What a person does when they think no one is watching reveals more about their true character and values than anything else possibly can.
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After serving as the 41st president of the United States, Geroge H.W. Bush became known for his politics and policies while in office. In the wake of his death, however, Bush's true colors have been revealed after hand-written letters prove he secretly spent ten years sponsoring a young child in the Philipines.
The Christmas Concert
In 2001, former President George H.W. Bush attended a Christmas concert in Washington that featured Christian musicians. During the intermission, the musicians spoke to the audience about Compassions International, a Colorado Springs-based nonprofit.
The Sponsorship Program
The musicians explained that the nonprofit works with local churches in poor communities around the world to connect sponsors to children. The sponsors are then expected to write pen pal letters to the child as well as provide financial support for them.
A Surprising Participant
During the intermission, the musicians asked if anyone in the audience was interested in finding out more about becoming a sponsor. "To everybody's surprise, all of a sudden George Sr. raises his hand in the middle of his security entourage and says, 'I want one!' " Wess Stafford, the former president of Compassion International, told The Gazette.
The Pamphlet
"All of these security people were like, 'Has anybody screened this? Does anybody know if this is OK or not?' " Stafford explained about the moment the 41st president of the United States was handed a pamphlet about becoming a sponsor with Compassion International.
The Child
After looking over the information on the pamphlet, Bush had made up his mind about becoming a sponsor. Bush signed up for the program and Compassion International matched him with a young boy named Timothy who lived in the Philippines.
Establishing Some Rules
However, Bush's security staff insisted that they take some precautions to keep his identity a secret. "His top security called me and said 'this doesn't surprise me coming from him, but if he's going to sponsor this kid, we need to make sure the boy doesn't know who his sponsor is.' " Stafford told CNN.
A Potentially Dangerous Situation
According to the agent, he was mainly worried about the child's safety. If people found out that a young boy from the Phillipeans had direct access to a former U.S. President, he would have become a target and his life would have been put in danger.
The Fake Name
In order to protect the little boy, Bush agreed to keep his identity secret and use a fake name when he wrote letters to Timothy. "He's passed away now, so it's probably not a classified name anymore — it was George Walker," said Stafford. "That's the same name that he used, apparently, whenever he checked into a hospital and they needed to have it unknown that he was in there."
The First Letter
Within two weeks of signing up for the program, Bush wrote his first letter to Timothy under his pseudonym. "Dear Timothy," Bush wrote in his first letter sent on January 24, 2004. "I want to be your new pen pal. I am an old man, 77 years old, but I love kids."
Forming A Bond
"Though we have not met I love you already," Bush wrote in that very first letter to Timothy. "I live in Texas – I will write you from time to time – Good Luck. G. Walker." While writing and receiving letters from Timothy, Bush learned that the boy was just seven years old and that his mother struggled to take care of the family.
Bending The Rules
Bush, unfortunately, couldn't reveal too much personal information and had to keep his letters vaguer in order to keep his identity a secret and to keep people from finding out that he was sponsoring a child. However, he didn't let those rules keep him from being involved in the sponsorship.
A Dedicated Sponsor
"He really threw himself into it," Stafford said about how dedicated Bush was to the program and to Timothy. "He would write to little Timothy and Timothy would write to him, and anything that Timothy said that was interesting, President Bush would write right back with a comment on it."
Genuine Interest
"You know, 'Thank you for the picture of that beautiful rainbow. You know, we had a rainbow like that right outside my house just last week.' He was everything that we wish all of our sponsors would be. He was engaged in this little child's life," Stafford explained.
An Exception For The President
"Timothy would send him hand drawings and told the President how much he liked art, so he sent over color pencils, sketch pads, and paint," Stafford explained. Normally, sponsors are not allowed to send gifts, however, they made an exception for Bush. "I waited for my staff to go to the Philippines and send it with them. They would then bring it to the church Timothy was a part of, so he could collect his gifts."
Dropping Hints
Over time, however, Bush started to break the rules and provided more information about himself than he was supposed to. "His letters were the most sweet, spirited letters I have read from any sponsor, but he kept giving hints as to who he could be," Stafford explained. "He was really pushing the envelope."
The Family Dog
The first time Bush revealed more than he was supposed to was when he sent a photo of his beloved dog. "Here is a picture of our dog," Bush wrote. "Her name is Sadie. She has met a lot of famous people. She is a very good dog she was born in England. She catches mice and chipmunks, and she runs like the wind. G. Walker."
Too Sick To Continue
Later, Bush revealed that he had been invited to the White House for Christmas. Another time, Bush wrote that his son lived in a big white house and had traveled to visit him. Eventually, however, Bush's health started to decline and Stafford's executive assistant, Angie Lathrop, took over the sponsorship.
Revealing The Truth
When Timothy turned 17 and graduated from the program, Lathrop flew to the Philipines to meet with Timothy. During that meeting, she revealed that his sponsor had actually been a former president of the United States. Timothy was stunned and actually didn't believe the news at first.
Friends With A President
Timothy is now married and has a three-year-old daughter. "Out of so many kids he could have helped, I was the one picked," Timothy Villalba told ABS-CBN News. "It was shocking that he was indeed a president. I can't explain how I'm feeling… I wish I had a chance to meet him while he was still alive."
Bush's True Character
"To a child in poverty, it's amazing enough that anyone would care about them but it was beyond his wildest imagination and even his ability to comprehend that the president of the United States knew his name," Stafford said. "He did excellent things very quietly, always giving the credit away to other people. I just love that about him," Stafford added about Bush.