Hello to our special friends at Tesfa’s Shelter!
I know we say this every month, but WOW, do we love hearing from you! We never thought we would be getting letters back from you so often! Every time one arrives it feels like Christmas! It feels like we are “pen pals” - that is the name we use here in Canada for friends who don’t meet, but instead write letters to each other to keep in touch. I love letters and I love hearing from you all when you write us back!
Tell us how you write a letter as such a big group - do you brainstorm ideas? Do you take turns writing? Do the oldest have the responsibility of writing? We are so interested to hear how it all works.
It is Megan writing to you this month. I am so very happy right now because it is finally warm here in Canada. It is not always as hot as Ethiopia, that’s for sure, but it is our spring and summer season. All the flowers are sprouting, pushing up through the dirt, and the most beautiful trees are covered in white, pink and purple flowers! Every day I go for a walk and I take pictures of the flowers because I just can’t get over how beautiful they are. It is such a lovely time to be here in Ontario.
That is the province where we live. Canada is divided into 13 smaller districts; we have 10 provinces and 3 territories. Ontario is a very large province with many large cities, and some smaller towns and isolated communities with not very many people, too.
I am very lucky because all of my friends live here in Ontario. Even though you can drive all day and still be in this province - and some places can only be reached by airplane, not by road, because they are so remote! - the people that are important to me live between one and three hours away. I wanted to write to you about friendship today because I see and hear how you are all building friendships at Tesfa’s Shelter but also at school and with other children in the community.
We are all so impressed when we hear about your academic success, but we want you to know that your kindness to others is equally important. We are so inspired when we hear about some of you helping other children who are living on the streets. Sharing your bathing facilities, offering fresh new clothes or other essential items, or even just offering some conversation and compassion to children on the street when it is safe to do this - you are setting an amazing example for others in your community! These projects to help strangers are so special and I hope you feel so happy and full of joy when you see your new friends playing games with you inside your compound or enjoying the food or items you have shared with them on the street. When we see the photos we are amazed at your kindness and good deeds! You are sharing what you have with others who do not have much and that is an amazing experience you will always remember.
It is so important to find people who are alone or scared or vulnerable, and to reach out with kindness and support. I know someone who tells their children every day to “be friends to the kids who don’t have friends.” It means they will keep a look out for children in their classes, or outside of school, who are alone and don’t have anyone to talk to or play with.
I remember times in my life when I could have used a friendly face and a new friend reaching out to help me. I know many of you have experienced times when you needed some help, too! We all need to offer what we can to the people around us. That’s how we make a better world.
I have three very special friends who are always lifting me up when I am sad, and who celebrate with me when I am happy. We met when we were very young, in primary school, and we still talk to each other often now - that’s more than 20 years later! I am so happy they are in my life, but because we don’t live in the same city, we don’t get to see each other as often as we would like. Missing the people we love is so challenging. I hope you are able to lean on your friends and Tesfa when you are feeling sad or missing someone special.
What do you like to do with your friends? Do you have a game you love to play with a specific person? How do you show your friends that they are special to you?
Thank you to each and every one of you for showing care and compassion to your friends, and to children that you don’t even know who are living on the street.
Your Canadian friends are all so proud of you. And guess what? You are teaching us lessons every day!
We love to hear stories from your lives and think about how we can act like you, showing love to strangers.
Talk to you soon,
Megan & the Friends Ink team
On behalf of all your Canadian friends