Messages from the Heart - Write a letter of encouragement to a child or adult in Tanzania, Africa

How do I participate in this project?

It's simple – just write a message from your heart and mail your letter(s) to Hearts in Unity at our USA address. Your

letter(s) will then be shipped to one of our Tanzanian villages and hand-delivered to someone who is in need of your

words of encouragement.

For those recipients who are not able to speak English, the letter will be translated for them into their native language of Swahili. Each handwritten letter is a blessing to these people and yours will surely be treasured and read over and over

by the child, adult, family or teacher who receives it.

Does it cost anything to participate?

Participating in this project costs no more than a little bit of postage and a few minutes of your time. But the impact you will have on a child or adult in Tanzania is priceless.

You can write your letters on notepaper, notecards, or postcards. Recycling those beautiful greeting cards you've received from others (especially Christmas cards) is a wonderful idea. Simply cut off the front of the greeting card and use it as a postcard. Write your message on the blank side of the greeting card cover and the person who receives your note of encouragement will be delighted. No envelopes are necessary (they just add unnecessarily to your postage costs and to our shipping costs to Tanzania).

What should I write?

A short, simple message on colorful stationery, in a greeting card or in a notecard is best. You can specify that your letter be delivered to either a school-age child, a teacher, family, a young adult or an older adult. You can then tailor your message to that person, writing encouraging words that come from your heart.

Need a few ideas?

• Share a little about you and your family…names, ages, where you are writing from (city, state)

• Share a simple message of compassion, hope, encouragement and friendship

• Please avoid asking questions as the recipient will not have an opportunity to reply directly to you

Please also include the following verse in your letter so that the recipient can read part of the letter in

their native language of Swahili:

Haya ndiyo ninayokutakia katika maisha yako...

Bwana awabariki na kuwalinda,

Bwana awainulie uso wake na kuwabariki,

Bwana awaangazie nuru ya uso wake na kuwapa amani.

The translation is included below (you do NOT need to include the English translation in your letter):

This is what I wish for you in your life...

May the Lord bless you and protect you,

May the Lord be kind and gracious to you,

May the Lord look on you with favor and give you peace.

If you like, you can include additional Swahili in your letter also. The following phrases would be appropriate.

Can I write more than one letter?

Of course! You are more than welcome to write more than one letter and to invite your family and friends to write letters also. This is a wonderful project for a school, church, or community group. Multiple letters can be sent to Hearts in Unity

in the same envelope/package. You are also welcome, if you like, to include a small photo of yourself or your family, or even a postcard of your city/town or other appropriate picture or postcard.

Will I receive a reply from my letter?

While we aren’t able to collect and deliver a reply letter for each person participating in this “Messages from the Heart” project, Hearts in Unity does have a separate program for those interested in embarking on an ongoing pen pal partnership with an orphan youth in the village of Mwika, located on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

For more information about the Hearts in Unity Pen Pal program, please click here.

To see some of the orphans who are waiting for a pen pal partner, please visit our blog by clicking here.

Where should I mail my letter?

All letters should be mailed to the following address. Multiple letters can be mailed in the same envelope/package.

Please include the form at the bottom of this page so we know who to deliver your letter to.

Hearts in Unity

“Messages from the Heart”

P.O. Box 41

Germantown, WI 53022 USA

Questions? Please send us an email if you have any questions: hearts_in_unity@yahoo.com

Please include the form below (or note with similar information) with your letter(s). You can use one form/note for multiple letters if all of the letters are for the same type of person (for example, if all of the letters are to be delivered to children).

If you will be sending a large quantity of cards/letters, a donation to help offset shipping costs would be most appreciated. Our shipping costs to Tanzania are, on average, about $2 per pound.

Send a "Message from the ♥ Heart"

In the unique “Message from the ♥ Heart” project, you can share a

heart-felt message of greeting, friendship and encouragement

with a child or adult in Tanzania.

As the 5th poorest country in the world, the average household income in Tanzania is less than $400 a year, and families often comprised of at least 6 people struggle to survive on less than $1 a day. At this heartbreaking poverty level, many parents struggle to feed their children even one simple meal per day.

For the 2.5 million orphans in this third-world country, the challenges of daily life are even more overwhelming. It's easy to get discouraged and lose hope when this is the life you face day after day.

So how can you help make a difference?

Bwana asifiwe! Nayaweza mambo yote katika yeye anitiaye nguvu.

Praise the Lord! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Hearts in Unity ♥ P.O. Box 41 ♥ Germantown, WI 53022 USA ♥ Email: hearts_in_unity@yahoo.com

Please deliver my letter to a:

 A Child / Student  A Teacher  A Family  A Youth or Young Adult  A Older Adult

Please Print

My First Name _____________________________ Last Name _______________________________________

 Yes, I would like to receive "Hearts in Unity" periodic newsletter updates by email.

My Email Address: ___________________________________________________________________________

Jambo............................Hello

Habari yako...................How are you

Mimi ni mzima................I am fine

Jina langu ni _____.......My name is _______

Uwe na siku njema........Have a good day

Amani ikae nanyi..............Peace be with you

Bahati njema....................Good luck

Mungu akubariki sana......God bless you

Mungu awalinde...............God watch over you

Yesu akupenda................Jesus loves you