I've included a couple stories from the World Vision website of people who decided to help.
**"When our triplets had their first birthday party and our living room was filled from top to bottom with gifts from their friends, we decided that we needed to do something different.
[Now] every year they select a charity or cause to support.
This year for their 8th birthday party they asked their friends to donate money to purchase gifts from your gift catalog instead of receiving presents from their friends. (They did receive gifts from their family.) At the party, guests were asked to vote for which items they would like to purchase.
In the end they selected a goat, a fish pond, a pig, safe water, educational support for a child, and immunizations. Together the girls raised $593. The girls and all their friends learned a valuable lesson about giving to those less fortunate."
**The students of North Heights Christian Academy in Roseville, MN, brought “change to the world” in more than one sense. By filling a 6-foot plastic tube with change, they raised $3,200 to purchase 15 goats, 30 fruit trees, 10 shares of a well, five shares of a health clinic, and several other Gift Catalog items to change the lives of families in need.
**At the [beginning] of 2007, our family of 8 sat down together to share our New Year's goals, as is our tradition. When it was Brianna's turn [she's 13], she informed us ... she had a new goal to raise $1000 to donate towards Gift Catalog purchases.
She had no idea how God would help her do it ... I must admit, even I doubted she would be able to reach this goal. But I now believe God Himself inspired my Brianna ...
First, Brianna shared her vision with her two best friends ... [then] the girls discussed the idea with Pastor Pat, who encouraged them and supported the idea of a church-sponsored bake sale to begin their fundraising.
The girls made a presentation of their vision to the church one Sunday, and created posters and baked sweets all day the following Saturday. After a long day of cooking brownies, cookies, cupcakes, and cake, we sat down and prayed together and asked for God's favor.
The next afternoon, everyone was amazed at the results. After another brief presentation of World Vision's mission, we encouraged people to be generous and enjoy our baked goods. God moved upon the hearts of the people of our small church. In total we raised $1,238!"
**Eric Drivdahl, an employee of Curtis Gelotte Architects, was flipping through the Gift Catalog at home one evening when the Mongolian ger (a traditional Mongolian dwelling) caught his eye.
Eric thought to himself that providing a ger would be a very appropriate Christmas project for an office of architects whose business was providing people with homes. He wrote a proposal to his employer, who not only felt it was a great idea but pledged to personally match whatever was given by the rest of the staff.
Eric presented the idea to his co-workers and was amazed at the response. With the match, the CGA staff gave a total of $7,486 — enough to provide gers for four families.
"Not only was this a passion project for Eric," stated one of his co-workers, "every staff member was deeply moved and it truly became an office bonding experience."
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