"When Jesus was having dinner at Lazarus' home, his sister Mary poured very expensive perfume on Jesus' feet, then wiped them dry with her hair. the apostle Judas Iscariot objected becasue the perfume was worth a year's wages and could have been sold to provide for the poor."

If you had a year's salary to give to a cause, what would you choose? If you could donate a year of your time, would you? Why?

If I could donate that much money, it would probably be to some sort of literacy program. I feel every child needs to learn to read. If they can not only learn to read but learn to love it, their life will be a lot better and easier. Self-education is much easier if this tool is available to you. Education doesn't end when you leave school, actually that is just the beginning of life-long learning. Reading is FUNDAMENTAL!!!!!

I would certainly donate my time to support this cause. I already donate a great dealof my time to our local library, a pre-school story time, and a summer reading program. In our small town, over 50 children attended our summer reading program, which was great!!!

-- Melissa (me@home.net), December 07, 2001

Answers

I would love to see every child of working parents provided with nurturing, learning day care, in a wholesome environment. Reading and other learning would certainly be the foundation of the program. Where the money would come from, now theres a real stumper.

-- Rick (Rick_122@hotmail.com), December 07, 2001.

I would set up some sort of fund for children who do not have insurance. I know several people who make more than the state allows so they can not receive medical help but not enough to pay for it. I see how they struggle during this time of year when the children are getting sick or need glasses.This is America, people should be able to receive medical attention without worry if they will take their house or work till they die paying for it. If I could give my time, I would give it at the local crises center. They started a new life lines program which teaches anyone who needs it , every day things they need to know to survive. Like how to have a budget, shop healthy and cheaply , child care, basic medical needs, driving, I know there is one woman who is teaching a small class on garment construction and later will teach canning and gardening. I think this would be worthy of my time. God Bless.

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), December 07, 2001.

For the last eight years or so, I have given my full time to my family, as a homeschool mom. I also give time to my church callings, which is probably the only place I would devote a year away from my family. When the children are grown, then hubby and I will consider a full-time mission, which would be for about that long. Money? We pay our tithes and offerings, and we help out where we can. If I was going to contribute that kind of money, it would also have to be to one of our church's programs--maybe the Humanitarian fund, or the Perpetual Education Fund.

I don't trust government programs, or even most charity programs.

And I agree that all children should read, and we should have a better safety net for those whose parents don't teach them. The easiest and best place to teach reading, I believe, is at home. My 5yr old is reading 2nd grade readers, and has progressed at her own speed, just by making things available to her.

-- mary (mlg@aol.com), December 07, 2001.

"Ditto" Mary's answer.

-- Jo (mamamia2kids@msn.com), December 07, 2001.

I have to say I'm impressed with the youth reading programs mentioned but want to say what I'd have said had I not read about them. I'd probably donate a year's salary divided between a school or schools I've attended and our local parks system here.

As to donating the time, I've done a lot with working with kids in youth sports over the years and would probably just do that full time. I've said for a long time this job just gets in the way of what I want to do, anyhow. ;o)

Good questions, Melissa. Thanks

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), December 08, 2001.