Dear children,
This is your friend Kim. Thank you for asking how we are doing. We are well. It has been a really cold and snowy winter here in Canada and we are expecting even more snow and cold in the coming weeks. Temperatures will go down to almost -20 degrees. That is cold! I am writing this letter to you on February 11 and tomorrow we are also expecting a snowstorm and another 20 centimetres of snow could fall.
I loved reading your January letter! It made me so happy to hear that for the New Year in September, you celebrate love, good health, peace, and fortune. It is wonderful to stop and think about all the things we are thankful for. I also loved learning about your New Year tradition of sharing songs and beautiful paintings with the people in your community. There is nothing more special than receiving a handmade gift or song made with love. My daughter is 28 years old and I still keep many of the special handmade gifts that she made me when she was a child. I am sure that the girls' song, "Abeba Ayehu...lemlem," and the boys' colourful flower paintings will be incredibly special for the people you shared them with.
It also sounds like your January 7 Christmas celebrations were wonderful. Even though you live in Ethiopia and we live in Canada, we have similar holiday traditions. We all love celebrating holidays with special foods, games and the people that we love! Do you all love to eat Doro wat? Is Doro wat served with injera?
I'm so proud of you for volunteering at the children's hospital in your area and helping the cook and nanny at your shelter! Your volunteering is amazing because you are not only making a difference in the lives of other people, but you’re also showing your kindness and caring. Volunteering helps others feel happy and supported, and it can make you feel really good inside, too. When you help someone, it’s like you’re giving a little piece of your heart, and that can make you feel proud, happy, and even excited to do more. Keep being the wonderfu and kind children you are, because you’re making the world a better place! Your community is so lucky that you volunteer! Thank you for sharing these wonderful examples of volunteering. We LOVE to hear about your amazing work!
I hope you had a fantastic first semester break from school! I trust you had a great time playing, reading, and doing all the things you love during your break. While school is very important, it is just as important to enjoy time for fun and relaxation. In my free time, I also enjoy reading to relax, and one of my favorite activities is playing a game called pickleball. Have you ever heard of it? Pickleball is a really fun sport that combines the rules of tennis and ping pong, played with a small ball, paddles, and a net. You can play with two or four people, and the goal is to hit the ball over the net in a way that your opponent can’t return it. I play pickleball every Saturday morning with a group of other ladies. Patti (your other Canadian friend) is an amazing pickleball player! Patti can really hit the ball and she is really fast! Patti volunteers and organizes all the games I play, which is such an important job, and we really appreciate all the work she does! What are some of your favorite games to play when you have free time? Maybe you can write to us about some of your favourite games.
We are honoured that you say you learn from us as well as from Tesfa, Kal, and Grandma Shelley. We learn a lot from all of you too. The stories that you share about volunteering and working hard inspire us and make us all so proud.
By the time you receive my letter, you will likely be back in your classes in school. I hope that this semester is a good one. Just try your hardest to do your best.
We cannot wait to receive your next letter!
With much love,
Kim