World Vision Gifts–Gifts That Make a Difference (Holiday Gift Guide 2012)

The Gift That Makes a Difference

At this time of year, many families want to give gifts but are also aware of the many people without money or homes who don’t get gifts this holiday season. It can be  tough sometimes to justify the gifts you are buying when others are going hungry.

There IS a way to give a gift to a loved one AND help deserving families at the same time with World Vision Gifts.  Purchase a gift from World Vision Gifts and you receive a card to pass on that tells how they helped a poverty stricken family.

World Vision Gift Catalogue

There are more than 60 gifts to choose from. If you are in Canada, you can see what’s available at World Vision Canada, while those in the US will want to check out World Vision. There catalogues are slightly different but they idea is the same.

For example you can buy Two Hens and a Rooster for $50 or a Goat for $100 which will provide milk and an income as they can sell the goat manure and any offspring. Two mosquito nets is $30 or if you have lots to spare, you can buy a family a Ger which is like a warm tent like home for $900.

In fact, Burnbrae Farms is currently partnering with World Vision and will donate $10 to World Vision for each purchase of Two Hens and a Rooster through Nov. 30/2012 (so hurry!)

Recently added are some handcrafts gifts which help women. For example I was sent this Turquoise and Wood bracelet (see below) which was made by women and girls who have escaped exploitation and abuse in Thailand. A purchase of this gift helps support the women creating the jewellery.  You can also get a hand-woven scarf or a Haitian hand-beaded necklace.

The bracelet is beautifully crafted and I love sharing that it was made by women and girls in Thailand. It would be the perfect gift for the fashionista in your life.  It’s quite big so would fit a thicker arm and hang loosely on a thin arm.

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.  - World Vision

*Disclosure: I received the product mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Bullying From a Teenager’s Point of View–Bullying Poem

My niece is a poet and she has her own blog where she posts her poems as well as a few other things called Unique Poems and Thoughts.

I wanted to draw your attention to two of her most recent poems. A snippet is below with a direct link to the full poem. If you like her poetry, please take moment to click through and share your thoughts in her comments or perhaps follow her page on facebook.

“What's the worst part?
Knowing they were all watching,
some tried to help, but they went down too
there was no stopping them
they were undeniably and completely unbeatable
I tried, I yelled, but no one came
now I'm buried here,
deep in the ground
never again to make a sound
they shut me up like they asked.” 
– read full Bullying poem

The second one is titled Ugly.

"This one word has the power,
The impact to determine someone's next breath
Whether they will take it or not,
How foolish does that sound?
Well as silly as it sounds,
Its truer than true.
Life has never been simple
But this word and many more,
Are what make it hell to live.”
- read full Ugly Poem

I’m proud of my niece.

I fully believe in nourishing the creativity of the next generation.

Are You Happy With Your Skin Colour?

Why is that we can’t just be happy with how we look? Most of us spend tons of money and time changing how we look to match more of what we think of as the “ideal.”

Unhappiness is Everywhere

It’s not just those in North America either. While many of us clamour to tanning salons or our self tanners to get a DARKER skin tone, some people with naturally darker skin do what they can to make their skin LIGHTER.

Skin Bleaching

My friend who was born in Somalia but grew up in Kenya bleaches her skin with a special product made for that purpose to give her face a lighter shine. I was discussing this with her, how crazy it is that light skinned people want to be darker while dark skinned people want to be lighter.

Risking Our Lives for Beauty

I asked about the safety of the skin bleach and she admitted that while it’s safer than regular chlorine bleach, you still have to be careful not to use too much or you can damage your skin. Tanning is of course very unhealthy too, and can cause skin cancer.

Our Culture

Of course with anything, there are exceptions. I am by no means suggesting that EVERY Caucasian wants to be darker or every person with what we consider darker skin wants to be lighter but it isn’t just my friend either. Her culture truly believes those with lighter skin are more beautiful than those with darker skin, even in their own country or culture. So since she is lighter than her sister, she is considered more beautiful.

How to Change

Fight against what society says, be proud of the skin colour you were born with, no matter how dark or light that may be. You are beautiful when you don’t pretend to be someone else, when you embrace who you ARE. Society’s beliefs about beauty will only change if every person is true to themselves.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL JUST THE WAY YOU ARE

*photo credit: from photoexpress.com. Do not copy.

I’m Guest Posting at Going Crazy!! Wanna Go??

Janet of Going Crazy!! Wanna Go?? has turned her blog blue for the month of April for Child Abuse Awareness Month. She is also featuring guest posts about the topic.

Today you will find a post by me about our obligation to report suspected child abuse and how to do it. I hope you’ll go check it out!

Article: How to talk to kids about tragedies, disasters: Tips from World Vision

I received this in my email and wanted to share with you. My girls are too young to even know about the earthquake or what an earthquake is but I'm sure some of my readers have older children.

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WASHINGTON, 16 March 2011- As information increases about the devastation of Japan's earthquake and tsunami, our children will likely see disturbing news footage and have questions about this tragedy. Below are several suggestions on how to talk with children about this disaster and its impact.

These tips are provided by humanitarian organization World Vision. World Vision has worked in Japan for more than two decades and responded to the massive Kobe earthquake in 1995, and now has staff assisting in the relief efforts in Sendai.

1. Start by listening.

Find out what your child already knows. You can then respond in an age-appropriate way. The aim is not to worry them with the devastating details, but to protect them from misinformation they may have heard from friends or disturbing images they may have seen on television.

2. Provide clear, simple answers.

Limit your answer to the question asked and use simple language.

3. If you don't know the answer, admit it.

If your children ask questions that you can't answer, tell them so, and then do some research to try and help them sort it out. If they ask "Why did this have to happen?" don't be afraid to say "I don't know." The reassurance offered can be invaluable in helping your child sort through the truth that awful things happen.

4. Follow media reports or online updates privately.

Young children in particular are easily traumatized and seeing or hearing about the horrifying details of the quake may be more than they can cope with. Adults, too, should ensure they are dealing with their own emotions by talking to others, so they can continue to respond well to their children's needs.

5. Concentrate on making them feel safe.

When tragedies occur, children wonder if the same event could happen in their hometown. If it was an act of nature that could not be repeated in your area, tell children that. Placing themselves in the situations of victims is not all bad-it is a sign of empathy, an essential life skill, but watch for signs of excessive worrying.

6. Give children creative outlets.

Some children may not be prepared to speak about what they have heard, but may find drawing or other creative activities helpful to deal with their emotions and stress. Their drawings can be helpful starting points for conversation.

7. Model involvement and compassion.

Tell your child that, as a family, you will be helping the people in Japan by giving a donation to a reputable charity such as World Vision.

8. Give your child a chance to be involved.

Being involved in the solution will help relieve some of their anxiety. Invite them to contribute to the family's gift by giving something out of their piggy bank.

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For more information on World Vision's efforts please visit www.worldvision.org/press.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. We serve the world's poor - regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.