International (MNN) — Christmas is on its way. And instead of handing out the usual gifts, have you considered giving to Compassion International’s gift catalog? All of the gifts in the catalog have great potential to impact lives in a positive way. In fact, one of the gifts that can be given through the catalog is life-saving surgery for a child.
Meet Noah
“Over the summer I was able to be in Ghana, in West Africa. And I met one boy, Noah was his name. Just six months ago he needed surgery. He would always be very tired, his heart would beat fast. There would be times where he would even pass out,” Compassion’s Karyn Stehman says.
(Photo courtesy of Compassion International)
Noah’s mother couldn’t help but think, “what is wrong with my child?” Soon enough, she had her answer. During a regular medical screening at a Compassion center, Noah and his mother discovered that he had a defect and a hole in his heart.
Without open heart surgery, he would soon encounter fatal heart problems. Through Compassion, it takes $10,000 to provide a lifesaving surgery for one child.
“Because of generous donations to the catalog, Noah was able to get that surgery pretty fast. And I met Noah just two months after he has this pretty intense surgery and he was running around,” Stehman explains.
“I met him at his school. He was out on the field playing soccer with his friends and he was killing it on that soccer field. And he was racing his friends through the village and he didn’t want to stop, he just wanted to run.”
Now, Noah shows off his scar from his surgery, telling people it makes him strong. And every chance she has, Noah’s mother thanks God for her son’s life. Because honestly, two months ago this mother didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to hold her son.
“[Noah] had nothing but gratitude to express for people who made his surgery possible,” Stehman shares.
“But, what I really loved about Noah’s family was when we talked to his mother, she would just stop in the middle of an interview, or in the middle of a conversation, and just singing praises to the Lord. Because she knows that is was because of the Lord that her son was able to live, and that he [is] able to live the life that he [is] meant to live.”
Help Give a Gift
So as you prepare for holiday shopping, will you consider giving to Compassion’s gift catalog to help change or even save a child’s life? In helping a child in need, you’ve taken part in showing that child Jesus.
Gifts in Compassion’s Gift Catalog begin at $1 and range all through as much as you want to give. Some of the bigger gifts, like lifesaving surgery, are perfect for groups to contribute to. Other gift categories in the catalog include Bibles, income generation, education and training, children at risk, water and energy, health, babies and moms, and more.
You can also be praying. Ask God to see the needs of Compassion’s children to be met, for their lives to be saved, and for God to be glorified through the entire process.
Donate to the gift catalog here!
