Who DOESN’T like opening a gift or receiving presents? The anticipation, the crinkle of the paper and the pure joy and excitement over the contents are a part of most of our lives, and yet, around the world millions of children are in need of great folks like you to make receiving a Christmas present a reality. Imagine turning the sadness of a child who has suffered great hardship into happiness and delight!
Operation Christmas Child, under the leadership of Franklin Graham ( Billy Graham’s son) through the Samaritan’s Purse International Relief Organization ( from the story of the Good Samaritan), asks individuals to fill shoe boxes full of good gifts to send to children affected by poverty, war, and natural disasters. Working for over a decade, they have sent over 68 million shoe boxes to children in 130 countries around the world.
I have been packing Christmas shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child for so long I don’t even remember when I started! I do know that when my children were young, before there could be any “getting” at Christmas, they had to do their GIVING first. Each of my 5 children would pack a shoebox full of toys, pencils, paper, tooth brush and tooth paste, hats, gloves, candy… whatever they could fit in their box…for some child around the world that they would never even meet. But at some point each Christmas, my children would wonder if that little boy or girl was happy with the gifts they had received and could feel good knowing they had made someone’s Christmas special .
Every shoe box counts because it meets the needs of some child who would otherwise get nothing for Christmas. The boxes travel by plane, boat, donkey, scooter, canoe, ox-cart and elephant to reach children in remote villages who are often forgotten. These children are amazed that someone they do not know cared enough to send them a gift.
How can you get involved and change someone’s Christmas? It’s easy…pack a shoe box or plastic box about the same size with non-perishable candy (nothing that can melt), toy cars, stuffed animals, socks, hats, flip-flops, etc ( we find great things at the dollar store) but no liquids, breakables or war toys please. You can find specific instructions for packing a box at www.samaritanspurse.org, as well as the labels you will need to put on your box. If you would like to track your box and receive information about its destination , follow the EZ Give Donations instructions.
You can pack a box alone, as a family, with your church or other organization. The local MOPS group and some individuals are having a packing parties to fill many boxes at one time.
One of the most important things you can pack in your box is a picture of you and your family or group as well as a note to the child who will receive your gift to make a personal connection. You may include your address in your note so that perhaps you will receive a letter in reply. I know one family who received a note from the recipient of their box, a little boy in India, and they have remained in contact.
The filled shoe boxes can then be dropped off November 16th through the 22nd at the Dickson Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 500 Highway 70 E Dickson TN 37055 or call (800) 788-6859 for more information. Chris Holman, the contact person at the church, said that they have been participating in this program for the past 12 years, and shared why they became involved: “The Dickson Cumberland Presbyterian Church has always been active in the community as well as striving to be a light in the community, we felt that this would be another opportunity for us to help local churches and organizations with a centralized drop off point while at the same time furthering the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” There are other drop off places in Waverly and Clarksville, that information may also be found on the website.
Who knew a shoe box could change heartache into delight as a child discovers the treasures you have packed into it? Why not make packing shoe boxes and changing the lives of children around the world one of your Christmas traditions?
Samaritan’s Pure Mission Statement: “Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ.”
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