I recently started sponsoring a 10 yr old Ukrainian boy called Andrey through Jeremiah's Hope: http://www.jeremiahshope.org/

He sent me a handwritten letter in Russian, with a typed English translation and a Christmas card:

Dear Sarah
How are you? I am doing fine. My name is Andrey. I am 10 years old, almost 11, born January 10th 1999 in Mariupol, Ukraine. I go to 4th grade. I am not a very good student because I am quite lazy and don't like to read much. I have a brother, his name is Ruslan, he is 15. He is in grade 8. He likes soccer very much. I like soccer too.
We have been in the Transitional Living Centre for a year already. Our parents lost their parental rights, they drank and didnt take care of us properly. Our parents live in Mariupol, but we odn't see each other, they never visit us.
We had a flu epidemic in Ukraine, that's why there was a quarentine and we didn't go to school for 3 weeks. At first it was fun as we didn't have any classes and stayed at home. I watched TV, read and played computer games. Then we started doing homework anyway because the teachers gave us homework on the phone. They didn't want us to lag behind with the school programme. Many people were sick but none of the kids in the TLC got sick. We resumed school on November 23rd. I was glad to see my school friends again. I attend our church services and youth classes. We had Friends Day in our church on Sunday. We had a concert and a 'sweet table' where everybody brought desserts. On Saturday our youth group went to a conference but I didn't go because of my age.
We had guests from America. They were missionaries form California. They had bible classes in our orphanage and I helped them.
Please tell me about yourelf and your family. I will be glad to know that. Thank you for your support and your prayers,
Yours,
Andrey