ASTGHIK – 12/15/2022

The Prelacy’s Orphan Sponsorship program, established in 1993, remains the centerpiece of the Prelacy’s mission in Armenia and Artsakh. We are pleased to share some of the letters that children regularly address to their sponsors.  

This week’s letter is from Astghik,* written by her mother on her behalf. Astghik is looking for a sponsor. 

* We use only the first names of the children to protect their privacy. 

Dear Sponsor, 

This is Astghik’s mother, Lucine. Since my daughter doesn’t go to school yet and cannot write, I will do it in her stead. 

Astghik goes to kindergarten, but she always gets upset when the other children ask her why her father doesn’t come to pick her up. Astghik has two brothers who do their best so that their sister doesn’t feel her father’s absence, but no one is able to satisfy that need.  

Astghik is very intelligent and mature for her age; she is interested in foreign languages, and she draws pictures really well. Astghik became very self-absorbed lately and she even refuses to come to her father’s grave. When she asked me if she can ask Santa Claus to bring back her father and I said that Santa will not be able to make that wish come true, she said that she didn’t want anything from Santa. Her therapist and I explained to her that her father is a hero who is watching after her from heaven. Now Astghik believes that the star that she sees from her window is her father. 

I wish peace to all our children. 

I am very grateful to sponsors for sharing our grief and for their assistance. Thank you to every single one of you.