THE TIME OF YEAR
FOR GIVING

During this time of gift giving, does it seem like things are just plain getting out of control? The list gets longer and longer yet there is no satisfaction in buying something because you have to give a present. Many of the gifts stay tucked away in a closet never to see the light of day or recycled like the proverbial fruit cake. Is there a way to bring back the satisfaction in knowing that your gift is going to be appreciated and even life saving? Yes there is! The Samaritan’s Purse catalogue is unique in that by giving a gift you are helping others to survive throughout the world. You provide ways for a family to survive with dignity and hope for a better life. It is so simple and yet very fulfilling.

Some of the unique gifts listed in the catalogue are: Blanket – for $6 you can share a warm blanket with a child who may not have a bed, a home, or even a family. Baby chicks – just $10 provides a starter brood of 24 female chicks that can grow into a flock of laying hens able to produce hundreds of eggs each month. Fish farm – it costs just $25 for 100 baby fish to stock freshwater ponds in developing countries such as El Salvador and Nicaragua. Goat – one goat can produce 4-5 quarts a day – nearly a ton of milk, butter, and cheese each year. For a poor family in Latin America or Africa, a goat means nourishing food for the children and a source of income to pay for essentials like medicine and schooling. Just $50 can purchase a dairy goat for a family. Water – across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, the only drinking water available to families often comes from rivers or waterholes that also serve as a place to bathe, wash clothes, and water livestock. Samaritan’s Purse offers families safe, healthy water by providing filters, purified water, water storage systems, pumps, and freshwater wells. Your gift of $75 can provide a water filter for a family.

If you are interested and want to learn more, view the catalogue on their website. You can reach Samaritan’s Purse via the Internet at www.samaritanspurse.org or by phone at (828) 262-1980. This may be one Christmas present that actually brings home the “Reason for the Season!” Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.