Request on behalf of Mountain View Children's Project (http://mvcp.org)

Merry Christmas!

I don't like to add one more request for your charity on top of the
many I've sure you've already received this Christmas. But I strongly
believe in the work of Mountain View Children's Project as I have been
part of it since it began! MVCP works in one region of the world:
Karima, Kenya. Our mission is to provide for the AIDS orphans in
Karima so that they can grow up into strong and self-sufficient
Christian adults. ("AIDS orphan" means that their parents died as a
result of HIV/AIDS; the orphans themselves don't necessarily have HIV,
and in fact most of them don't.)

You can find out all about our ministry at our website, http://mvcp.org.

This Christmas, please considering purchasing a female goat, just $35,
which will be given to one of the 156 orphans (and their guardians,
which are usually their grandmothers) of Karima, Kenya, who were too
old to be included in Compassion International's Karima African Inland
Church child sponsorship project. These orphans receive no other aid
besides what they receive through MVCP. (This puts a lot of pressure
on us to find ways to help them!) We're proud of our idea to provide
each of these orphans a female goat, instead of food rations. Food is
eaten and is gone, but female goats will produce more goats as well as
milk. My sister Jenna, who is also part of MVCP and who is going to
Michigan State's Vet School, raised money for MVCP this summer by
hiking a portion of the Appalachian Trail. With part of this money,
Jenna arranged with the Christian Veterinary Mission to provide the
people of Karima nine books that describe in simple terms how to care
for goats. Armed with these books, the orphans and their guardians
will be able to properly care for their goats, ensuring that your $35
will make a difference that will last and last.

You can buy a gift in your own name or in honor of someone else.
Instead of buying your friend or loved one a gift that will break or
rust, consider buying a goat in their honor! That is a gift that will
last and last, with repercussions in this life and the next.

As of this writing, people have purchased goats for 87/156 orphans.
If you would like to buy a goat, either in your name or in honor of
someone else, please make a check payable for $35 to Vital
Connections, our partner organization. If you want to purchase a goat
in someone else's name, please send that person's name and their
address or e-mail address, and we will send them a certificate stating
that you purchased a goat in their honor.

You can send your check to:
Vital Connections
c/o Phil Glewen
1434 Katrina SE
Kentwood, MI 49508

You can also donate directly to our cause on Facebook:
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/144757

If you are unable to help us at this time, please spread the word of
our Goats for Christmas campaign to your neighbors, friends, and
family. And again, Merry Christmas!

Jon Den Houter
Vice-president of MVCP
http://mvcp.org