With Christmas fast approaching, we are all busy running around making plans, and giving our Credit Cards a good workout with all the presents we are buying. However, year after year, presents are purchased which are continuing our selfish, consumer-driven lives. I heard recently that around $1billion is spent each year on presents that are either never used, or only used once.

This year, why not give a present that gives life? Whilst we are spoiling ourselves and others through the abundance of presents, why not instead turn to the majority of the world who cannot afford presents, or a special dinner - people who can barely afford enough food just to survive.

Organisations like Compassion and Tear offer present ideas that certainly will be thoroughly used and appreciated. For only $5 you can provide eyesore for someone in Bangladesh, or for only $11 you can provide an insecticide-treated net to protect children and their families from Malaria, which kills one million people each year.

Each of these gifts you buy, come with their own gift card, which you can then give to a friend or member of your family, to show them the gift you have bought for them.

What my wife and I do is we, instead of buying Christmas or Birthday cards, we often will buy cheaper Compassion or Tear gifts, and then use the cards that come with it as their Christmas or Birthday card - it ends up being a card that gives life.

So this Christmas, instead of contributing to the $1billion of unused presents, instead replace part of all of your present offerings, or even replace the Christmas Cards you were going to give, with something that will save the lives of millions of Children and families around the world.

To browse for Gifts, visit the following websites:
Compassion Australia's Gift Catalog: http://www.compassion.com.au/shop/product_list.php?intcategoryid=10
Tear Australia's 'Arguably, the World's Most Useful Gift Catalogue': http://www.usefulgifts.org/
Baptist World Aid Australia's Gift Catalog: http://www.baptistworldaid.org.au/GiftOpportunities/

Disclaimer: The blog entries on this website represent the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views of this Church.

Share On Facebook
Add/Read 0 Comments... >>