Ibagué, December 2007
Dear godmother:
Receive my dearest greeting. I hope that you are enjoying good health and wealth in company of your family.
I would like to tell you that I finished the school year with excellent academic results. I was one of the best in my group and for that reason I was promoted to ninth grade, which I will course in 2008.
In addition to this I would like to tell you about some changes that we have had to experience. First, we had to move out of our house because it was affected by the avalanche of the Combeima River. My grand mother is letting us use a room in her house so we can live there for a while.
My dad left us and my mother is in charge of all the responsibilities of the family. She works at the market selling vegetables and fruit and she supports the family with her earnings. My family is formed by my mother, my three little sisters and myself. For this reason we sometimes have to face many difficulties because my father stopped helping us since a year ago. We still have faith in God and we know that he will never abandon us.
My mother got some government help to get a house so she is looking for a house that costs 9000000 (4.500 usd), we have a lot of expectations and we hope she can find something because we are very uncomfortable.
I would like to thank you for putting your trust in me, and for offering me your support. This makes that I fight everyday to not disappoint the person that has given me a hand so I can achieve my goals and to prepare for the future.
The support of the YMCA family has been very important for me and they have welcome me and given me the chance to participate in two of their programs; music and youth club, which have been an important basis to continue with my personal, spiritual and intellectual growth.
With the money you sent to help the people affected by the avalanche, they bought beds, sheets a stove and cooking utensils that we really needed. Thank you one more time and I hope God rewards you for your generosity.
My family and I hope that you have a good time these holidays and that the coming year brings prosperity for you and your family.
Yours truly,
Dennis Yurley Gonzales Batta