Blog: 8-Year-Old Gives Up Birthday Gifts to Send Money to Charity

Instead of getting gifts for her 8th birthday, Paige Davis of Oxford decided instead to collect donations for a charity that provides livestock and training for families worldwide.

Paige, a second grade student at ,  collected $200 and a donation of a flock of chickens to send to Heifer International as part of a plan by her church, . The church signed up to collect up to $5,000 to send to the charity.

A $5,000 gift to Heifer International will buy what's called a "Gift Ark,'' that's made up of two camels, two water buffalo, two trios of Guinea Pigs, two trios of ducks, two flocks of chickens, two oxen, two goats,  two flocks of geese, two llamas, two sheep, two bee hives, two donkeys, two trios of rabbits, two cows and two pigs. The animals will be sent to families around the world in places such as Cameroon, Africa, where the oxen will help pull plows and carts and goats to Poland to provide milk for a family.Also sheep will be sent to families in the United States to help them produce wool.

I just think it's incredible that a little girl would care enough about others to forfeit her birthday gifts to help others.

Paige said her mom Shauna had suggested she do this and it was something she really wanted to do because she said she already has enough toys and games. She's truly an inspiration.

If you want more information about Heifer , visit www.heifer.org.