After a lengthy discussion, our kids decided that sheep must produce milk -- it is a characteristic of mammals, after all. The real question was whether sheep produced milk of sufficient quality that it was both drinkable and desired enough that someone would pay money for it.
What? Your kids don't have similar debates in your home?
Okay, let me explain.
This year we printed out some disturbing pictures of how poverty forces some children to live in the world. After thinking about it, they all agreed to spend part of their own Christmas money to help out someone who doesn't have as much as we do.
A friend of the Nevada Community Foundation invited us to sit at her table at an event sponsored by
Quite frankly, this is an amazing organization. They provide animals and husbandry education to families in villages across the world. The animals are both a source of food and revenue to help raise people out of poverty and hunger one family at a time. As the animals reproduce, the family is required "pass on" the offspring to others in their village -- thereby making the project sustainable.
Anyway, as terrific as Heifer is, the great thing for us was watching our children makes decisions as to how they were going to help.
Their collective money allowed them to purchase a pig, a sheep, or a goat which would be placed with some family in a community somewhere in the world.
The kids quickly dismissed the pig idea -- that just didn't work for them. But they couldn't come to an agreement as to whether they should buy a sheep or a goat. And we said that they had to discuss it amongst themselves and come to a consensus.
Kekoa, Nalani and Malia really didn't understand the discussion -- so they just focused on the animals they liked best. Our three older kids, though, really got into a serious debate! We printed out the information sheets on the various animals so the kids could see what made each one valuable to the family that would receive them.
Bretty was convinced that we should get a sheep like this one from Heifer International...
Alyssa and David wanted a goat...
We made each of the kids explain their arguments as to why they thought one animal was better to give than another.
Bretty argued that a sheep produces wool which would keep you warm. He also said that he knows a sheep must be good to eat because he's seen his daddy eat a lamb chop! So the family could sell any baby lambs to earn more money.
Alyssa said that a goat was best because it produced milk -- and you need to drink every day. And the family could sell the milk for extra money.
But Bretty pointed out that a sheep was cuter than a goat so the family would probably love the sheep more and take better care of it.
Alyssa then argued that a goat didn't take up much grazing area and could fit better in small places.
These two kids went back and forth for quite a while. Neither would give up on their preferred animal so we even considered alternatives like a llama.
Finally, it was pointed out that a goat would pretty much eat anything -- which made it easy to care for. And David reminded Bretty that eating anything in front of you makes Bretty a lot like a goat.
The kids decided that if a sheep could produce drinkable milk for humans, that would have sealed the deal. But lacking that, a goat seemed the better option.
So our kids are buying a goat for a family through Heifer International.
Although Nalani was a bit upset because she thought we would have to actually go out and buy a goat before delivering it to a family as a present! She wanted to give the goat a hug before we gave it away!
Goat hug or not, the best part is that they decided to do this together. And they didn't just give money away, they put real thought into deciding the best method to help other people -- which apparently is through a goat!
It certainly is a very Merry Christmas for us!
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