Direct Package to Pearl in the Philippines

A post from Barbara:
I recently received this letter from Pearl to thank me for her large box full of a year's supplies of items. Because it is much cheaper to ship a huge box to the Philippines rather than several smaller packages I collect things on sale during the year and then send them altogether. It also enables me to send larger and heavier items such as cans of food, a pillow, collapsible chair, large Teddy Bear, wellington boots, umbrella, etc., These items and many others can be seen in the photos.

Dear Sponsor

Hellow there! I am so happy to write a thank you letter for you! I hope your doing fine like us here.

I wanna say thank you for the direct package you sent for me and to my family. I have now pillow, toys, canned goods, stuffed toys, rice, towel, assorted clothes, books, umbrella, mug, Barbie necklace, book kit, Olympic mascot, accessories and many more.

Thank you very much. I appreciate it very much. My God bless you always.

Love Pearl Daphne

Barbara's Pearl in the Philippines with her Easter Package

A post by Barbara:
Here is the thank you letter for her St. Valentines Day and Easter DP from seven year old Pearl; who has written her own letters since she was five years old.

"Dear Barbara

Hi there! I hope your doing fine and always happy. I and my family are all okay. I am happy that you sent another package to me. I have received toys, stationary set, underwear, clothing, note book, stickers, locket and bag. I really love the items you gave me.

Thank you. Take care always. Love

Pearl Daphne.

In an earlier letter she knighted our Steve as follows.

Dear Barbara

Hi! Mabuhay! I hope your doing fine. With regards to our Christmas celebration we attend midnight mass and after the mass we eat together with our 'medya noche'. [I have attended those of my Filipina friend where food is placed on the table non-stop and guests stay as long as there is food available. B.R.]

Yes, I already meet SIR Steve last January 8th, 2010 at the main office of Unang Lingap Kapwa Philippines. I am excited and happy.

That's all for now. Thank you so much for all of your help and for your letter. God Bless. Love Pearl Daphne.

It is always a pleasure to see her wearing all the clothes and costume jewellery that I send her. Also, to see that the windows in her drawings are now on the house and not attached to the side!!'

Cheers

Barbara

Steve visits with Pearl in the Philippines

Barbara wrote:
"Steve just sent me these photos taken in Quezon City with Pearl and her mother, Joan. As Steve says that are not of the best quality as were taken from his cam-corder but they do give an idea of Pearl and Joan's experience of meeting with Steve during his Philippines trip. These photos show the pleasure that Steve brings to other sponsor's children as well as his own.

She is wearing an outfit that I sent to her earlier. The contents of this small package were as follows:-

High School Musical body pack. with writing paper, 4 pencils, heart eraser, and red pencil sharpener.
Pink Princess purse - with 2 sets of hair clips.
White Winter Olympics 2010 T-shirt
2 necklaces and 2 pairs of ear-rings.
1 brown necklace for Joan.
1 leather head band from Guatemala with hearts.
Bobbie dress up stickers.
Mini album with 21 photos and 2 postcards."

A Package for Pearl Daphne

Yes, all of these items were sent in one HUGE box. Barbara found a company that ships to the Phillipines for $70.00, so she packed in all of the things that she would have sent Pearl in a year's time at once.

Dear Barbara:

'Mabuhay!'. Hope your always doing well. I and my family are all pretty good.

Thank you for sending me another direct package like doll, toys, world globe, assorted canned goods, assorted clothing, pillow towel and a lot more. Thank you also for your nice letter, birthday card, beautiful necklace and earring. I really appreciate it very much.

May God bless you always. Your sponsored child.

Pearl Daphne

Letters from Barbara's sponsored children

I apologize that I do not have pictures to go with these letters right now. I will post some soon.

"Dear Barbara

First I'm greeting you and your friends. I hope you are all fine. Nsenzeni and I we are fine. Yes, she had malaria but now she is very well. Barbara and you too are so special to our family. I appreciate very much but those chickens you have mentioned here in Zambia I can't raise my standard of living. I just say if you can boost my business so that it can grow well I will appreciate very much. [This relates to a small start up micro-enterprise I sent last year to start selling vegetable, dried fish and beans].

Leya, she's doing fine with her youngest daughter and name is Ailedi. Barbara, Nsenzeni is saying your living is very well. She is asking when are you coming to visit her? Blessing Banda is not our relative. On Christmas day we celebrated in Church. Thanks very much, Yours Lontia and Nsenzeni."

The second one is from Pearl Daphne from Quezon City in relation to the visit from the two CI representatives. The letter is beautifully written and well spaced and she is only six years old.

"Dear Barbara,

Hi Greetings from beautiful Country of Philippines! I'm glad that you send another letter for me. Yes,I enjoyed shopping during my Easter gift. You are alone. Are you happy with that? [She is referring to my single status and lack of family here in Canada].
I saw the pictures of your country it's very beautiful. Someday, I wish I could visit your place.
With regards to Sponsor's visit I had thought you are the one visiting me here. But even I couldn't saw you in person I am so thankful and excited that day. Thank you. Always Pearl Daphne.

