Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Where much is given, much is required.
In years past, we have done the 12 days of Christmas for a needy family each December. But the area we live in is becoming so affluent, that this year we could not think of someone who would truly benefit. As Christmas is approaching, I could not think of one thing that we NEED. Not one thing...Is that incredible? I am so grateful for all that we have been given. But there are many people in the world who have so little. Our sweet Kennedi is getting to the age, egocentric as it is, that she would benefit from learning about what life is like for others in less prosperous conditions. So we hit the internet and found two sites that we will be using this holiday season. www.heifer.org and www.makeachildsmile.org. Check them out, it's really inspiring to see how well people endure such amazing trials! Plus, there is opportunity to help bare another's burdens. We are very grateful to be making this a new Christmas tradition in our family. Please share if you know of any other fun ways to share in service during the holidays!
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8 comments:
great idea! when we start pulling in the $$$, we'll have to check into doing something like that.
That's awesome! I should have contacted you guys about my marathon donations. I ran for a humanitarian agency called Eagle Condor that does micro-credit loans for small businesses in Peru. Here's the website if anyone wants to check it out: http://www.eagle-condor.org/
Yo, makeachildsmile is free! Well, i guess it costs a postage stamp. But they actually encourage kids to MAKE the cards to send to the sick kids. Very cool.
I guess this might not be as cheap as makeachildsmile, but my dad is in Afghanistan, and I am sure he is probably aware of programs for over there that help the soldiers and/or the afghans. He sends us pictures of the people, and the children are so cute, but so skinny. I wonder how safe they feel in such a war-torn country.
Let me know if you want me to ask him. I am sure whatever you guys will pick will bring someone a lot of joy, and I think it is such a cool thing you guys are doing.
That is so amazing to feel so blessed! Awesome websites.
Molly, I was excited to read about your efforts to teach your children about giving. Our ward is doing something different for the Christmas party this year. Instead of parents bringing gifts for Santa to give their children, everyone, including the children, are to bring presents to donate to Faith Homes. The little flyer they handed out Sunday says that we are to "prayerfully consider what you can do to make this season especially joyful to those in need." Apparently we are sponsoring 6 girls aged 13-17. If I had kids at home it would be fun to take them to Target or somewhere where they could pick out gifts and then wrap them and give them away. I wish I had done more of that when my children were small.
Maybe instead of giving gifts to a family you could consider visiting an Alzheimers or nursing home. The elderly people in these homes love to visit with little children and so often children do not feel uncomfortable or afraid the way adults do. I took a grandbaby in to Garden Courte here in Olympia once and every person who passed us wanted to hold her and talk to her and even just touch her. The light that comes back into the eyes of an elderly person is a huge reward.
glad that i read your post, you have motivated me to do something special for the holidays - and i love the idea of going to a nursing home i miss my grandparents so much and i would've wanted someone to do that for me since i lived so far away from them! great ideas.
Evysmom, we actually have another fun tradition that has been one of the most rewarding! For the past two years we have gone caroling at the hospital. But now, we increased privacy acts, they can not allow us in. So this year we are going to carol with a group of our friends at our local senior home. It is so moving to see how the spirit of CHRISTmas touches everyone! Sometimes I can't even finish the song when I see how much so little can mean so much.
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