Soulful Connections: Finding Meaning in Mammadou’s Childhood Letters

The meaning of epistolary bonds and their impact on my journey

The year my youngest son entered the world, I was enveloped by an overwhelming wave of warmth and profound emotions toward children. During that time, my wife, just days after a challenging birthing experience, found solace in being back home with our newborn. Eager to assist her recovery, she requested that I take charge of the household responsibilities. Specifically, she asked me to handle the grocery shopping and prepare her favorite meal, seeking comfort and nourishment amidst the postpartum period.

As I completed my errands, a young woman in her twenties approached me with a gentle smile, extending a polite inquiry: “Sir, would you be interested in sponsoring a child?” She introduced me to the mission of World Vision through a brochure, and seeing the face of the CEO, someone I knew, within its pages significantly bolstered my confidence and trust in the organization.

Upon returning home, before even setting the groceries in place, I shared my deep-seated inclination toward sponsoring a child from Africa with my wife. Her response mirrored my enthusiasm, and in an emotional moment, she expressed her desire to sponsor a girl and embrace her as our own daughter. Before sitting down for our meal, we swiftly completed the applications and dispatched them via a nearby post office box, propelled by our shared eagerness to make a difference.

A letter arrived two weeks later, validating our applications and introducing us to the two children we opted to sponsor. The affordability of the commitment struck us profoundly; the amount we spent on a single meal in a restaurant equating to a month’s sponsorship could significantly impact the lives of these vulnerable children.

The child I sponsored was named Mammadou. As he reached the age of six, he began sending me brief letters, often accompanied by drawings that vividly showcased his childhood imagination. One recurring depiction portrayed me as a towering figure, holding his hand as we strolled through a park, depicting himself as a small child. These endearing images illustrated the bond we shared across distances and touched my heart deeply.

As he reached the age of ten, the letters I received became more poignant and heartfelt, addressing me as “Dad” and my son as his brother. Together, my son and I dedicated our weekends to crafting extensive letters recounting our week’s activities and experiences.

In those times, internet access wasn’t available, so our correspondence endured a month-long delay before receiving responses to our heartfelt exchanges.

Mammadou wrote with such frequency that every week, without fail, we eagerly anticipated a letter from him. Upon returning home from work, my initial task became checking our mailbox, anticipating and searching for that cherished letter from Mammadou.

Before sitting down for dinner, I made it a ritual to read those letters multiple times and watch his poignant photos from their farm, often with tears welling up in my eyes.

Mammadou’s letters were written naturally in English, his second language, a skill he began mastering with the additional support we provided through our sponsorship. His heartfelt words held an authenticity that resonated deeply with me, compelling me to revisit his letters repeatedly.

One weekend evening, my wife and I made plans to borrow a movie from our local video shop. As I perused the various categories, my intuition drew me toward a cover featuring one of my favorite actors, Jack Nicholson.

The movie was “About Schmidt.” Reading its description convinced me it was the one to borrow. The description said, “A newly retired Warren Schmidt forces himself into seclusion after his wife suddenly dies. Faced with the prospect of an uncertain future, he sets out to postpone the marriage of his daughter.”

As my wife and I watched, tears flowed ceaselessly from beginning to end. Our emotional state didn’t go unnoticed, as our son, in a lighthearted jest, approached us asking, “What’s wrong with you sobbing babies?”

The following day, on Sunday, we watched the movie again, this time with our son. As Jack Nicholson’s character began writing a letter to a sponsored child, emotions rose again intensely, and my son couldn’t contain his tears either.

The letter from Jack Nicholson started, “Dear Ndugu… My name is Warren R. Schmidt, and…I’m your new foster father. Let’s see. Personal information. All right. I live in Omaha, Nebraska. My older brother Harry lives in Roanoke, Virginia, with his wife Estelle. Harry lost a leg two years ago to diabetes. I am 66 years old and recently retired as Assistant Vice President and Actuary at Woodmen of the World Insurance Company.” You can read the rest of the letter at this link.

After hearing Jack’s voice, that moment sparked something within him, inspiring my son to start writing personal letters to Mammadou from then on.

Today, Mammadou is a professional engineer working in an African country. Despite the distance, he continues to write me frequent emails, always addressing me as “Dad” and reigniting cherished memories we hold dear.

Our heartfelt letters formed a lifeline spanning continents, stitching our souls together across the vast expanse from Australia to Africa.

I will tell my wife's interesting story with her foster child in another post.

Conclusions and Takeaways

Epistolary bonds refer to a literary genre comprising written communications exchanged between characters as a primary means of storytelling. It can involve diary entries, newspaper clippings, emails, or any written documents that contribute to the narrative structure of a story.

Reflecting on these soulful connections in my journey, I am reminded of the profound impact a simple sponsorship can have on lives. They might create connections across continents and generations based on my experience.

The letters, the tears, and the shared moments of joy and vulnerability have etched a beautiful narrative of compassion and understanding in my life.

Through Mammadou’s letters and our shared experiences, I have witnessed the transformative power of sponsorship, transcending borders to nurture a bond that knows no bounds.

For those who have the means, I urge you to consider sponsorship not merely as a financial commitment but as an avenue to forge meaningful connections and make a lasting difference.

It is a chance to extend your hand across the globe, offering hope, education, and support to a child in need.

In doing so, you might discover, as I have, that the true wealth lies not in possessions but in the heartfelt connection with another soul, bridging distances and enriching lives in ways you never thought possible.

Consider the profound impact of sponsoring a child from a third-world country. By joining hands, let’s forge a world where compassion and kindness transcend borders, shaping a brighter future together.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

Thanks Mike Broadly, DHSc for writing this powerful essay.

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