The last one is from Marelyn and yet another one from her mother Carolina.

"Dear Sponsor Barbara

This letter is to thank you for the wonderful gifts which you sent me. I received [followed by the usual boring list of gifts!!].....Let me tell you that here in Guatemals the summer is so hot and for that reason I drink iced drinks or iced water. Let me tell you that my family is well. I love you very much. Marelyn Magdalena"

Amongst the gifts I sent was a child's writing pad and I was delighted to see that Marelyn's mother, Carolina, made use of it and wrote me a three page letter.

" Dear Barbara;

I hope that you are well when you receive this letter. I want to share with you many things about my family. Well, during the Holy Week here in Guatemala I and my husband Luis sold [candies] in the city during the Easter processions for a week so that we could take Marelyn and her siblings to Esquipolas to visit the black Christ, located in Chiquimula. Then we took them to a beach called 'Dorada' . Let me tell you that Marelyn enjoyed the trip, playing all day in the water near the bank of the lake.she loves the water, but she cannot swim I would like to send her for a swimming course. As you know when people can swim, the most they enjoy. The summer here in Guatemala is so hot, but we drink iced drinks, which are so delicious. We were all so very happy.

When Marelyn receives your direct packages she is always so happy and likes everything that you send her. She likes the many photos that you sent her, because through them she can see the beautiful places of Canada. She says that she would like to visit them herself one day. Marelyn always remembers you every moment. She is a beautiful young girl and very intelligent. Anita, Luisa and Fernando also can't wait to see the photos that you send to Marelyn so that they can see the places that you visit and the gifts that you send to them. I want to thank you for the joy that you give my family. Thanks to you they share happy moments. May God pour out his Blessings on you. I say goodbye with much love. Carolina."

Meet Barbara's 5th sponsored child Pearl!

Pearl is from the Philippines. Here is what Barbara wrote regarding Pearl:

This is a brief bio for Pearl since I have not been able to visit her and doubt that I ever will due to the distance and very hot climate.

All of my sponsored children were chosen for a reason or to celebrate an event. In the case of Pearl she was a birthday present for myself for a special birthday and hers was the closest to mine - besides she was very cute too!! I began sponsoring her in September, 2006.

She is the youngest of a family of five with two older siblings, a brother and a sister. Pearl Daphne is possibly the most clever of all my seven children. She wrote her first letter to me when she was only five in beautiful hand-writing with well spaced words. She names all the dolls that I send her and loves to read particularly rhyming fairy tales. She is always so grateful for the things that I send her in direct packages particularly dolls and Hallowe'en dress up clothes.

At the end of last year I sent the family a Special Needs donation so that they could buy a much needed table and five chairs as well as many food items. Evidently, Pearl was so exited to be able to choose it from the large shopping mall and that she would be able to use it to do her homework. Mother Joan was equally delighted that the family would now all be able to eat together. They received it just in time to be able to use it for the Filipino Christmas Eve celebration

I always carefully check out all the photos from Quezon City just in case Pearl might appear. My persistance was rewarded when she was featured in the Feb 27th CI Blog "Sam in the Philippines". Pearl is shown in the 10th and last photo for that day with the footnote "Friday ended with sponsored children, excited to hear about their sponsors and excited to send a message of thanks back." As you can imagine I was delighted to see Pearl Daphne and her Mother, Joan, included in the photo.

Though Pearl is still very young she has great potential and I am sure that she will do very well in life.

And here is her bio:

Age: 6	Gender: F	Date of Birth: 10/16/2002
Height: 4 Feet 0 Inches		Weight: 56 Pounds		Hair Color: Black		Eye Color: Brown
2. Health problems, if any: None
3. Attends School: Yes
4. Favorite School Subjects: Art
Favorite Pastimes or Sports: Playing with friends
Chores at Home: Sweeping
Talents or Hobbies: Singing, Dancing
Languages Spoken: Filipino
INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S FAMILY:
5. Approximate monthly income for the family (in U.S. Dollars): $194.00
6. Name of Father: Elarde			Age: 40	Occupation: Driver
(If not present, why?)
7. Name of Mother: Joan			Age: 35	Occupation: Homemaker
(If not present, why?)
8. Brothers and Sisters:
Name Neil Bryan		Age 17	Gender M	Name Pearl Diane		Age 15	Gender F
9. Child now living with: Parents
INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S HOME:
10. Description of Home: One multi-use room
Cooking Facilities: Kerosine stove
Sleeping Accommodations: Sleeps on the floor with mattress
Home Construction: Walls Concrete			Roof Plywood		Floor Concrete
11. Facilities and Services:
Water Source/Storage: Neighbor's faucet
Electricity: Non-regulated usage
Sanitary Facility: Latrine