YOU GOT A WHAT FOR CHRISTMAS?
We received an early Christmas present this year from our daughter and son-in-law, who are stationed in Chicago. Lisa and Wayne presented us with a goat this year. Yes, I said a goat.
The rule we have about Christmas presents is that we do not really need anything and have too much sitting around already so our children are not to buy us Christmas presents. Lisa’s way of getting around this is to make a donation to a charity in our name.
Last year, she chose the International Mission Board who sends missionaries all over this world to share the Gospel. This year she decided we needed a goat! Andy has been wanting a goat for years so it is a perfect gift.
The truth is she bought a goat in our name through Samaritan’s Purse which makes it even more special! Our goat, whose name is Bessy (named by Lisa of course) will be given to a family in a community or village in Uganda, Bolivia, Niger, Kenya, Honduras, Congo or another such area of the world.
A needy family will receive our goat. The goats provide milk to drink or be used for cheese or butter. Goats grow fast and when they reproduce, their offspring are sold to other families thus giving them not only food and nourishment but a source of income.
Samaritan’s Purse trains family on how to care for the goat and provides regular check-ups for the goat. They build relationships with the families. As they meet them at their point of physical need, soon the door is open to share the Good News with them.
Much of the information above comes from a Samaritan’s Purse web site titled WHY GOATS ARE A BIG DEAL.
I have heard of an app on Facebook called Farmville. I think it is about having a “farm” on the internet in which a person works with others who have “internet farms”. They plant, grow, and harvest as they work together.
We have chickens on our little “farm” here in Virginia. We do not have an internet farm such as Farmville, but, with the addition of Bessy to our family we are planning now to build a “global farm”. Samaritan’s Purse also has chickens, cattle and other animals that give back to the families who receive them.
Yep, we are thinking on getting some chickens for our global farm and someday more goats and maybe even some cattle. We are praying that each family receiving these animals will learn of God’s love for them and receive Him as Savior and Lord!
Romans 10:14 (GW)
14 But how can people call on Him if they have not believed in Him? How can they believe in Him if they have not heard His message? How can they hear if no one tells the Good News?
Mark 16:15-16 (GW)
15 Then Jesus said to them, “So wherever you go in the world, tell everyone the Good News. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Romans 10:17 (NCV)
17 So faith comes from hearing the Good News, and people hear the Good News when someone tells them about Christ.
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