1. Share the Gospel
At Christmas, many of us make an effort to bless those less fortunate. We recognize that meeting the physical needs of the poor and needy is important. But we also know there is only One who can change eternity for the homeless man, the orphaned child, the war-weary refugee, and our next-door neighbor. Jesus Christ, who came to earth to save us from our sins, is the answer for every hardship. Only He can give us lasting peace. You can share Jesus, the reason for the season, by talking to your children, friends, or neighbors as you serve them. You can also play a part in sharing the Gospel worldwide by giving The Greatest Journey discipleship program to children in developing nations through Samaritan’s Purse.
In Guyana, South America, Samuel and other children participated in the 12-week discipleship program. The children then shared the Gospel with their families, and brought their parents into the church. When you provide discipleship materials for one child, you can reach a whole community for Christ.
2. Provide a Food Source to a Community
Have you ever volunteered at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter? Preparing meals is a great way to show the love of Christ to people in need within your local community. What if you could also give a sustainable food source to a community plagued by drought or extreme poverty? The gift of a dairy goat, chicken, fishpond or bountiful crop changes lives. “We are grateful for the love of Samaritan’s Purse to our family and our entire community,” said Novence, a mother in Uganda who received three goats.
The church in Sevalahun, Liberia had just 15 members when Samaritan’s Purse came to the village to build fishponds. Now over 100 people attend. The change began when the congregation had a fish harvest and shared the bounty with the community as an expression of Christ’s love.
Stock a Fishpond, give a Dairy Goat, Chickens, or Farming Supplies
3. Stop the Spread of Malaria
When we mention sickness in America, we think of the flu, strep throat, or the common cold. We don’t worry that a small mosquito bite could give us malaria while we sleep. But that’s the reality faced by boys and girls in tropical Africa, where two out of three children will sleep tonight without simple nets that could save their lives. Mosquito nets are a simple way to prevent one of the world’s deadliest diseases.
When you text NETS to 80888, your $10 donation provides a mosquito net to a child in Africa. (Message and data rates may apply.) When a family receives a mosquito net from Samaritan’s Purse, they are also introduced to the ultimate healer, Jesus Christ.
4. Quench the Thirst of a Family
... or an entire community.
On her way back up the steep trail, Anibutibeyo paused, struggling to keep the 45-pound container of water balanced on her head. The mother of three comes to the spring three times a day. Like so many others, Anibutibeyo and her family recently returned to the area in Congo after fleeing fighting. “We came back a year ago, but it has been hard to start over.”
The needs are many, but the people who have returned home don’t have to worry about getting sick from the water they drink. Samaritan’s Purse is restoring three village wells, digging ten new ones, and refurbishing three natural springs in this area.
You don’t have to travel to Congo to help provide clean, disease-free water to families. Join with us and become a part of our Turn on the Tap water program. As we provide clean drinking water in strategic locations throughout the world, we share the “living water” of Jesus Christ.
5. Educate the Next Generation
The gift of education doesn’t often appear on Christmas lists. However, education can work as a catalyst to lift people out of poverty and break the bondage that often comes with illiteracy.
What can you do to give the gift of education? Start in your own community by donating books, old computers, educational toys, and school supplies. Volunteer in a continuing education program, or English as a Second Language class. You can even help educate someone on the other side of the globe, through Samaritan’s Purse.
An 18-year-old Gypsy girl has three children and no way to take care of them. She abandons them with hopes that someone else will feed and clothe them. But often these children fall into the exact same cycle. With no education or skills, they have no way to provide for their families. Michelle Sims is helping to break the cycle. With support from Samaritan's Purse, she founded a private Christian orphanage and school in Romania.
“This village currently has a 0 percent literacy rate,” she told us, “so we’re seeing the first kids start to read and write. My hope is that they all become employed as a result of their education and that we see these mud huts and malnourished situations gone.”
6. Spread the Word
After you give or volunteer, you can multiply the impact of your gift by sharing and inspiring others to give. In the world of online social media, it’s easier than ever to spread the word about this opportunity. After you give through the Samaritan’s Purse Gift Catalog, we give you options to share your gift on Facebook or Twitter. But you don’t have to stop there! You can paste any website address into your Facebook or Twitter status and immediately reach your friends with the message. Take pictures or videos of your giving adventure or volunteer experience and share those as well. Give in honor of someone, and send a commemorative card. While you may not be able to donate, you can inspire your network of friends and family to view holiday gift giving with a new perspective.
As Kathy Hill planned her birthday party in November, she took the opportunity to spread the word about Operation Christmas Child. Instead of making a birthday wish list for herself, she asked for donations of toys and school supplies to pack shoe boxes for children across the world. On her birthday, Kathy and her guests sent 115 shoe box gifts. She wrote about the party on her blog, and encouraged readers to pack boxes in their communities. Let Kathy’s story spark your creativity. How can you inspire others to create a cascade of giving in your sphere of influence?
7. PRAY
Billy Graham once said, “Prayers have no boundaries. They can leap miles and continents and be translated instantly into any language.” Prayer is the most powerful gift you can give to someone in need. So this Christmas, when you donate clothing to the homeless shelter, provide food and sustenance to a community, help dig wells or educate the next generation, send a prayer with your gift.
We encourage you to take a look through our Christmas Gift Catalog. Even if you can’t donate, pray over each life-changing item and the precious people who will receive them. Pray that they will also receive the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ. And pray that God will reveal what He would have you do to help change the world this Christmas.
Visit www.SamaritansPurse.org
