The Faith Formation classes at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Lynchburg participated in a recent project for Heifer International to help families around the world.
Heifer International is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping families escape poverty and hunger. The organization provides livestock, trees, seeds and agricultural training to families in 50 countries, including the United States.
Through partnerships with community groups, Heifer International has changed the lives of millions of people around the world since 1944.
Recipients receive training in caring for the livestock, growing crops, water quality, and social issues. The training enables the families to lift themselves out of poverty.
The families who receive gifts of livestock commit to what Heifer calls "Passing on the Gift." By sharing one or more of their animals' offspring and training with others in need, the project continues to help additional families.
The children and youth of St. Thomas More held a livestock market at the church, sharing with parishioners the gifts each animal provides.
Booths were set up in the parish hall to share how pigs, sheep, goats, llamas, rabbits, chickens, honeybees, water buffalo, trees and heifers can help the rural poor throughout the world.
Children and youth researched how each of these animals helps people and shared the information with the public, using displays, food, slide shows and posters.
Individuals were able to donate the full price or funds toward the purchase of livestock or tree seedlings to help people around the world.
Donation amounts range from $10 for a share of a goat, sheep, pig, rabbits or seedlings up to $250 for a water buffalo and $500 for a heifer.
The Heifer International project gave parishioners at St. Thomas More an almsgiving opportunity in the midst of the Lenten Season.
Heifer International works with people in North and South America, Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia and the South Pacific.
Donations can be made at Heifer International's website though special gifts or regular giving. There is a catalog with unique gifts for purchase at the website, too.
In addition to the gift of livestock, individuals can provide irrigation pumps, fish, cheese, a healthy home, clean water and more.
You can also subscribe to a newsletter for updates on the work the organization is doing around the world.
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