write letters
We strongly encourage you to write your sponsored child. Letters and photos are the only way they have to build a relationship with you. They will eagerly await your letter on every mail day and it will be treasured and kept in a special place along with your photos.
Because the mail is VERY unreliable in Uganda, we take letters in our suitcases when we go to Village of Hope in spring, summer and fall. We will bring a letter back to the U.S. and mail it to you. We will share the letter deadlines with you each year and send you a reminder a few weeks before. Mail your letters to arrive at our office by the deadlines.
The letter deadlines for 2024 are:
March 1
May 24
September 1
What should I write?
Describe your family…children also love to receive photos of their sponsors and their families. They will probably ask for a photo every time they write you.
Tell them about your favorite pastime - talk about your hobbies or sports you enjoy.
Share what you do (or did) for a living or your school - this opens your child’s doors on new careers they may not know about.
Talk about your church - share about your relationship with Jesus.
Explain customs or special holidays (except Halloween as it is tied with demonic religions in northern Uganda).
Give a general description of the area where you live - your state and city, but please do not give your specific address. Share what you enjoy most about where the you live.
What should I avoid in my letter:
Elaborating on material possessions (the of your home, the kind of car your drive, video games, etc.).
Suggesting that your sponsored child visit the United States.
Please do not make any promises to your child - “I will send you to college” or “I will visit you” etc. While your intentions are great, they will be very disappointed if you are not able to follow through.
Asking what your sponsored child would like you to send as a gift (see gifts).
Do not share your last name, mailing address, email, phone number or social media accounts. All communication should go through VOH for your protection and the protection of your child.
Questions to ask your child:
Start with general questions: favorite pastime, sports, animals, foods, subjects in school, who their friends are, etc. As you get to know your child better, the questions will come more naturally.
Please do not ask about their parents, what happened to them or why they came to VOH. This re-trigger trauma for them. Once you’ve established a relationship with them, they might choose to share their story with you, but most children will not.
Learning about your child’s country will also be very helpful as you communicate. It can be a fun family project to research the customs, foods and culture of the Acholi people in Northern Uganda.
Simple steps to send your letter:
Write your sponsored child’s name at the top of your letter.
Your are very welcome to include a photo and a sheet or two of stickers with your letter. The stickers are enjoyed by children of every age. They love to have actual photos that they can keep forever but if you’re not able to have it developed, including a photo in your letter will still be treasured!
Place it in an unsealed envelope no larger than 6” x 9” or a standard #10. Write their name on the unsealed envelope and their ID number (on your child’s biography page in your sponsorship packet) in the top right-hand corner. Please do not include your return address on this envelope.
Place the unsealed envelope into an envelope with your return address and address it to: Village of Hope, PO Box 700126, Dallas, TX 75370
Mail your letter in plenty of time to arrive by the deadline.
IF are worried your letter will not arrive in time via mail, please email it to Terrie@villageofhopeuganda.com by the deadline. If you want to send us one or two photos with your emailed letter, we can print it on regular letter paper but we can not have it developed.
Two more ways to connect with your child
