What do you do on snowing season? In my country Valentine Day is generally the celebrating with chocolate. But as for me, flowers and heart are more important to me. I really loved the song you wrote me on my birthday. It is funny!” …

© 2014 MYCOMPASSIONCHILDREN