ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS… LIVING WATER!
In the spirit of the Mother Letter Project, I am respectfully asking you to pick a charity to donate a little “difference” to this Christmas. Need a charitable cause? You are in luck. This week, I will be featuring 5 charities in 5 days; pick one and make a difference.
Today’s charity is Living Water International, the charity supported by the folks at the Advent Conspiracy. According to the Advent Conspiracy website, the lack of clean water is the leading cause of death in under-resourced countries. Moreover, 1.8 million people die every year from water born illnesses, including 3,900 children a day. What’s the solution?
“Drilling a fresh water well is a relatively inexpensive, yet permanent solution to this epidemic. $10 will give a child clean water for life. That’s not an estimate. It’s a fact. And here’s another fact: Solving this water problem once and for all will cost about $10 billion. Not bad considering Americans spent $450 billion on Christmas last year. Our hope is that, by celebrating Christ in a new way at Christmas, the church can serve as the leading movement behind ending the water crisis once and for all.”
-http://www.adventconspiracy.org/water/
Please visit the websites of Advent Conspiracy and Living Waters. Tell ‘em Danny from the Mother Letter Project sent you. And donate a little loose change; after all, it is Christmas!
———————————-
ON THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS… COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL!
Today’s charity is Compassion International. In their words: “Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults. … Today, Compassion helps more than 1 million children in 25 countries.”
So many good people have blogged about Compassion, but none better than Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer. Read her post about Compassion and read her Africa story. Then, sit down with your family and decide whether you will donate some “difference” this year by adopting a child. After all, it is Christmas!
——————————
ON THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS… THE LUKE SPONBERG FOUNDATION
(click here to see previous charities posted)
Let’s bring it back to the grass roots. I know; I know. The above badge is not that of the Luke Sponberg Foundation. Bear with me, this charity post takes some ‘splainin.
I have been reading blogs lately—a pastime in which I previously was not engaged. Moreover, I have been reading your blogs. In so doing I stumbled across Angie’s blog (Bring the Rain), and was absolutely inspired by the grace that oozed from her story of personal loss. Read the story here. I wrote her and asked her whether we could donate to a foundation she supported—perhaps one that touched on the discrete issues with which she has dealt. Do you know what she did?
She directed me to her brother’s site—The Luke Sponberg Foundation. And that story was also moving. The Sponberg’s lost a son to SIDS earlier this year. Many of you know the story better than I, but needless to say, the grace with which they write inspires me to reexamine my trappings. It is humbling.
So here’s what I’m asking you to do today. If you are moved by these stories, please purpose to donate a little of your Christmas “difference” to the Luke Sponberg Foundation. A little “change” from a lot of us would go a long way. To donate directly to the foundation, email Greg Sponberg, or visit the website and ask how you can make a donation.
Many of you know these people, whether in person or in blog-land. Perhaps your connection with them individually will inspire you to make a difference today. And if you do, please, oh please, comment below. You may do it anonymously if you wish. Just remember that you can make a difference. After all, it is Christmas.
Thank you so much for helping me build this collection. Have fun; be encouraged. And, as always, merry Christmas!
————————–
ON THE FOURTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS… GIVE A PIG
In the spirit of the Mother Letter Project, I am encouraging you to pick a charity and donate a little “difference” this Christmas season. To that end, I have been running 5 charities in 5 days. Read here for previous charity posts.
Many of you know much about Heifer International. Heifer International is a group dedicated to using a “holistic approach… to build sustainable communities.” What does that mean, you ask? The good people at Heifer are attempting to end “world hunger and poverty….” Simple as that.
The idea is timeless. You have all heard the saying before. Give a man a pig, and he’ll eat for several days. And if that man knows how to smoke and salt some bacon, perhaps he’ll eat for a month. But teach a man to raise pigs and… well… he can sell some of those pigs at the market place so he can purchase milk, honey, and perhaps pair of shoes or two. Moreover, that man can teach a neighbor to raise pigs and so on, and so on.
I have seen their methods used on the field and it is positively enlightening.
How can you help? Visit Heifer International’s donation page. Or, visit their online catalogue and give a man a flock of ducks or geese. Or, get a group together (your family perhaps) and donate a water buffalo.
How can you pass on donating some “difference” to purchase a smelly water buffalo? Come on. After all, it is Christmas.
——————————————–
ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS… THE AFRICAN MYSTERY AND OTHER RANDOM LINKS
In the spirit of the Mother Letter Project, I am encouraging you to pick a charity and donate a little “difference” this Christmas season. To that end, I have promoting 5 charities over the last 5 days. Read here for previous charity posts.
Today is the day I have been anticipating. It is the day to plant seeds of mystery. Today I am asking you to consider that small, unnamed village in Africa. My wife and I are.
It is a dark village–one without electricity, modern plumbing, adequate housing, or means of food production. It is a village whose opportunity has been stripped by years of governmental corruption and oppression. It is a village unreached by hope.
Unfortunately, this little village is one of millions that pock-mark the continental country side.
Unfortunately, my family cannot help every African village. But, with your help, we can help one. So we (although she doesn’t know it yet) are asking you to consider Africa; consider this village. On Christmas day, I will disclose the village, the people group, and the workers trying to make a difference. On Christmas day, I will have a place for you to donate the “difference”–$3, $4, $5. It is up to you.
Please plan to visit this site on Christmas day (I’ll also have a little surprise for you). After the wrappings, trappings, and forgotten batteries, fire up that new laptop and stop by this speck of cyberspace. Do for others what they cannot do for themselves–this was the original divine plan of Christmas. Please remember that.
I know, I know. You wanted a charity and I gave you mystery. Perhaps you would rather donate some of your “difference” to disclosed charitable entity. I understand that. So, in an effort to give you a more exhaustive list of charitable entities or individuals involved in relief work, I have provided an auto-link box for your use. What charitable organizations, relief workers, missionaries, or foundations would you like to see supported this Christmas? Use the box below to tell us. Give us a list. After all, it is Christmas.
Let’s do some work.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I had never heard about Heifer International until last week…when I received a card telling me a donation had been made in my name…my gift basket contains shares of cows, goats, chickens, water purifiers and all the things people need to live a life of quality. This may be one of the very best Christmas gifts I have ever received.
Norah