Is there someone you know who is really hard to buy a gift for? I know a few people like that. They’ve got everything they need. Most anything they don’t have and might be on their Christmas list would likely be too expensive for me to buy for them, and anything that is within my budget they would probably just go & buy for themselves. I feel like anything I buy for them would be just another junk trinket that they’ll either put on a shelf & forget about, return, or throw out.
We received a gift catalog from World Vision in the mail last week, and I was struck by its uniqueness. It’s not exactly what you’d expect in a gift catalog; instead of the usual stupid little trinkets you see in any other catalog from any other mail order company, World Vision offers gifts that you can give in someone’s name that can really make a difference.
Your gift can provide animals for needy people, shelter & warmth, health care, clean water, nourishing food… Some of the gifts are quite affordable; five ducks cost only $30 and will provide eggs to eat and ducklings to sell. Others can be quite costly; a fresh water well costs $5,390, but World Vision gives you the opportunity to buy a share in that gift, so that together with several other givers you can be a part of providing clean water to a huge number of people. Having visited Africa, I know firsthand what kind of water people drink in third-world countries, and this is something that would make a huge impact.
You can purchase a gift through the website, or you can go there to request a catalog (or a hundred if you want to distribute them) and order by phone. Your gift-ee will receive a card from World Vision detailing what was given in their name.
We just watched “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on TV last night, and it’s interesting that even back then Charles Schultz was railing against the commercialism of Christmas. Most stores had their Christmas stuff on display in September already. It seems to happen earlier every year, with the constant drumbeat of how the Christmas shopping season is sink-or-swim time for retailers, and a major indicator for the US economy. All that is just a detraction from what Christmas is all about; I’m totally with Linus on his explanation on the subject:
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them,
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Watch and enjoy the scene on YouTube, or click here to listen to the audio only.