Every family has their own traditions for Christmas that develop over the years. One of my favorite traditions in our family has become the World Vision gift catalog. each year, each family member chooses the gift that they most want to give. It is not an easy decision, there are so many wonderful choices. All the way from medicine to clothing to pre- and post-natal care to educational supplies. I work in agriculture, so I have a soft spot for gifts like fruit trees, goats, and chickens. We all spend a few weeks considering our choices before we finally decide. This year, I went with the agriculture packs that provide all the tools and training for families to produce food crops. This was a matched gift, where my donation is multiplied three times because of donations from the World Food Programme.
On our last trip to Haiti, we got to meet two families that received gifts from the gift catalog. One was a single father who had lost a leg, his family received a pig. The other was a single mother raising three children, her family received a goat. the milk from their goat was an important source of protein for her children. What I had not realized, is that it is the community, not World Vision, who decides who receives these gifts. It is wonderful to know that the community members can identify those most in need within their community and provide them with the support they need.
This single mother of three received a goat from the World Vision gift catalog
Want to give someone a gift that can transform lives? Try the World Vision Gift Catalog. We did, and our lives are richer for this holiday tradition.