Christmas is drawing near; and every one is out buying presents for their beloved ones. Meanwhile, the Mission Association is preparing meaningful gifts for the poverty-stricken children all over the world. On this day when Jesus Christ was born, the Mission Association hopes to bring warmth, happy blessings, and holiday cheers to the poor and needy.
The Hong Kong Mission Association’s plans for bringing holiday cheer is surprisingly simple: one lamb, a bag of rice, a mosquito net, and, yes, a water pump. Can all these mundane things be considered “presents?” That’s right! Whether it’d be having sheep, mosquito netting, or a chance to go to school, many Chinese children are considered lucky to have such things. Many children in China urgently need these basic things to survive. The HK Mission Association recent released a statement to the press: “Your gift today, can change the lives of the children, and shine the light for the path of their future.”
Besides calling for donations for impoverished Chinese children, the Mission Association also urged Hong Kong residents to consider the AIDs victims in Africa this Christmas Season. “With just HK $300,” the statement said, “it is possible to send 20 white rabbits to orphaned Africa’s AIDs children. Their parents had died from AIDs, leaving them to fend for themselves and their younger siblings. About 20 rabbits can help better the lives of ten African families. Within one year, just 2 rabbits can produce 40 rabbits. Not only will the rabbits bring the children high-protein food sources, but will also provide a source of income for them to become self-reliant.”
The Mission Association chose more than 15 types of “presents” that would help increase harvest yield and help prevent starvation. The presents also include seeds to provide starving children one year’s worth of nutritious food. The Mission Association also hopes to provide 20 agricultural families with water pumps that filters clean water, improve environmental hygiene with new flushable toilets; offer mosquito-netting to protect children from malaria, build earthquake-proof schools, give idle children a library, giving them access to better educate them, and building amusement parks that will bring happiness and joy to heal their hearts.
At the same time, Mission Association is calling for more citizens to mobilize for the Christmas “Children Sponsorship Plan.” The plan only requires the sponsor to pay HK $20 every month to allow a growing child receive clean water, nutritious food, medical aids, and education opportunity. Thus, their living standard can greatly improve. The sponsor can communicate with the child through letter – allowing them to personally witness the change in the child’s life. For now, the Mission Association is running the “Area Development Inspection” in many places to bring together the money given by the sponsor to build wells, schools, and clinics. Mission Association is also training the locals with newer agricultural techniques and nutrition plans for the children. The Mission Association’s goal is that their work will help these needy families to continuously develop and eventually become free from poverty.
