How to send an email to your sponsored child
Emailing is an easy way to let your sponsored child know they’re in your thoughts and prayers. When you send a message online, a World Vision staff member in your child’s country prints it out and delivers it to your child. It’s a wonderful way to show you care, plus it’s quick and easy for you, and saves a stamp!
1. Choose from a variety of colorful themes
2. Write your message (you can even send the same message to multiple children at once)
3. Add a photo or a scripture verse (optional)
4. Send your email
Ready to go? Say hello to your sponsored child today with an email. They’ll love to hear from you!
Will I receive a reply?
Your child will write a letter in response to your email, which you will receive digitally in the My World Vision portal or app within 30 to 60 days. Please keep an eye out for a notification on the app or in your inbox that your child’s reply is ready for you.
Other questions? Check out the FAQs below.
What to write about in your email:
- Introduce yourself! Where do you live, how do you like to spend your time, what are your hobbies?
- Introduce your family and friends. Does your extended family live nearby? If you have children, what are their ages and names? Do you have family pets?
- Learn about your sponsored child’s culture. Ask about their favorite holiday and how they celebrate it. What’s their favorite game and how do they play it? What is the first thing they do when they wake up in the morning? What is the last thing they do before they go to bed?
- Write a thank you in response to your child’s letter to you. Mention the things your child wrote about and ask them more questions.
Note: Be sure to be considerate of your sponsored child’s environment and culture. For example, avoid writing about the things you own since your child might have very few possessions. If your child lives in an area where Christianity is not the dominant faith, you may see a sensitive area alert. Please refrain from using religious references in your message because it could endanger your sponsored child or our local staff. Do continue to pray for your child’s physical and spiritual well-being.
Sending photos to your sponsored child via email
- Photos of you and your family, and even your pets, will be especially treasured.
- Please be sensitive when choosing photos, as standards of clothing and modesty vary in other countries.
Sending postal mail to your sponsored child
If you’d rather write your child with pen and paper, you can also send a letter or package through the mail. Learn more.
Email your child FAQs
Why does it take so long to receive a response back from my sponsored child?
We work in communities that are impoverished and often are located in areas difficult to get to – far from the highways or any other forms of rapid communication with the outside world. Many rural areas don’t have phones, internet or, sometimes, even postal service. Remote locations and inadequate postal delivery can delay round-trip communication by up to 4 months, and translation by a staff member is often needed once your letter arrives.
There are other reasons why it takes time to deliver and receive letters:
- Only a handful of project workers and staff members supervise the writing and delivery of these letters – in addition to all of their other responsibilities for providing services to the children in the community.
- Most sponsored children have never written a letter, and they need assistance writing to their sponsors. If your sponsored child is unable to read or write, someone must help them read your letter and write out the response, which takes time. This person may be a school teacher, a family member, or a World Vision staff member. If your child has received assistance with writing, there’ll be a special note on the letter.
However, write as often as you like, and you’ll hear back up to four times a year!
I sponsor multiple children. Can I send them the same email at once?
Yes you can! We’ve added this feature as an option in the new and improved email module. Before you write your message, you’ll be able to select which children you’d like to receive it. Each child will get the same message, personalized with their own name.
What topics should I avoid when sending a message to my sponsored child?
When writing your letter, it’s important to consider your sponsored child’s environment and culture. For example, it’s best not to write about the things you own since your child might have very few possessions. But do write about yourself, your family, and friends.
Besides writing, what other ways can I communicate with my sponsored child?
Throughout the year, we’ll mail you fun greeting cards you can sign and return for delivery to your sponsored child. They’re a great way to encourage and connect with your child–children eagerly hope for their name to be called when mail is delivered.
A small donation is suggested to help cover the costs of handling and mailing the cards, but this donation isn’t required in order for the card to be forwarded to your sponsored child.
We print messages on the cards primarily in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Swahili because these are the primary languages spoken in our World Vision offices around the world. Our staff translates the card into the local dialects of the children.
If you’d like to send your sponsored child a letter, but want to avoid the cost of a stamp, you can include a letter with one of these greetings cards. Please note, because of how these cards are distributed, it will likely take longer to receive a reply from your sponsored child than if you were to mail the letter directly.
Can I send a gift or package to my sponsored child?
Yes! Your child will be thrilled to receive small inexpensive items that fit into a 9″x12″ envelope. Find more ideas on what to send and how to address your package.
Important Note: Some sponsors may want to send Christian tracts, Scripture verses, or references to Jesus. Please do not send these items if your child lives in a community that may not welcome Christian teachings. For the sake of your child’s protection and the protection of our staff, we ask that you use sensitivity when sending items. Please look for the Sensitive Area Alert icon near your child’s picture in My World Vision for more explanation. If you have any doubts about what is appropriate in your child’s community, please give us a call.