Shop with a purpose for Christmas

It's here, the most wonderful time of the year....well, unless your a bah-humbug Scrooge like myself ;)  Yes, Christmas shopping is in full swing!  If you've been to Blessed Family Life blog much in the past 2 years, you know I rather dislike shopping, especially for more junk that commercials convince my kids that they need, in order to make companies like Wal-Mart richer!  To get myself in the Christmas mood, I want to post about shopping that will help others.  What if we all bought one less coffee mug and spent more on helping those who truly can't help themselves?  I give you some of my top picks for shopping with a purpose.

Love Without Boundaries ministers to Chinese orphans living in institutions.  You can help buy formula, pay for heart and cleft surgeries, and sponsor kids getting out of orphanages and  into warm foster families. Click HERE

Operation Christmas Child
Certainly a favorite Christmas organization.  Samartian's Purse totally rocks the house in the way of doing good around the world and sharing the love of Christ.  Our church has been a relay center in our city for years.  We help pack up about 5000 shoeboxes and ship them to Charlotte for distribution around the world.  My sister-in-law's church is participating and the girl's class that Shana teaches sent 100 boxes last week!  They learned that children carry water in many 3rd world countries so they packed the gifts in rubbermaid boxes with lids, to be used over and over again. Click  Operation Christmas Child for more info

And of course, you can't forget the mainstays of well-run relief agencies like Compassion International and World Vision.  We sponsor a 10 year old girl in Ghana through Compassion.  Rebecca will receive a new dress this year for her Christmas present.  I wish I could see her in person!

Ten Thousand Villages in a great organization!  They ensure human trafficking is not used in any of their products and pay the laborers a fair wage.  We bought Mike's grandma a beautiful crystal beaded necklace through them last year.   Click HERE to see their work. 

I know there are tons of great ways to give a gift that truly keeps on giving.  Share them with me!