In the spirit of Christmas giving, a 97-year-old compassionate Bermudian who sponsored a girl in India since 1979, has donated her entire estate to World Vision.

And on hand to receive the cheque in Bermuda yesterday was the Managing Director of an American branch of the charity, who said she would try to find the girl to see how the money could help her village.

Mrs. Jean Rees, 97, died August 1 but made World Vision the sole benefactor of her ?simple estate? many years ago, her nephew Ian Davidson said yesterday.

World Vision chief, Ms Cheryl Ennis Self, said the donation was ?not about the amount?, but was about Mrs. Rees ?believing in the cause?.

Mrs. Rees? sponsor child, Vanlalveni Kaipeng, has been ?out of the (Word Vision) programme? for the last five years as children in India are only sponsored up the age of 15- or 16-years-old, Ms Ennis Self said. ?We help and educate them in their formative years to give them hope and encouragement,? she said.

She said it was important to sponsor young women in the developing world as ?young women often have more problems in these cultures?. Bermuda?s ties with the charity had been a long one. ?The founder came to Bermuda with his choir of Korean orphans in the 60?s,? she said.

She said Bermudians have been ?quietly and generously? giving for a some time.

The family of Mrs. Rees preferred if the money was spent in India as she had always sponsored a child there. And she agreed as there was ?so much work in India?.

?I would like to research this girl?s village to understand the needs there,? she said.

She said in all 100 countries in which World Vision worked, there were locally designed plans to basic necessities like water and schools. When asked about the Christian foundation of World Vision, she said the charity was open to all religions and did not seek to convert anyone.

?We make no bones about being a Christian organisation,? she said. ?But evangelisation, or converting others, is not our primary mission. Our goal is to help the poor. The reason we do what we do, is faith. But our desire is not to convert. If they ask questions we will try to answer them.?

She said the concerns of World Vision were economic and social, not religious and that was ?why the US Government gives us money as our projects have had such merit over the past 54 years.?

In Chechnya for example although ?our national director is usually always Christian, but the staff is not. But the 90 staff are all Muslim. There is a mutual respect and desire to help people. We just happen to be Christian? she said.

She said they help people of ?any creed? to do ?good in the community? as they assess what World Vision needs to do in the most needy communities.

But after 20 years, they leave the location and move somewhere else. Mrs. Rees is the widow of the late Evan James (Taff) Rees. Some years ago she became aware of the work of the World Vision organisation and, strongly believing in their mission, she went on to sponsor many children over the years, her family said.

?Mrs. Rees wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of children less fortunate than most in Bermuda and so made provision in her will? many years ago for her legacy to pass on to World Vision,? her family said.

World Vision publicity documents say that it is a ?Christian relief and development organisation working for the well being of all people, especially children. Through emergency relief, education, health care, economic development and promotion of justice, World Vision helps communities help themselves.?