I haven't written much lately. At least on paper. I've "written" lots in my head. But some things require more research than I have energy to do right now. Some things are intimidating to write out. And sometimes I simply haven't the emotional energy because it's being spent elsewhere.
But this one I really wanted to write. Five days ago. And here I am on December 6th contemplating whether I scratch yet another writing idea or just post it late. Obviously, the "post it late" side of my brain won. Only because the charity part of this is important to me.
There was a funny/sad picture running around Facebook recently describing how we spend a whole day (WOW! ONE whole day...I digress...) celebrating all the things we are thankful for and the next day we get in fights to buy things we don't need with money we don't have. It's Christmas, right?
♫'Tis the season to be jolly ♫
♫Peace on earth, goodwill towards men♫
Familiar songs for a familiar time of the year.
Some people, like me, take this time of year to celebrate Jesus' birth. Was Jesus really born on December 25th? No. But that's okay with me. We adopted a dog from the pound so we don't know her birth date either. We celebrate on August 7th. My brother's birthday. I don't remember why anymore and I'm not really sure my brother knows that, but there it is. We didn't know the date, so we picked one. Sometime around 300 AD people picked December 25th to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It took the place of a pagan holiday. Again, in the church we've done that a lot. We took old bar tunes & gave them new words. Many of those are now our cherished hymns. God does it. He takes the old, yucky self and makes it something wonderfully new. So we celebrate.
We celebrate the God who left all that heaven offered to take the form of man. Not a grown man.
A helpless child. Not the child of a wealthy family. The child of a poor carpenter. Born in a stable but worshiped by both shepherds and kings. A child whose life and death would change the world.
But you don't celebrate Jesus?
Ok. For the point of this blog, it doesn't matter. It does matter to me, because your eternity matters to me, but that's not the point of this particular musing.
Perhaps you celebrate family. Or tradition. Or simply you give because you get. Or you maybe you just like giving. Giving is good. It makes a person feel good. It gives a sense of satisfaction. And really...if you're reading this, we probably have lots of stuff. Stuff we've given ourselves. Stuff other people have given to us. Even if we're considered poor by US standards or government standards or our own standards, truly we are really quite rich. My husband and I don't make a lot of money and by some people's standards (even occasionally our own) we don't have "enough". The government even says that I could have my children's lunch prices subsidized. At $3.25 or less per lunch, I can buy my own children's lunches, thankyouverymuch. Perhaps we don't have all the cool techy toys my kids would like, but we have more than enough. And, when I've got my head screwed on right, I even remember that.
For a reality check, you might consider entering your yearly income at www.globalrichlist.com. With one push of the button it will give you a visual representation of exactly how rich you are compared to the rest of the world.
That oft demonized 1%? Turns out I'm part of it.
"$8 could buy you 15 organic apples OR 25 fruit trees for farmers in Honduras to grow and sell fruit at their local market.
$30 could buy you an ER DVD Boxset OR a First Aid kit for a village in Haiti.
$73 could buy you a new mobile phone OR a new mobile health clinic to care for AIDS orphans in Uganda.
$2400 could buy you a second generation High Definition TV OR schooling for an entire generation of school children in an Angolan village."
(from www.globalrichlist.com)
Perspective. It's a curious thing isn't it.
So....during this time of lights and family, trees and carols, hustle and bustle, tinsel and presents, would you consider giving to someone NOT in your family? To someone you've never met? To someone who truly doesn't have their basic needs met. My family doesn't need another present. If you care to re-connect with my family, a card is good enough. A handwritten note would be the cherry on top. If you want to go over the top, pick a charity and give a gift. There are millions of charities and there's always more work to be done.
I'm funny about charities. Just like the things that I post, I like to research charities first. I'm not fond of the charities that take peoples monies and pay administrators more than they help people who really need it. Administrators can be paid...but they're like the rest of us...probably richer than they like to admit.
So pick one. Pick one with a cause that is close to your heart.
Hunger? Try a food bank. Here in Columbia, you can send food or money to Harvest Hope Food Bank
http://www.harvesthope.org/
Human Trafficking? Yes, there truly is still slavery in this world. Most often women and children. Used and abused and thrown away like so much trash.
WAR International rescues women and children who have been sold. WAR teaches them they are worthy of respect as well as a trade they can use to sustain themselves. If you want to give money that's great. Or you can buy goods that have been produced by women who have been rescued. www.warinternational.org
or
The A21 Campaign who works for the same purpose. Did you know that human trafficking is the world's fastest growing criminal enterprise??? Every 30 seconds someone is forced into modern slavery, usually for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor. These are not faceless robots. These are someone's daughter, mother, child. Human beings with names and emotions. People who need someone to care.
Again, with the A21 Campaign, you can donate money or buy goods. http://www.thea21campaign.org/
Perhaps the cause of the military is close to your heart. As a military brat, I can appreciate the sacrifices made my both the soldier and his or her family. These are people who give up much for we who they have never met. It wouldn't hurt to give back to some of them, especially those who have paid a physical price.
http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
One of my favorites is http://www.worldvision.org/
You can send ducks that will provide a sustainable source of food and income.
Or rabbits, or cows.
You can sponsor a well to provide clean water.
You can send clothes, especially in this time of cold weather in the northern hemisphere.
You could sponsor a child, providing food and education; changing a little persons life forever. All for the same monthly amount that some of us spend on coffee.
So that brings me up to date. (phew....I thought I'd never get here)
Today's charity of the day was www.lovegave.com, a group of local churches coming together to help orphaned children.
So pick something. Pick someONE. You can change a life this season. It can be as little $5. Or a box of pasta. Do something for someone else this season.
If you don't like any of these charities, never fear! I'll post a charity each day until December 31st, so you've got plenty of time. Yes, it'll be after Christmas by the time I'm finished, but that's okay. Jesus wasn't born on the 25th anyway, so I don't think He'll mind. :)
