George HW Bush used secret alias to become pen pals with Filipino boy and sponsor him

'Though we have not met I love you already,' president writes to child he sponsored for a decade in the Philippines

George HW Bush used a secret alias to write letters to a Filipino child he sponsored for a decade through a religious group providing resources to poor international communities.

The letters were revealed Wednesday and published online after being confirmed by Compassion International, the nonprofit organisation the former president was affiliated with during the sponsorship.

Mr Bush would frequently write to the seven-year-old boy, whose name was Timothy, as well as send him school and art supplies. However, his true identity was never revealed to the boy until after he graduated at 17-years-old.

“Dear Timothy, I want to be your new pen pal,” reads Mr Bush’s first letter in the series of published exchanges between the two. “I am an old man, 77-years-old, but I love kids; and though we have not met I love you already.”

“I live in Texas — I will write you from time to time — Good Luck. G Walker.”

“G Walker” was the code name Mr Bush used to portray himself in the letters as a normal American sponsor participating in the programme.

However, he continued to provide clues throughout his sponsorship of the Filipino child that he was actually the leader of the free world.

Mr Bush’s sponsorship for Timothy began in 2001 when he requested a pamphlet from Compassion International at a Christmas concert in Washington, causing concern among his security team, who immediately became concerned for the boy’s safety in the Philippines.

“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,’” Wess Stafford, former president of Compassion International, told CNN Thursday. “So, he signed all his letters to Timothy as 'George Walker.’”

“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,” He added. “He was really pushing the envelope.”

The former president provided Timothy with photos of his dog, Sadie, as well as a booklet from the White House, adding that he “got to go to the White House at Christmas time” in one letter.

“Timothy would send him hand drawings and told the President how much he liked art, so he sent over colour pencils, sketch pads, and paint,” Mr Stafford said. “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.”

Mr Bush died at the age of 94 on 30 November 2018. Timothy reportedly has not been located by Compassion International since being informed about Mr Bush’s true identity.

Still, Mr Stafford said “we know he’s now living a successful life” thanks to the help provided by Mr Bush.

“We may not know where Timothy is, but we know he's now living a successful life,“ he said. ”Sponsoring a child, even if they are still in the womb, can encourage them and guide them to become great human beings.“