Sometimes I Need a Kick in the Pants

The season for giving thanks is upon us! Being “thankful” is an important part of my life, and I try to remember the many things and people I am grateful for, even when life hits one of those nasty bumps in the road. Work, family, friends, food, shelter ... the “basics” that provide comfort ... can be easily overlooked when work is slow and bills are mounting. It’s during those times of stress and uncertainty that a “swift kick in the pants” usually appears in the mail. This year, I received a catalog from Heifer International, an organization that works with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth.

A segment on 60 Minutes, CBS News Magazine Program, is credited with this quote: "With all the money donated to help fight famine around the world, with all the grandiose plans conceived to conquer poverty, sometimes all it takes to save a child is a goat."

For me, being thankful for what I can give is just as important as what I have. So our family is thankful that, through Heifer International, we have given the gift of a dairy goat so that another family will be able to provide the “basics” for themselves and their neighbors.

For those interested in partnering with Heifer to help lift families out of poverty, details can be found at Heifer.org.

Photo courtesy of Heifer International. The Momanyi family are part of the Goat and Dairy Cow Project in Muribe Village, Tarime District in the Mara Region of Tanzania.