Wheatland Salem Church Purchases 300+ goats with Oswego's help

Over the past several years we have sought to give an annual gift from our whole congregation and the surrounding community to celebrate the birth of our Savior...a gift that makes Jesus smile. These opportunities develop from prayer over a period of months and sometimes, like this year, things change in a flash. Through our connections in the Middle East, we were made aware of an incredibly desperate situation. The world's poorest families live in the desert in a country where to mention Jesus or Christianity would surely mean death. The area is saturated with what the locals call the "untouchables." These are widows, orphans and the handicapped who have been discarded like Christmas wrapping paper the day after. They did not chose their fate or even their circumstance so in the Spirit of Christmas, we have decided to do ride in like the Magi of so many years ago and give the gift of praise through the life-giving gift of goats. You would not welcome one of those under your Christmas tree, but a goat for these families is a gift that will make Jesus smile.To promote our adventure, we have a wonderful wooden goat who has been doing some traveling to create awareness to the cause. It was quite the hit among we approached (except maybe the folks at Wrigley Field). From the Oswego to Wrigley Field, the goats provided a little bit of humor as we increased awareness both inside and outside the area for this year's Reconnect Christmas project. The response has been amazing. As of December 17th at 4pm, we have raised enough to invest in over 322 goats for widows, orphans and the handicapped in the desert! The best news is that it’s not even Christmas yet. If you couldn’t make it to our worship last Sunday or you were waiting to see if you could decrease your Christmas spending 25-50%, we will continue to receive Reconnect Christmas donations until the end of the year. If you’re curious about the final size of our heard, please check in at our website to review the "goat-o-meter."Thanks to all who particpated. You have changed the world this Christmas.