For most people, the "holiday season" is just around the corner. According to The Economist magazine, in 2006 the average U.S. household spent about $1,700 during the course of the holiday season on consumer items as gifts. Most of these gifts end up either forgotten or in the trash within a few months -- a real tragedy when you consider that most of the world's population is struggling to survive on less than $2 per day. The funds we spend on luxury items could be used to help people around the world whose basic needs for food, clothing and shelter are not being met.

You can do something about it. This year, instead of purchasing yet another gift item that will be discarded within a few months, why not donate those same funds to VeAhavta and receive, in addition to a tax deduction, a much more meaningful gift in return?

For a donation of just $30 or $40, you or your loved one can support a child or elder at the Grace Care Center for an entire month. And for each donation you make, you or the person in whose name you give will receive a special thank you card, handmade by a child or elder at the Grace Care Center. The card will include a 4"x6" photograph and personal message from the child or elder who made it, as well as a letter from VeAhavta to the recipient of the card explaining who purchased it and what the funds will accomplish. You tell us where to send the card and we'll mail it out starting as early as December 1, 2007.

Just imagine -- for your $30 or $40 donation, you will be providing for all of the basic needs of a child or elder at the Grace Care Center for an entire month! This includes housing, food, clean drinking water, medical care and education.

You may order your Grace Holiday Gifts on-line right now by clicking here. Alternatively, you can order you gifts by mail by downloading an order form here in either PDF or Word format. One thank you card will be mailed for each $30 or $40 donation that you make, but a limited number of thank you cards are being made, so we strongly urge you to place your order right away.

Thank you for making the holiday season this year more meaningful for some very special people!

"Thank you for your kindness to me." (Niruja Nirmalarajah)

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Mrs. Grace Samathanam, a resident of Mercy Home, expired at Trincomalee General Hospital on September 22, 2007, following a brief illness. She was 78 years old.

A memorial service was conducted on Sunday, September 23, at 4:00 p.m., at Mercy Home by Rev. Joseph Gnanapragasam of Grace Church. (Mrs. Samathanam was Christian and had requested a Christian memorial service.)

Mrs. Samathanam was admitted to Mercy Home less than a year ago, on January 27, 2007. She was born in Colombo on January 11, 1929, but lived in Trincomalee prior to her admission. Mrs. Samathanam was a former nurse and spent much of her life in Colombo. Her husband predeceased her as did her only other living relative, a daughter, who died in Trincomalee on February 18, 2007.

Mrs. Samathanam was extremely bright. She was fluent in Sinhalese, Tamil and English quite well and was an avid reader.

Of the brief time that Mrs. Samathanam spent at Mercy Home, Mrs. Sriyani (Mercy Home Nursing Assistant) said, "Mrs. Grace was a very kind person. Everyone at Mercy Home loved the kindness of her. She always keeps a wide smile on her face. The time she spent with us at Mercy Home will be never forgotten Mrs. Grace truly needed love and care and Mercy Home provide it persistently."

We are glad to have had an opportunity to get to know Mrs. Samathanam. Her presence at Grace will be missed by the other residents, staff and volunteers who had the privilege to know her.

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