Cool gifts

Ping is not big on giving birthday gifts or any gifts at all. It is only when Ping see something and Ping thought of a certain someone then will Ping get it. It is probably because when growing up, mum and dad was never big on giving birthday presents. It was more spending time with the family and having a nice dinner somewhere or home cook dinner by gee kim. The other thing about gifts that deter Ping from giving is that you don't really know what the person wants or need.

Recently Ping found out about this program by Heifer International. While most organizations simply bring food and send their volunteers to help out people in the third world country, Heifer International actually help the people take charge of their own life. They preach sustainable development. Have you heard of the Chinese proverb "給他一條魚, 你餵他一天, 教他釣魚, 你餵他一輩子" ? It literally means "Give the man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach the man to fish, you feed him for life". In the ancient Chinese, it used to be "授人以魚, 三餐之需. 授人以漁, 終生之用" which basically means the same. This is the basis of their programs. Instead of giving money donations, you buy the family a cow or ducks or some kind of food source animal. They have volunteers all over the third world countries to help them start their own farm so that they can feed themselves. Pretty cool!

So when you are not sure what to give someone for their birthday, buy a flock of geese under their name.