The Spirit of the Holidays

By Mindy Audlin

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‘Tis the season for giving. One of my favorite stories of giving comes from the book Give to Live by Joe Vitale and Dr. Rick Barrett.

Rudy builds ecological stoves for the Nahuatl families in remote villages of Mexico. These stoves are very important to these people because otherwise, they have to inhale the black smoke from the firewood which leads to ear, nose, eye and throat infections. They also get asthma and lung cancer.

Thanks to Rudy and his specially made stoves created with tin pipes, elbows and cement, he has been able to build over 1,400 stoves for families in four countries for the last eight years. Right now, Rudy has requests for about 600 more stoves to be made in many villages.

Rudy writes, “Word got out that I am making a stove that uses very little wood and the smoke is no longer in the cooking area. And now, many more people want one. The NAHUATL love their women and their children very much, and if there is something that will improve their lives, they are willing to try it. But they do not have the money to buy the material with. Neither do I. So, we all turn to you and to your good-will and generosity. And to your warm hearts.

Dear amigos, Tamazunchale alone has about 62,000 NAHUATL natives in 158 villages. The severe drought that we had this year made things much worse for all of us. The natives just barely have enough pesos for black beans and corn. Minimum wages in this area is 80 pesos per day. That is about seven US dollars.

Thank God it has begun to rain now, but it is going to take a long time to get back to normal. Thanks again, for spreading the Give to Live message around the world.”

Inspired by Rudy’s story, Suzanne Burns in Austin, TX designed a new piece of jewelry that matches the Give to Live book design cover. It’s called the “Peace on Earth” pendant. It’s stunningly beautiful, and a portion of sales go to help Rudy bring more stoves to the people of Mexico.

It’s just one way you can bring a blessing to the world as you plan your holiday gift lists. For more ways to bring the spirit of the season alive, join us for the 21 Day Holiday Peace Pledge. It just takes the right mindset and a little creativity to make “Peace on Earth” more than a seasonal greeting. We can make it a commitment that brings unlimited joy and fulfillment for the New Year.