Bennison Gives

One thing I forgot from last night.  I convinced our waiter last night at dinner to help me translate some of the letters that the Burundian children wrote to the children in New York.  Their letters were so touching, and you know what children say to each other the most often completely unprompted?  They say "I love you."  This natural instinct to love each other, even those far away in a totally different place, is striking.  In letters from both NY and Burundian children, they told each other that they loved each other.

Here is an example of one of the letters from Fainsi, a Burundian girl, to Maggie, one of Charlotte's classmates:

Hello, thank you so much for writing this letter.  Are you well?
I love you Maggie.  I am doing well.

Please send me a uniform and notebooks, and school supplies.

I love you.  I like French, math, and Kirundi.

God bless you and thank you for writing me.  It was God who brought us together.  For everything you have done, God will bless you.  I wish you a good week - continue studying.  I am going to pass to the next grade with God's help.


This is just one example of many.  In almost every letter, children asked for notebooks, pens, books, shoes, and uniforms.  Many asked for soccer uniforms and soccer balls.  Luckily I was able to buy 450 notebooks and pens and a few soccer balls today.  You can't imagine how these things we take for granted will bring smiles to these faces.