Your letters build hope into the life of the child you sponsor!
With your words, you can inspire them to study harder at school, to be more confident in their relationships and to draw closer to God. Over and over, graduates from our Child Sponsorship program point to your letters and prayers as the top two things that gave them hope, courage and the belief that they could overcome their circumstances.
We know that writing a letter doesn’t always come easy. So we put together a list of letter-writing prompts to help you write your next letter.
These prompts can be used as both questions for you to answer about yourself, and questions you can ask the child you sponsor, too!
Prompts about childhood
- What activities did you enjoy as a child?
- Who was your favourite teacher? What was the teacher like?
- Who did you admire as you were growing up? Why?
- How did you get your name? What does it mean?
- Did you grow up in church? How did you come to know Jesus?
- What was a challenge you had to overcome as a child or teenager?
- What was your favourite part of school?
- What happened during a typical school day?
- What was your first job like?
Prompts about daily life
- What is your typical day like?
- What do you do at church/work/school?
- What do you like most about your hometown?
- What are some interesting facts about your province or hometown?
- How do you like to relax?
- What’s your favourite holiday? How would you describe the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of that holiday?
- What are you learning right now?
- What’s one of your favourite Bible stories or passages? Why?
Prompts about family
- Who are your closest family members? What are they like?
- What happens when your extended family gets together?
- What is your biggest challenge as a family?
- How has God been faithful to your family?
- What prayers has God answered in your family?
- Who else in your family knows Jesus? How did they come to know Him?
- What’s your favourite thing about your family?
- What role has your family played in your faith journey?
Prompts about faith
- How has God recently answered your prayer?
- How have you sensed God’s leading at different points in your life?
- Who is your spiritual role model?
- What is your favourite characteristic of God?
- How has God comforted you in trouble?
- How did you become involved in your local church?
- What do you believe are some of God’s purposes for your life?
- What was the latest sermon you heard or class study about? How has it impacted you?
Prompts about church
- How would you describe your church?
- What do you like about your local church?
- What role do you play in your local church?
- How do you use your gifts, skills and passions in your church?
- Why is your local church important to you?
- How does being a part of the church challenge you?
- How did God lead you into ministry within your local church?
Prompts to encourage the child you sponsor
- What is your prayer for the child you sponsor?
- How do you remember the child you sponsor throughout the week or month?
- What have you recently learned about the child you sponsor’s country?
- What do you hope the child you sponsor will learn about God?
- What do you appreciate about the child you sponsor? (Comment on a recent letter, the child’s prayers for you, artwork in a letter…)
- What do you want the child you sponsor to remember when facing discouragement?
- What concern of yours would you like the child you sponsor to pray about?
Prompts about food
- How would you describe one of your favourite meals?
- How do you prepare one of your favourite meals?
- Who taught you to cook, or who cooks for you now?
- What role does food play in holidays or celebrations?
- What’s your favourite holiday food/special food?
- Does your family have any food-related traditions?
- How does your typical family/group meal proceed?
- Who is the best cook you know?
- Where did your family’s favourite dishes originate? How did they become favourites?
Prompts about current events
- What’s something significant occurring in your town or region right now?
- How are you praying about a significant event in your child’s country or region?
- What does the Bible say in relation to a current event that concerns you?
- What goals have you set for yourself? How much progress have you made?
- What news has recently made you happy?
- How has a recent event impacted your faith?
- How does your life fit into a larger trend or situation in your area?
- What role has your church played in an area event?
Children treasure the letters you write to them.
Written by Rachelle Dawson for Compassion International. Republished with permission.
