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World Vision donkeys and roosters:
Forever Christmas

by Judi McLeod, Canadafreepress.com

December 23, 2004

It was the breath of the humble barnyard animal that kept the Holy Family warm on the first Christmas Eve. The goat, the pig, the rooster and the donkey that played a meaningful role in Bethlehem, still play a role of hope and lasting inspiration in Christmas of the 21st century.

The gift of a barnyard animal to a stranger a world away is a gift that keeps on giving. It is a gift that makes everyday Christmas to the child of a third-world country.

In the industrialized world, we hear the strains of carols such as a Partridge in a Pear Tree on elevators and in the shopping mall.

Give just two hens and a rooster, for $50, to one of the children in a desperately poor region of the world, and a Christmas carol comes to life. Two hens and a rooster can start a flock of chickens that will provide eggs, meat and a source of steady income for years to come. The hens and rooster is the most popular gift in the 2004 Christmas catalogue, of the Mississauga-based World Vision Canada. World Vision is a respected international Christian humanitarian relief and development organization reaching out to the world’s neediest children.

Since 1950, World Vision has been helping to provide a future of hope for children in nearly 100 countries in africa, asia, Latin america, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

In North america children go to bed on Christmas Eve with "visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads. " The children of poverty wake to empty rice bowls and empty stomachs on Christmas morning.

Goats always fascinate children at outings to the petting zoo. In the third world, a goat can produce almost two litres of fresh, nutritious milk every day. Goats survive in the toughest climates, and even their manure is an effective fertilizer. a pair of goats can produce two or as many as three kids a year. So the gift of two goats is a gift that multiplies to keep on giving over and over again.

Three little pigs of nursery rhyme fame cost $105. One piglet, only $35.

Says the World Vision 2004 Christmas catalogue: "Pigs plump up fast–and produce more piglets!

"Pigs can grow to 42 kilos in just three months, and thrive on eating kitchen scraps. They’re a great source of protein and provide "natural" fertilizer for gardens. a pig can produce a litter of piglets every year–and families earn income from the sale of offspring. Buying three piglets can provide a family with everything they need to launch a small business."

Then there’s the legendary donkey, sturdy, loyal and hard working. The donkey has a special place in the Bible and in the human heart.

The World Vision catalogue renders the best description of the donkey as a gift: "For many families in developing countries, each day is filled with difficult work that takes its toll on health and productivity. a strong and sturdy donkey can be a godsend. Donkeys carry goods to and from the marketplace, pull carts with water, search for food, and can even plough fields if trained. One donkey can vastly improve the quality of life for an entire family."

Sheep, dairy cows, oxen, bunnies and fish are also featured in the World Vision catalogue.

There are so many causes calling out to the Christmas heart. Unfortunately, many donation dollars go first to administrative costs rather than directly to the children and families for whom the donation was intended.

World Vision gifts go directly to the children.

"I have seen firsthand how gifts like these can completely transform the lives of children in desperately poor regions of the world," says alex Trebek of Jeopardy television fame. "I’ve found no better way to share the true meaning of Christmas with my friends and family than through the World Vision catalogue."

Mr. Trebek would likely agree that the World Vision wish list is more calendar than catalogue because it offers gifts that go on giving long after the holidays are over.

World Vision doesn’t close 6 p.m. Christmas Eve. Last-minute gifts from the organization extend well beyond the holidays.

Christmas 2004 can be the best Christmas ever, because it could be the one that makes Christmas last forever.

Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com


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