As the Christmas holidays quickly approach, I wanted to take the time to share about a ministry that my church enjoys participating in - Operation Christmas Child. Basically what we do is collect shoe boxes (adult male shoe boxes work best) and fill them with goodies that a child would appreciate receiving at Christmas. It breaks my heart realizing that the gifts I can squeeze into this little box may be all this particular child receives for Christmas. My children love to go shopping with me to select gifts for a child of their age. It's a great project for young and old to join together and share their blessings with others.From the Samaritan's Purse Web site:
Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God’s love. Since 1993, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been packed, shipped, and delivered across the globe. People of all ages can be involved in this simple, hands-on missions project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas—Jesus Christ.
National Collection Week is November 17-24.
How to pack a shoe box.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Samaritan's Purse
For more information you can contact Samaritan's Purse by calling (828) 262-1980 or checking their website.
6 comments:
We do Operation Christmas Child at our Church also. It's a great project and I recommend all who read this post to look into it.
Blessings.
Hi Ruthie,
Glad to hear your church does this wonderful project also. I know many churches near where I live participate as well as Christian radio stations.
Hi Robin,
We do Operation Christmas Child every year. In fact, my daughters have received letters from children in Russia who received boxes. We always include a short letter and photo. There were 2 girls in Russia who wrote to our girls for a few years. Right before we got a letter from one child, someone very randomly gave me two books by Josh McDonald, written in Russian!! How cool is God?
Be blessed.
Life Adapted - So very cool! Thanks for sharing your experience with Operation Christmas Child. I hope and pray that the children who receive gifts this year make connections with God and His people.
Thanks for all you do!
That's a great idea.
We really enjoy doing it. I'm a real softie...with a hard outer shell. When I go to buy items for school packs, crisis care kits or this program for Operation Christmas Child - I feel emotional (I don't like that word). I pray as I'm buying the items and hope that the child or person who receives it will be happy with the gift and that something about it was something they wanted or that would bring them joy even though their situation has little to be happy about.
Compassionate Ministries is close to my heart, but I feel I don't do enough and struggle with the fact that I live in a nice house (some may beg to differ) with many perks while others are living in huts or under bridges or in tunnels... It seems so unfair...
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