Each summer, I make a post sharing what I’m sending to my Love Lempira sponsored children in their backpacks, to give ideas to other sponsors. I plan to do that again this year; but I also have the blessing of being able to visit my sponsored children in person in June. I used some of my favorite gift ideas of the year on the items I’ll be bringing to them; so I wanted to make a separate post sharing these things. Even if you aren’t visiting, most of these items will work in your backpack gifts.
Before we get to the gifts, I wanted to show a couple of items I’m bringing to do as activities with the girls. These could easily be used as gifts in your backpacks too. For each of the 3 areas I’ll be visiting, I’m bringing a bracelet-making kit and a beach ball to play with the girls during our free time. For sponsors who are visiting, I highly recommend writing a list of questions you want to ask the families during visits and compiling an album (whether printed or just on your phone) of photos of your life that you can share with the children and narrate during free time on visits. This will help to keep conversation flowing and get to know each other better.
Since I enjoy sharing some of my favorite things with my girls, all of my teens will be getting a pretty cosmetic bag with their initial on the front, filled with some of my favorite self care items. So I don’t have to list the contents of the cosmetic bags multiple times, they each include: nail polish, lip balm, scented spray hand sanitizer, eye gels, a set of colorful hair clips, a spa headband, a loofa, and fuzzy socks. I included a note explaining how to use each item and why I like them. The warm socks were something another sponsor mentioned children being happy about receiving during her most recent visit.
Kati (11) loves animals and hair accessories. Her favorite color is purple. She will receive a Squishmallow stuffed animal, a plush animal keychain, an outfit including a shirt and pants, a mini backpack, and 3 pretty hair accessories.
Emely (13) is my only girl who hadn’t received a bible from me yet. She has many favorite colors including green and white. She will receive the filled cosmetic bag in addition to a pretty bible.
Amy (14) is about to have her quinceañera (15th birthday). Her favorite color is purple. Her gift is separated into 2 photos, because after photographing and packing her original gifts, I received a letter in which she shared about how painting and coloring have been therapeutic for her during a difficult time. She will receive the filled cosmetic bag, a pretty shirt, a tiara, numerical “15” balloons, a paint set including extra brushes, colored pencils with sharpener, and a bible verse coloring book.
Adiany (15) has many favorite colors including blue. In addition to her cosmetic bag, she will receive a surprise pack that contains a keychain of this Sanrio character who we both love.
Ashley Paola (16) is studying tourism in school. She travels to different hotels with her school to learn about tourism, and also travels several times per month to visit her grandmother in another city. Her favorite color is purple. She will receive the filled cosmetic bag, a matching foldable duffle bag, and a matching luggage tag with her initial on it.
Hiliany (17) will receive just the filled cosmetic bag, but with an extra item inside. Hiliany is learning to do acyrlic nails as a vocational skill, so I included some stickers to make nail designs. Her favorite colors are black and red.
