A friend of mine set up a charity, Xmas Torch, a few years ago with this objective"Christmas is one of the best holidays for many. It is that time of the year that we all try to get time off work and spend it with our families. However there are those that have no idea what is Christmas because for them it is life as usual with nothing different but the same hard life they are used to. All I want to do for these children is give them an unforgettable [time] where they will think of nothing else but let them be children ... It is important for them to know that there is more to life than the problems they face daily."
She is an ordinary woman, like you and I, trying to achieve the extraordinary. She aims to give as many Kenyan kids, living in orphanages, a trip away from the homes with the surprise of a Christmas present for each of them.
Recognising the corruption that unfortunately exists in some countries, the charity Xmas Torch buys the gifts and gives them to the kids themselves, and arranges the outings. This makes sure the donations reach those who need them and doesn't go into someone's pocket.Xmas Torch is targeting to gift each child, from ages 2 to 23, a backpack filled with a doll/football; math set; crayons/color pencils; coloring books; pencils; pens; under garments; books; and personal hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, etc).
I think it is important to be grateful to all the philanthropists in the world, who do what they can to help others. Also, with the onset of the Christmas we need to reflect that we may not be able to buy that extra box of chocolates or whatever it is we want, but compared to many in the world we have so much, from choices, to homes, to food we can afford to throw away. Today, I think we should all be thankful for all we have and that when we loose sight of that there are people like my friend who do what they can to make other's lives better. I know I am.
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