Author investigates humanitarian gift-giving catalogues
It is the Friday following the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, and the merchants of Buffalo, New York are dreaming of a "black Friday." No, they are not referring to a stock market meltdown, but rather to a bonanza in sales (this is reputed to be America's single biggest shopping day) allowing them to finish the year in the black financially.
The 2007 Christmas shopping season is in full swing and (according to local talk radio) Toronto-area Canadians are choking U.S./Canada border crossings, hoping to benefit from a strong Canadian dollar. And it is not a stretch to believe that Canadian Christians are contributing their share of greenhouse gas idling in the one-hour-plus border line-ups.
Exchanging gifts at Christmas is a deeply-rooted tradition, and while it is not about to disappear anytime soon, there is a growing trend toward giving gifts to charities in the name of individuals. Do you still have those gift catalogs which came bundled with a recent issue of ChristianWeek? Did you peruse them at all?
The smallest catalog was from Eurovangelism (www.eurovangelism.ca), promoting "gifts with value, not just a price tag." They provide 30 choices with costs ranging from $7 for a children's Bible to $4,000 which covers the cost of trucking 20 tons food, blankets and medical supplies to those in need. If you want to spend $18,951 on gift-giving this year, you can send one of every item listed in the catalog.
"Ministering as Jesus did" is the challenge from Partners International (www.partnersinternational.ca) in their "Harvest of Hope" catalog. In 20 colourful pages you will find 55 gift suggestions conveniently organized into 10 categories. From helping "stop a toothache" ($3) to erecting a "multi-purpose building in Nigeria" ($7,950), there is something within reach of every Christmas budget.
World Vision(www.WorldVision.ca), the super-power of Christian relief and development agencies, produces a 32-page catalog with 61 opportunities to give one of "Canada's most meaningful gifts." For example, two hens and a rooster ($55) will provide a family with 150 eggs a year. That is truly a gift that keeps on giving.
Gift-giving through humanitarian agencies is a creative way to demonstrate the spirit of Christmas, and Christians should be encouraged to participate. The agencies noted above are just three of 80,000 registered Canadian charities, as reported on the Canada Revenue agency website.
The sheer number of charities raises important questions for potential donors: "How do I know where to give?" "What really happens to the money I give to a charity?" "Does a small gift really make any difference?" "Do those who need it really get that gift?"
These sorts of questions prompted Kay Marshall Strom to try to discover "what happened when families actually received the gifts purchased." The results of her research are published in Harvest of Hope: Stories of Life-Changing Gifts. If you want to know how to discern where to give, I recommend reading this book.
In cooperation with Partners International, Strom embarked upon an "eye-opening expedition around the world." She discovered an amazing array of projects and ministry initiatives, all of which can be supported by large and small gifts from compassionate people.
The 19 projects on which she reports cover a wide range of opportunities including innovative banking projects, micro-business loans, medical help, clean water supplies, medical clinics, disaster relief and leadership training.
Readers will be both blessed and challenged as they hear the stories of people given hope through the gifts of resource-rich people whom they will likely never meet. Yes, your gifts both small and large do have a significant impact on the lives of people.
At the conclusion of each story, Strom describes the key benefits of the project along with a key challenge in keeping it effective.
She also provides a guide for choosing the best places to send gifts. The frustrated words of an 87-year-old giver emphasize the importance of knowing the organization you are supporting. "They say the Lord loves a cheerful giver, but this giver's becoming less cheerful," she told a news reporter after receiving 260 Christmas appeals that year.
During this Christmas season and throughout the year, Canadian Christians should give cheerfully and generously, but also wisely.
Strom will help you "discover the power and joy of giving that changes lives—yours, and the lives of people all over the world."
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