It feels like it snuck up on us, but we have reached the middle of October already! It may feel too early to think about Christmas, but at Chalice, now is the time to do a little planning ahead. Sponsors inquire with us about sending a gift of ‘special money’ to their children for a Christmas gift. Special money is simply an additional donation of any amount to your sponsored child or elder, which they spend on much-needed items such as school supplies, clothing, and even home improvements. Sponsors can give special money gifts at every time of year, but of course, a gift waiting on Christmas morning is extra heart-warming.
Miguelina is a sponsored elder in our Fatima site in Bolivia. Her sponsor sent her a gift of special money in time to do some Christmas shopping last year. Her son went to the market with her list. She wrote to her sponsor, with a hint of relish, “I requested rice, biscuits, powder chocolate [hot cocoa],” – the classic staples of a Bolivian Christmas fiesta. “I will share the food with my grandchildren and my sister,” Miguelina writes. It goes without saying, “the most excited about the gifts are my grandchildren because, they have [hot] chocolate with a biscuit, and they also like the rice soup.” More pragmatically, Miguelina also bought a bar of laundry soap, so that everyone’s clothes were spotless.
“I want to thank you for the special gift,” she writes to her sponsor (who’s given us permission to share her letter). “I am happy, grateful, and blessed for everything. I thank God for continuing to support us, dear friend.”
Across the world, in our Meru site in Kenya, a young woman named Doreen is also thanking God for a special gift. She is a university student, already in her fourth year of a Bachelor of Education. But, just as in Canada, university tuition is expensive, and her fees were posing a barrier to her completing her degree. A gift of special money helped her pay her tuition, and her studies continued uninterrupted.
“It enabled Doreen to attend all the sessions successfully,” the Meru site wrote with pride. “Doreen and her family were very excited and appreciated their sponsor for his continued financial and moral support that he is offering to her and her family.”
Are considering making a gift of special money for a Christmas gift for your sponsored child or elder?
The earlier the better! That gives the parent or guardian time to receive the money and make the purchase for your child. You can call us at 1.800.776.6855 or go online to contact us and make your gift. We thank you endlessly for your kindness and generosity.