Christmas Wishing

One of my favorite things as a kid was to grab the Christmas catalogs out of the mailbox and flip through each page, turning wish lists into dreams of what might appear under the tree Christmas morning. I'm finding our kids are finding much joy in this too! The CARE catalog recently showed up in our mailbox, and our oldest was quick to grab it and start looking through it.

This is not your ordinary holiday catalog, but I might like it even more because of that. Inside are things that can change lives from CARE, and in dollar amounts our kids can help with! Did you know two chickens only cost $25?! That can provide a way for the family to make an income and have food on the table! 

Something I want to do this year is to add others' happiness and joy to our wishlists. A smile costs nothing yet brightens someone day!  A zip bag filled with toiletries, wool socks, and some snacks is an inexpensive way to provide comfort and warmth to someone without a home. Two goats or a water pump changes the life of someone who has been impacted by natural disaster or tragedy and wouldn't normally have a way to make a living.

Some of the things right from the holiday catalog that Andrew picked out himself:
Two chickens $25
Cleaning 2,000 liters of water $41
Ceramic Water Filters $30
Fish Farm $32
3 packs of Drought-Resistant Seeds $27
Medication $30
Scholarship for a Girl to Attend School $143

I asked him why, and he said, "I want to save lives, and make faces happy!" What a way to spread joy!


I love that our kids are learning to be ok with giving of what we have so that others can have needs met. I love that it's not just about presents for them. (Some days are a work in progress, but that's ok! Their generous hearts are very sweet to see!) Changing the world starts one person at a time changing one life at a time!

Through December 16th, you can actually "meet" the some of the girls featured in CARE's Christmas catalog on their Facebook page! Pretty nifty what can happen through technology. Our kids have dreams and so do the girls and families featured in the catalog. It is really cool to see the wheels turning in our kids' minds when they realize the thoughtfulness and kindness in making dreams (and a way of life!) come true!

This is Maliyana, pictured right above in the catalog Andrew is holding! Her story is just incredible. You can see it here. She dreams of one day becoming a doctor. She loves to draw and sing. You can see firsthand what a life changing blessing it was to receive the #dreamwithher CARE gift someone gave them here!

If you're wanting someone to bless this year, there are so many neat ideas you can find here that directly place some joy and life change in the lives of others!



This Christmas, we're saving our extra pennies! I can't wait until we hit our goal!