Pay It Forward

I mentioned this in my last post. My aunt specifically asked me to not send a Christmas gift, but instead, if we wanted to give her something to donate the money we would have used for a gift to a favorite charity. She listed several of her favorites. Luckily several of them are favorites of ours.

Today, I made a $50 donation for part of a cow to Heifer International. It will pay for a third world community to have a cow. It is amazing what one cow can do for an impoverished community. It provides nourishment, industry, fertilizer, etc.

I am hearing inklings more and more of this kind of giving this year more than any other year. I like it, and I like it a lot. I hope we can grow this idea more and more in our family in the future.

So, in light of that, I have made a list to the left of my favorite charities. I encourage you to just look at Heifer International. It is amazing what just a goat can do for a community. Again, provides gallons and gallons of milk for a community. Leftover milk is made into yogurt. Same for sheep. Milk is used and wool becomes a money making endeavor for the community.

I also listed Maranatha Ministries, the orphanage we support in Haiti. They do a great work that literally can be the difference between life and death for children there.

If anyone is up for it, I would be happy to do one of my formula drives for Maranatha this year. Typically I just ask for donations of money, baby formula coupons/vouchers, or actual formula. I gather all of that together and ship it to the director of Maranatha Ministries. It is used immediately.

Baby formula is worth it's weight in gold in Haiti. Picture this. Malnourished birthmother gives birth to a low birth weight baby. Birthmother's milk does not produce because she is malnourished. Baby formula is expensive. Birthmother's health is at risk, and baby has no way of being fed. Many times birthmother's perish in childbirth and many times, so do the babies.

If you're interested in helping with this, just post and we'll get it going. I can purchase two huge can of Costco baby formula for $20.00. That is a great price and my youngest was raised on that formula. I think it's good stuff. My gift to this is, of course, some formula and paying the cost of shipping it to Haiti, or to Florida to be taken to Haiti. They also use macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, and personal hygiene products. I like to do the formula, but won't turn anything down. Want to help?

I like the idea of giving a gift that has life changing, life giving and heart warming qualities to it.