A Gift of Chicks

No, this is not about my Christmas gift to Marcus--I am NOT that nice of a wife! This is about the gift of giving. For the past few years Lindsay has requested that in lieu of all the Christmas gifts I usually spoil her with she would prefer that I made a donation in her name to Heifer International. Heifer International is an organization that does a lot of work in impoverished nations. The organization's goal really seems to be giving impoverished people the means in which to be self-supporting. According to their catalog, Heifer International works exclusively in the areas of livestock and agriculture to develop programs that alleviate hunger and poverty. Through the organization one can "purchase" various animals that will then be sent to a family in one of these impoverished nations. For example, one could purchase a heifer for $500, or a gift of a goat for $120. There are also rabbits, pigs, lambs, honeybees, water buffalo and tree saplings. If you are feeling particularly generous, you can give the Gift Ark for $5,000. The Gift Ark may include 2 cows, 2 oxen, 2 beehives, 2 sheep, 2 water buffalo, 2 goats, 2 camels, 2 llamas, 2 donkey, 2 trios of ducks, 2 trios of guinea pigs, 2 trios of rabbits, 2 flocks of geese, 2 pigs, and two flocks of chicks. Imagine all the people that could be help by the Gift Ark?!

I really enjoyed reading their catalog and thought I would share the whole process of how a gift works because it really explains how just one llama can give hope to an entire community. Here is the process quoted from the catalog:

• You decide to donate a llama in her of your mother, who always loved these gentle animals.
• Your mother receives a holiday gift card from you describing the generous contribution you've made in her honor.
• Thanks to your gift, one more family is on the road to self-reliance.
• Once the family has completed training and has prepared appropriate facilities, they then receive a healthy llama.
• Throughout the year, the llama provides soft, warm wool and the promise of hope for this family.
• The family gives one or more of the llama's offspring to another family in the community. That's part of the "passing on the gift" tradition that participants agree to when they become partners with Heifer. Heifer always ensures that there is a healthy male llama in the village for breeding.
• The second recipient family agrees to contribute one or more of their llama's offspring to a family in need and so on

I realize that today there are many scams out there and we need to be careful where we donate our money to. Heifer International has been in operation since 1944 and has been awarded the President's Award for Voluntary Action and the Presidential End Hunger Award. Thus, I do believe they are a reliable charity organization. I love how they have programs that are geared toward teaching young school children about the plight of the hungry and what we can do about it. They have a Read to Feed program for elementary school students and a faith-base program available to Sunday School teachers.

I felt that with the Holidays arriving, now would be a good time to share this information. We all know someone who has everything; someone who is so hard to shop for. What a great gift idea to purchase a gift of an animal in the person's name. This year I am purchasing a Gift of Chicks in Finnegan's name because it is never too early to start teaching our young about the gift of giving.