be a citizen.

A little bit of social action.

It won't change the world, but it might bring a smile to a child's face.

Take part in the Samaritan's Purse--Operation Christmas Child. You've got about 10 more days to engage in a bit of humanitarianism. All it takes is a trip to the dollar store + 7 bucks shipping and you're set to go.

Several years ago, I told a high school friend about this and she thought it was one of the neatest ideas around. Despite being a religious organization, my friends aren't Christians yet every year this one frirend organizes our high school group to fill two shoeboxes, while she herself fills about five. Our goal is to make our "kids" the envy of all the other kids(!)... or they might be the one that is beaten up for all the spankin' good toys... oops. Anyhow, we ensure that their box is brimming with goodies... the least we can do.

While in India last year, something caught my eye. The pastors li'l girl was playing with some toys contained in a little box...


Two things struck me.

• It really does get to the people who need it. For this li'l girl, it was the only these were the only "kid-toys" in the house... unless of course you count rope, bottles and other knicknacks that become "toys" in the two-thirds world.
• I was in the part of the world where these boxes are delivered! Amongst the poor of the poor.
  

I was told that the Samaritan Purse vehicle came by the grass hut church and delivered the alotted Christmas boxes to that village--two. Two boxes to a village church with more than ten times that amount of children...


So I encourage you this day... to take a trip to your dollar store and to Safeway (that's the drop off center and also the place to grab shoeboxes if you need).

Participate in simple social action and become a contributing citizen of our great nation of Canada.

The children of the world thank you.