The Joy of Giving

I just came back from a very nice evening out with a good friend.  I know she is a good friend because I could sit in a coffeeshop with one coffee and talk for literally hours!  It's not easy to get me to sit like that for so long with one cup of coffee.

During the evening, we talked a little about charity and giving, and I have been inspired to write about my sponsored child.

When Kyle was born, I decided to sponsor a child.  I found a child just two years old through Child Fund (Formerly CCF).  Rajkumar is in India.  When I started with this sponsorship, I didn't realise how attached I would grow to Rajkumar and his family, nor how such a small gift from me could mean so much to them.  Each year I give the family 50USD to spend for Christmas and birthday.  With that money, they buy their family of four new clothes, new bedding, school supplies, grains and meats, prepare a birthday party, AND save a little for their future needs.  This giving has also made me look at our own children and what we give them.  This year, I decided to buy them one gift each, and not from me but from the Birthday Fairy.  The whole idea of the Birthday Fairy was more exciting than the presents, and the buildup lasted weeks.   I am putting the "saved" money toward the cost of assisting Rajkumar and his family.  It is truly a joy to assist this family.  Even if we can't make a giant impact on poverty in general, we can do a little something now and then.