Another great way to give back to the global community is to give money to disaster relief organizations such as ADRA, Red Cross, FEMA, Food for the Hungry, Oxfam, and UNICEF. These are Non-Government Orginisations (NGO) that are ready to support aid in crisis situations. All of these mentioned here also have non-crisis support programs to which you can support as well. I have found a web site to which you can find a complete list of Disaster Relief Agencies and NGO’s. It gives a short summary to each agency, as well as in the right-hand column you can click on the agency that you would like to know more about and it will take you to the agency’s web-site.
*Note* after going to the Food for the Hungry link above click on the country flag in the top right corner that is relevant to you as each country has its own set-up. Other sites may be the same.
What I love about this kind of giving at this time of year is that you can give to a great cause, which ever one has your heart, and you get to shop from your home (I prefer to shop on-line in my pajama’s!) and you get to buy fun things, like goats and chickens! In real life I have never bought a chicken for myself, but I have bought a few for people who needed a chicken for survival reasons (income, food, etc.).
Last Christmas was the first year my family donated to NGO’s instead of exchanging gifts, and it was actually a lot of fun! I shopped for a few items and my parents shopped together and chose a few items. They were so excited to tell me that they wanted to buy two chickens for people in Africa somewhere! They were almost giddy about it! This year we have done the same, because honestly the majority of adults in North America don’t need a bigger TV, a new(er) iPhone, or six shades of nail polish… but a family does need a source of income, a source of food, and to know how to read. It is a great feeling to know that you are part of solving problem’s of this world!
Keep your eyes open as you look at each of these “shopping guides”, last year the Canadian government was matching donations, sometimes up to 9x! Now that is some great math! You buy two chickens for $25, and the government could donate up to another $225 to the same agency… That is a lot of chickens folks!
A great mentor of mine says, “If you are part of the solution you are part of the problem.”
Matthew 25:39-45
39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
A Woman of Proverbs 31 