Buy Me Nothing, Buy a Child the World

I have completed my Christmas shopping and I have to thank World Vision for helping me do so. In previous years I've given to Blood:Water Mission on behalf of certain family members, but this year I decided instead of fighting the stores or slaving over a stove that almost everyone will receive a gift from World Vision. I chose Textbooks for my Landlord and his children, A classroom full of supplies for my little homeschoolers down South, a Girl in Need for my Boss and his family and help for a Sexually Exploited Child for my Grandparents.

Why those gifts? The children here are blessed with free education, sure the system has it's weaknesses but education, especially for women in Developing countries provides them with a longer, healthier life and ultimately a chance to have children who survive their infancy and are protected from affects of socially enforced ignorance. Sexual exploitation/trafficking in women and children is the third largest crime in the world and even worse it is considered relatively insignificant due to the shame related and our socially "open" beliefs regarding sex. The "Girl in Need" was the first one I saw in the online catalogue - I guess I believe the gift of life needs to be passed on to a sister in the shame/pain/struggle and given that my boss has been one of my biggest supports why not do it in their name?

So what can you buy me? Sure I "need" a new couch and a publishing contract, but what I would love more then those is the "Restoration of One Child Soldier." I've talked about my adamant pacifism and the destruction that happens when we pick up a weapon in the name of ___, it would be a beautiful way to restore a life and peace in just one life this year. I may not be able to have world peace, but one life at peace is still beautiful.

Photo I know they aren't related -but both speak to the same issue

Questions

Before we progress to a new topic as requested by Cheryl who is getting sick of the single thing and I too am at my wits end with it all - this issue now falls to you - those who know me and those who don't - ask my anything... within acceptable content of course, considering that I have already covered topics on global warming, Dobson, globalization, Eric Volz, Las Vegas, tattoos, veganism, online dating/meeting, feminism and I'm sure a whole lot else - willing to rehash but I figured we should go into new realms... a sort of Mark Driscoll kind of thing here - ask a question or propose a new topic. Suggestions - favorites, fears/phobia etc.

There is something I would like to ask of you - do you wear a poppy? Poppies and Remembrance Day as a whole get the short end of the holiday run up due to Halloween, Daylight savings and the American Thanksgiving for those on the other side of the border. I have one, haven't worn it this year - I understand they serve a two fold purpose - income for Vets ( for the record I support that) and public indication of Remembrance. However, as I become more adamant in my pacifism, dislike for war I find it hard to walk the line between understand the sacrifice that was made - and forced via conscription and my own feelings about war - the wars of today - Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq - and to a lesser extent the "War on Terrror," less often referred to as the second Cold War/Oil Control War... I understand the Mennonite perspective and I am from a family that has more or less permanently disowned/removed from the family record a great uncle who ran way and joined the effort - he died in Italy, a victim of friendly fire. My father out of guilt, out of obligation, out of the memory attends services every Remembrance Day and spends the afternoon in the Legion. My grandfather in recent years has expressed concern that he didn't work to aid in some way - not fighting, but rather aid work or whatever was needed... he too feels torn now. My Opa however spent his last years reliving the horror of his actions fighting for Russia.

Vegans in Vancouver and other cities are organizing a Food Not Bombs campaign again and for myself the poppy still remains stuck to my cork board - my feeling is either I feel confident enough to support for the entire year or I don't at all...

Thanks to Eric for the photo inspiration and thanks to http://www.flickr.com/photos/11325782@N03/ for the amazing relevant photo