George HW Bush secretly sponsored a Filipino boy for a decade, letters reveal

Exchanges between former President George H.W. Bush and a young boy in the Philippines [Courtesy]

George HW Bush secretly sponsored a Filipino boy for a decade, a charity has revealed.

The 41^st US president, who died last month, wrote to the boy over a 10-year period under a pseudonym.

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

He was connected to the seven-year-old boy, Timothy, through the Compassion International charity for the development of children living in poverty worldwide.

“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,” the man wrote in his first of many letters.

For the next decade, George HW Bush sponsored some of the boy’s education and meals, without ever revealing his true identity.

He, however, dropped subtle hints about his identity in the contents of his letters.

He however dropped subtle hints about his identity in the contents of his letters [Courtesy]

For Instance one letter, from October 2003, read: “By the time you get this letter, the president of the United States will have stopped off in the Philippines. He loves the Philippines, I know that for sure.”

Timothy never caught the hints, but was “stunned” when he graduated from the programme as a 17-year-old to find out he had in fact been talking to a US president.

A photo of Timothy surrounded by his handwritten letters from George HW Bush [Courtesy]

George Bush got to begin his pen pal journey when he asked for a pamphlet during a Christmas concert in Washington in 2001 held by the Christian charity.

The pen pal programme had asked the audience if they would also like to sponsor a child.

A letter that reads: "Have you ever heard of the White House? [Courtesy]

Compassion International did not specify where he was living in the Philippines, but at the time the country was far poorer than it is today. The charity has lost touch with Timothy since he graduated from the program in 2012.

George shared a picture of his dog with Timothy [Courtesy]