Making a difference-- Childreach

[Guest Joel]

Ngungu

[artsylady]

Is Childreach a Christian organization?

[Guest dove2]

"Childreach, Plan USA, is an international, humanitarian, child sponsorship and child focused development organization," Does that tell you anything?

[artsylady]

Guess that's why I prefer Christian Children's Fund and Compassion.

[Guest dove2]

Amen Artsylady.

[Guest LadyC]

personally, i think if a person has enough money to sponsor a child, they should check with their pastor and find out if there is a family in their own church who is in need, and sponsor one they know personally. then you know that every dime you donate is going to help the family... and i just don't grasp the concept of helping people all over the world while overlooking the ones in our own backyard!

last year we had the opportunity to do just that. there was a woman who my husband worked with that had no idea how she could explain to her three small boys that they couldn't afford christmas. mark came home telling me this, and then called her on the phone and said we would help. of course, we had no idea how we could possibly help, but as he was talking to her, i opened the days mail and found a check from his parents... a christmas gift to us in the form of $250. well, guess where that money went? we bought christmas for that woman's children, and nothing could have been more precious.

but then, turn about is fair play... the year before, we'd been strapped financially. we couldn't afford christmas for my own daughters. but they were old enough that i knew they would understand, as much as teenagers can understand anything. a friend of mine in canada sensed online one night that i was bummed out, although i hadn't told her about our finances. she picked up the phone and just came right out and said "i'm not trying to be nosy and rude, but i've been getting a feeling lately that things are tough on you right now... and i already talked to my husband about this, and we'd like to buy christmas for your girls... so email me with a wishlist for each one".

so if you feel the need to give, trust me... give to someone you know. i've been on both sides of that fence.

[Guest Joel]

Ngungu'taota artsylady, dove, and LadyC, Tutskwa I'qatsi,

Plan International (Childreach is their U.S member) is one of the largest international humanitarian organizations. It is fully accountable and ranked as one of the best for percentage of donations provided directly to those who need it (77% to sponsored chidren, 5% to sponsors). You can see a financial breakdown of each dollar spent at: http://www.childreach.org/about/financial.html

What makes Plan/Childreach somewhat different from other humanitarian organizations is their focus upon Child-Centered Community Development. "Child-Centered Community Development engages children, families and communities as active participants. It enhances their capacity and opportunity to work together to address structural causes of child poverty at all levels ... Childreach is committed to long-term development programs to help children and families achieve their full potential ... we

help communities develop and grow and, ultimately, support themselves. "

In speaking about A.I.D.S, and the need to address its devastating effects, Nelson Mandela wrote:

"HIV/AIDS is wrecking countries in much the same way as war. Today, there are more than 13 million AIDS orphans in the world. Through its child-centered approach Plan International is making a real difference to many of those orphans. They are providing them with food and paying for their education. They are also helping communities rebuild so that children do have a future. Plan is supporting the children. Wholeheartedly

support Plan's work. I encourage you to." -Nelson Mandela

LadyC-- Our hearts lead us to help wherever we can. Christian charity begins at home, but certainly does not limit us there. It leads us from our own families, to our communities, and outward to our global family. We are our brothers keepers, as Jesus taught us, wherever our brothers and sisters in need can be found in our world. For so little (c. $23./month) through Childreach, or other worthy organizations, we can reach out and help the children of the world who need us, in addition to the help we can provide in our own communities and country.

Wishing you "Peace on Earth and Goodwill to All Peoples,"

Joel

[Guest dove2]

personally, i think if a person has enough money to sponsor a child, they should check with their pastor and find out if there is a family in their own church who is in need, and sponsor one they know personally. then you know that every dime you donate is going to help the family... and i just don't grasp the concept of helping people all over the world while overlooking the ones in our own backyard!

last year we had the opportunity to do just that. there was a woman who my husband worked with that had no idea how she could explain to her three small boys that they couldn't afford christmas. mark came home telling me this, and then called her on the phone and said we would help. of course, we had no idea how we could possibly help, but as he was talking to her, i opened the days mail and found a check from his parents... a christmas gift to us in the form of $250. well, guess where that money went? we bought christmas for that woman's children, and nothing could have been more precious.

but then, turn about is fair play... the year before, we'd been strapped financially. we couldn't afford christmas for my own daughters. but they were old enough that i knew they would understand, as much as teenagers can understand anything. a friend of mine in canada sensed online one night that i was bummed out, although i hadn't told her about our finances. she picked up the phone and just came right out and said "i'm not trying to be nosy and rude, but i've been getting a feeling lately that things are tough on you right now... and i already talked to my husband about this, and we'd like to buy christmas for your girls... so email me with a wishlist for each one".

so if you feel the need to give, trust me... give to someone you know. i've been on both sides of that fence.

Lady C, I so agree with you. There are so many children that are not going to get any type of gift this year and that is in our own town, state, country. I am not against helping others in another country but help those around us first. How can we turn a deaf ear to a child in our neighborhood who might be hungry? We are not to forget our own.

Our God is great isn't He? That is such a wonderful testimony about the check and seeing those children got presents and I would imagine food to eat.

[Guest shadow2b]

-They are also helping communities rebuild so that children do have a future. Plan is supporting the children. Wholeheartedly

support Plan's work. I encourage you to." -Nelson Mandela

-WeLL, most encouraging sentiment,especially since mandella was/is an outright,dedicated

-"communist--marxist-socialist" that has destroyed a once very strong economy when he was

-president of South Africa..He destroyed the economy-allowed the black citizens to murder white-

-colored or mixed races & then disarmed the entire country..Now crime is in pandemic proportions

-& all the citizenry live in fear, Which none of this has been reported by our wonderful informational

-news services,otherwise known as the biggest joke on planet earth.....

ooooopppppPPPPsssssSSss--sorry i see "that"name & I dissolve into a sudden apoptolyptical

-dis-associative, irrationally,preconcieved,malaise,overshadowed by a perpetual lapse into a

-majoritarianism mode of dialectial inapptitude of intellectualy modified conversationally induced

-obstreperous protoporphyin caused by the prothoricac gland..................

[Guest Joel]

Naangu'a shadow, Tutskwa I'qatsi,

My brother, what are the politics of starving, diseased children struggling to survive from day to day? The only thing that matters is that we help them as Jesus calls us to do. At this season of Christ's birth let us give him the gift he would surely appreciate the most-- loving and helping those in our world who need us, locally and globally, especially the children.

may peace be with you,

Joel