Charity a show?

Once again charity shows will be broadcasted on television. It used be an annual affair when a charity show would be shown and people will tune in and send in their donations via SMS (Short Messaging Service) in appreciation for the good performance. However more and more of these shows are coming up; there used to be just a few like the President's Star Charity but now there is also the Ren Ci Charity Show, charity giant NKF (National Kidney Foundation) holds a multiple of such events in one year and probably lots more variations that no one can possibly keep track of. This week there will be two such separate events shown on two separate channels.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong even if there is a show every week, except some may get bored or irritated by the frequency. After all we do watch television for the sake of entertainment. If the performance is A-grade, doing our part for charity makes it even more worthwhile. Yet the truth is some of these shows have been done distastefully. Many of these shows exploit media celebrities and make them perform death-defying stunts in a bid to win some sympathy donations. I find this rather contradicting as a healthy person is put at unnecessary risk in order to raise funds and save another. What good would injuring a celebrity do? I remember that a heart-rending singing performance by a Hong Kong star once drew in more donations than any of these uncalled for risque stunts.

Every donation counts. What may seem like loose change to us can mean a lot to people in need, especially when accumulated from many people. That should be the positive attitude of good charities when raising funds. Even in the Bible (Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4), Jesus had called His disciples and exclaimed that a poor widow had donated more in the offering box than all the rich people who brought lavish gifts, even though she only gave 2 tiny coins. They gave what they had left over from their wealth, but she gave everything she had. The minimum amount of donation per SMS used to start from an affordable $2 but it increased to $5 and for the upcoming show $8. It seems that the policy of "no amount is too small to give" is becoming a thing of the past.

Still Singaporeans are a charitable lot and every charity event generates generous donations, with TV events easily hitting millions of dollars and organisations hoping to increase their targets with each passing event. However charities should not take generosity for granted and forget the core principles of charity.