Thanks Susan.
Yup, we have no administrative costs to speak of and what few costs we do have are paid from the adoption fees so 100% of all donation monies go to the kids. 
Doc
It’s easy to quote a statement and take it out of context. The gutter press does it all the time.
I have no objection to anyone bringing up their pet charities here at C&F. A thread dedicated to that charity is a fine idea, as far as I’m concerned. I simply object to others telling me what charities I am to give to, as was suggested above, i.e. that everyone on C&F should make Doc Jones’ personal choice of charity our own. Note that Doc Jones did not, himself, make this suggestion.
I may or may not choose to give to Doc Jones’ personal choice for a charity. That is my business and my concern, and not something to be preached at me or at anyone else. That is what I object to.
djm
Easy, man! There was no preaching or coercion, just a thoughtful suggestion from Jim, which we can all take or leave, at our discretion.
Doc’s group efficiently produced a receipt for an instrument contribution I made in 2007, which will suffice for IRS needs. Doc, I salute you, and will be contributing again via PayPal.
Thanks for the kind words Martin but I must confess to having a normal sized heart as well.
The wonderful thing about being human is that each of us can choose to lend a hand when we see an opportunity. Our choices at such occasions define us. And choices there certainly are…in abundance.
The world is full of folks and causes that could use the support of good people. Making a contribution to the kids at Foyer de Sion (or any other needy child) won’t make much of a difference in the world at large, but it makes a tremendous difference to each child helped and, I believe, that repeatedly giving the needs of others a high priority in our lives can make a difference for each of us personally as well.
My association with these wonderful little kids has been one of the great blessings of my life.
Doc
Making a contribution to the kids at Foyer de Sion (or any other needy child) won’t make much of a difference in the world at large,
Or perhaps it might…we never know… who’s to say what these children might accomplish if given half a chance?
Too true.
Hello, Doc.
Thanks for the picture–made my morning.
Cowtime’s comment reminds me of the one about the guy walking down the beach after an unusually high tide, throwing stranded starfish into the ocean. An onlooker ridiculed him, saying “There are so many, you can’t possibly make any difference.” At this, the man picked up another, threw it in, and said, “I just made a difference to that one.”
We can’t really change places like Haiti from the outside, but if we give love, care, and hope to individual kids, they can change Haiti from the inside. That is a realistic hope. And even if they do not, well, you still made a difference to that one.
Doc, do you ever get up to Cap? If you do I know a couple people who would love to meet you. 
God bless your work and these kids.
Tom
There are kids within five miles of my home who don’t have enough food, clothes nor security. I’ll start my charity with them.
What’s going on in your neighborhood Doc?
This belongs in Rubber-room.
There are many, many tremendously worthy causes in the world, and to contribute to the world’s betterment in any capacity is a wonderful thing.
Some people choose on the basis of geography. Some choose on the basis of others things, meaningful to them. To help in any way is the thing.
We, as a board, have given bytes to other worthy causes over the years–The Porcupine Clinic being one, help to beloved board members has also occurred here.
I think I can speak for many when I say that it’s delightful to know that people like Doc are doing this kind of stuff. Those of us who are moved to help…let’s help.
Those who are comfortable sticking with their existing charities of choice…I don’t think anyone has any quarrel with that.
(But that could be an interesting Rubber room topic Fly, if you want to start a thread–something like how do you choose what to support in a world with so many needs? No, not that. Wouldn’t fit in the subject line. )
What’s meant by a “board cause”? If all that means is a link on the front page, that seems fine. But if having a “board cause” will result in any kinda marginalization of or bad feelings towards someone who doens’t support it, then that’s wrong. I agree with djm that each person should give to what they like, so if having a “board cause” would hamper that freedom, or create an atmosphere where it wants to be hampered, that’s wrong.
Not at all. Jim was just expressing his feelings about the worthiness of Doc’s work, and making a recommendation. With this, as with any of the other efforts which have had Board support (such as the raffles and such I alluded to,) participation is strictly a personal choice, and besides…who would know?
So, don’t worry about it.
