Randall Murphree
AFA Journal editor
December 2012 – Last year, consumers spent more than 500 billion dollars on Christmas while half the world had yet to hear of Christ’s name, according to the three-minute video “Forgotten Christmas” (www.forgottenChristmas.org). But families in the affluent West can help change those numbers.
A goat or a rabbit or a water buffalo might not sound like the typical Christmas gift, but for a family in a Third World country, any of those “critters” could be a life-saver – literally. Gospel for Asia is a Texas-based ministry that creates ways for people in the West to provide such animals, which then bring hope and encouragement to some of the world’s most downtrodden people.
For the fifth year, GFA is partnering with American Family Association in a Christmas Critter Campaign that provides AFA Journal readers and American Family Radio listeners an easy way to contribute these creative gifts to a family in poverty. AFA’s online avenues – OneNewsNow, OneMillionMoms and AFA Action Alerts bridge the gap between even more AFA supporters and GFA.
“We have so much in the U.S. that it’s hard for us to imagine giving someone chickens or a goat for Christmas,” said AFA president Tim Wildmon. “But for a family in poverty, this can be the difference between chronic illness and good health, maybe even the difference between life and death.”
For example, an $11 pair of chickens provide eggs for nutritional meals, and baby chicks can be sold or traded for other life-giving items. A goat provides milk and milk products. A water buffalo? It gives milk, hauls a cart and plows a field.
“I’ve been to the mission field with Gospel for Asia,” said J. J. Jasper, AFR morning on-air personality, “and it’s amazing to see the impact they’re having in people’s lives.”
It’s an easy way to be generous, and GFA takes care of the delivery. In fact, GFA-supported missionaries, usually national pastors, deliver these unique gifts and build relationships with the families. That’s a part of GFA’s philosophy – to enable pastors and to give them great opportunities to interact with people in their villages. As they minister through these practical gifts, people want to know why the pastors bring gifts – and the door is open to share the gospel.
This year, if people gave just 1% of that 500 billion dollars, it could build more than 400,000 churches overseas. Or provide clean water to everyone in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, or even give a Bible to every person around
the world. 
Christmas Critter Campaign
AFA challenges readers to join us in giving to GFA to provide unique Christmas gifts to needy families in Asia.
Animals
Pair of chickens $11
Pair of pigs $65
Pair of lambs $130
Goat $70
Water buffalo $460
Other gifts
7 Bibles $21
Vacation Bible School for 1 $5
Bio-sand water filter $30
4 mosquito nets $40
Sewing machine $85
Pastor’s rickshaw $200
Jesus Well to serve an entire village $1,000
More information: www.gfa.org/gift
To request a copy of GFA’s Christmas Gift Catalog, call toll free 877-907-4628.
