So I'm going off my standard blog format – that is if I have a standard blog format – to offer an opportunity to give this Christmas season. If you follow me on Facebook, you know that I volunteered to provide an Afghan refugee family, who has only been in the States for four months, with help for Christmas. I originally only agreed to help identify families for others to give Christmas to, but after I sat down with this family and met, them I knew I had to help.
The family are refugees from Afghanistan/Pakistan. The father of the family, who worked with US troops in Afghanistan, has passed away leaving the mother of five children under the age of 12 and her sister to take care of them in a new country. Still all this against them, they invited me (a total stranger) into their house, fed me, and went through extraordinary efforts to find other refugees (who are also strangers to them) who might be in need of help as well. This is a family worth of charity.
I know that year after year I tell myself that I'm going to do something special for someone else this Christmas season. And unless eating lots of sugar cookies and drinking copious amounts of Sugar Cookie Eggnog counts as "doing something special," I seem to fail year after year. My guess is that this happens to you as well. So here's your chance. Why don't to take this opportunity right here and right now?
I've created this small spreadsheet (yes, I am an engineer) where you can donate things. I even have provided links to item on Amazon where can ship this to my house. Or if you just want to donate $5 and have ever purchased anything on eBay, you likely have a PayPal account. Just click on the PayPal image below and select "Send" at the top. Then send your donation to:
senofhans@yahoo.com
That is all there is to it. All donation with go to buying needed items for the family; no commissions taken by Brett Big Bad Blog (my overhead is very low - just like my content quality).
So what about the family's needs? When I asked generally what they needed, Heleema (the organizational head of the family and former UN fixer) said "things for home, like blankets, pillows, floor mat for washroom, toys, boots, warm clothes for children, and utensils for kitchen." A pretty basic list. If you have used clothes in any of these sizes, I am happy to pick them up at you place in the Utah County or Salt Lake County. I think winter clothes are especially in need:
- Haleema: Aunt 26 (Adult Small, size 8-ish)
- Marria: Mother 30 (Adult Medium, size 10-ish)
- Sawaira: Daughter 12 (Girls 14)
- Abdul: Son 10 (Boys 10)
- Mohammad: Son 8 (Boys 8)
- Silsila: Daughter 5 (Girls 5)
- Sana: Daughter 3 (Girls 3)
Finally, we all need necessities, but it is fun to have fun! (I think it is a Hansen/Danish thing) The three older kids said it would be fun to have a video game system. If anyone has a used system (newer than an Atari or an N64) that you are no longer using, would you consider donating it? It would be fun to see the excitement in the children's eyes.
I am planning to drop off the items on December 22nd. So please plan your donations accordingly.
Thank you for even reading this post. I hope you will be able to help this family and help them feel the true spirit of Christmas, the kindness of neighbors, and the love of God that we share as we show His love to our brother and sisters.
Thank you for even reading this post. I hope you will be able to help this family and help them feel the true spirit of Christmas, the kindness of neighbors, and the love of God that we share as we show His love to our brother and sisters.
Merry Christmas!
From the faculty and staff of Brett's Big Bad Blog (i.e., Brett)
No comments:
Post a Comment