Here's a picture of the letter I sent:
Thanks to the new feature of adding two extra pages, I also sent a photo of my kids and a fun hyena page, which you can find here.
If you would like to share this letter with your sponsored child, here is what I wrote:
Dearest Name,
I learned a game that came from Ethiopia (and I included Ethiopia's map and flag)! The game, called Mancala, is a simple game of strategy that goes back thousands of years. Since this game is played all over the world, there are more than 400 ways to play. Archaeological evidence shows that a form of the game was played in Ethiopia as early as the 6th century AD. To play, you need: something with 12 small cups or holes, two small empty bowls and 48 small stones.
1. SET UP (see photo): Put four stones in each cup. Two players face each other with two rows of 6 cups between them and put one bowl at each end of the rows. The object is to collect the most stones in your bowl.
2. PLAY: Each player controls the cups closest to him and the bowls to his right. To start your turn, scoop up the four stones from any of your cups. Drop one stone into the cup on the right of the starting cup, and continuing counterclockwise, dropping one stone in each cup. When you come to your bowl—or “mancala”—on the end closest to you, drop a stone into the bowl and continue dropping one stone per cup on the other side of the board, going counterclockwise, until you have no more stones in hand. If you put the last stone of your turn into an empty cup, then you get to capture all the stones in the cup directly across from it on your opponent’s side! Then Player 2 does the same with all the stones from one of her cups. Continue taking turns until all cups are empty.
We do not have hyenas in the USA and I wanted to learn more since they live in Ethiopia! Hyenas are native to Ethiopia, and also to most of the continent of Africa (they do not live in the northern deserts nor in the very southern tip). Though hyenas look like large dogs, they are actually more similar to cats like lions and tigers. Hyenas have very powerful jaws and strong teeth. Spotted hyenas live in large groups called clans, which can include up to 80 hyenas. They hunt in smaller groups and use various techniques to attack different types of animals. They are successful hunters in groups or alone and will even try to catch fish, birds, and bugs in lakes. After catching their prey, spotted hyenas celebrate by making a sound like a laugh. This giggle tells other hyenas that they have food to share, but it can also attract other animals, such as lions, to the feast. The most common type is the spotted hyena. Baby spotted hyenas, called cubs, are born with black fur that grows out as lighter hair with spots. (The photo is a spotted hyena.) Interestingly, the Bible mentions hyenas 3 times in Isaiah 13:22, Isaiah 34:14 and Jeremiah 50:39.
Love, Hannah
Feel free to copy this game to share with your sponsored kids!