I think it would be nice if we could keep this a positive thread, as it was certainly started in that vein. Those of you with problems with the thread or its topic, I might suggest that you PM Doc personally or keep your thoughts to yourself. There’s no need to turn this into something ugly. It’s a beautiful time of year when people seem to feel particularly soft-hearted. I personally give to a couple of different types of charities, as I’m sure many of you do. We can all help a little bit in many different ways–there’s no need to frown on anyone’s choice.
Susan
The idea of a link on the front page seems fine to me too.
My post began ‘Let me express the hope…’ It’s my hope,
nothing more, and then I encouraged people to send money.
There’s nothing coercive in this. I’m not telling people
what to do or saying: ‘You SHOULD do this!’ That’s the last thing I want.
If you don’t want to give to this, for heaven’s sake,
don’t do it! It’s your money, for crying out loud. Do what
you want with it, spend it on the charity of your choice
or on yourself or whatever you want. That’s none of our
business. I agree with djm that
each person should give to what they like.
If ever anything was meant to be entirely voluntary,
this is it. That’s the only way it could work.
I just hope people will voluntarily want to give to this, enough of us so that
in some way we can go about it collectively–that is,
those of us who want to.
Sometimes in the past we have, a large number of us, rallied
round someone in need. On one occasion we raised a lot
of money so that the wife of a member could get
heart surgery. There was no blame for those who didn’t
give, nobody was marginalized. In fact, there was
no way to know who had or hadn’t given, but nobody
cared about that. The plea appeared, we
got minimally organized and those of us who wished
to help did so.
There has got to be some way to make such a proposal
without blaming or commanding or marginalizing or setting
up some tyranny. Just a well meant suggestion, entirely
optional. This is it.
Personally I think it would
be swell if those of us here who like the idea of doing it
adopted this orphanage. Or rallied round it.
Again your idea of a sticky seems
good (Dale, how bout that?).
If this isn’t for you, God bless you! And for those of us
who like this idea, maybe we can get up a sticky.
But you know, if people think this isn’t a good idea,
that’s fine with me.
Freely given, freely given…
Great idea. Go for it.
If you find a specific need you think this community could help with let us know. I’m sure many of us would love to help.
Doc
I made a sticky based on Doc’s original post.
And a “sticky” topic it is!
Let me bid all goodnight with this story -
(those who hate church stories, stop now and spare yourselves)
I was leading a Vacation Bible school adult class a few years back and a guy walks in off the street and joins us - awesome, right?
During our conversation he finds out that the children in VBS that year (2003) were collecting money for a relief agency helping children in Iraq affected by the war.
“Charity begins at home!” he shouted.
“It’s in the Bible!” he added quickly.
He steamed the rest of the night.
Actually it is on the lips of a Dicken’s villain, not in scripture at all.
But there you go.
Generosity breeds generosity. When we see it, we give thanks for a gracious and generous heart.
Some help their neighbors and some see the world as one big neighborhood, so that would make children across the street or in Haiti or Iraq or Darfur our neighbors (at least to some).
You want to help them, cool. Rock on.
You want to pass and do your thing, whatever that may be, go do.
We all got to live, right?
Doc - you pointed out a need and gave it a face, a name, a life.
When you give suffering flesh and tell a story, some cannot shut their eyes and see the world the same. By any measure that is good.
Me, I’m grateful. For Doc and for so many other reminders here and in other posts of the graciousness of the human heart.
Goodnight
pastorkeith
“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”-- Mother Teresa
There seems to be a growing trend to want to emphasize local needs more than those further afield. I know that my parents, as foreign missionaries, increasingly had to deal with people thinking home missions were more important.
I agree that local needs are very important. I donate monthly to a local food bank and volunteer 3 hours a week with a local youth group.
At this point in my life I’m able to do that plus the Haiti work. Not everyone is and I hope I’d be the last to condemn someone that wasn’t in a position to do “everything for everyone”. I’m certainly not…and I could certainly do more than I am currently doing.
In my view, service is the rent we pay for living in this world (someone clever once said this, can’t remember who, pardon the plagiarism).
Serve at home, serve abroad, serve your friends or family, or just try to make yourself a better person…it’s all good.
Being critical of someone serving in a way I choose not to serve? Probably not so good.
Doc
Elder Nathan Eldon Tanner