It is time again to dig out our extra shoe boxes and take the girls shopping for Christmas. I know it is not quite Halloween, but the deadline is approaching to get our boxes in.
Every year our family participates in Operation Christmas Child. If you don't know about the program click here to get more info.
For the past three years each of our girls decides if they want to put a box together for a boy or girl and the age group that they would like to do their box for. We take them shopping and they fill their boxes to the brim with toys, toothbrushes, colors, etc. They love this project and we take a lot of time to talk about the kids that will receive them.
Two years ago we were getting ready to take the boxes to the car to get them to the drop off point at our church. My middle child, who was 5 at the time, thought we were going to the airport. She wanted to fly them over and give them away herself. Hopefully someday we will go on a mission trip as a family and she can give to children in need in person.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED IN OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
(reprinted from www.samaritanspurse.org)
PRAY. The most important part of packing a shoe box is your prayers for the child who will receive it. Ask God to use your gifts to reveal His love in a special way and draw the child to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
PACK. Fill a shoe box with toys, school supplies, hygiene items, hard candy, and a personal note. Label it for a girl or boy age 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. We ask for a $7 donation to help cover shipping and other project costs. During National Collection Week—November 16-23—we will open 2,500 drop-off centers across the U.S. To find a convenient place to drop off your boxes, click here and enter your ZIP code.
GIVE. Through our church partners worldwide, we not only distribute shoe box gifts and Gospel storybooks, but we also invite children to participate in our Discipleship Program with Bible lessons that help them become faithful followers of Christ. Those who complete the course receive a children’s New Testament in their local language. The cost of the Discipleship Program is $2 per child, and each New Testament is $4.
FOLLOW YOUR BOX. Make your donation online, then print out the EZ Give label included in your e-mail receipt. The bar code on the label will enable us to track your gift. When the boxes are shipped, you will receive an e-mail telling you the destination of your gift, along with information about our ministry in that country. Click here for more information.
I encourage you as an individual or as a family to get involved in this amazing ministry! Collection week is November 16-23, 2009.
Don't forget to go to my Kiss Me Again Post and enter to win a copy of Barbara Wilson's new book.
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5 comments:
Oh, that's so sweet that she wanted to go give them herself! I would absolutely love it if I could go one year. I have lots of friends who work for SP and get to go to the distributions
This is fantastic!!! I think it's just what I've been looking for as a ministry for my Sunday School class. I've been praying about something we can do for a missions/giving project for Christmas. Thank you so much for sharing.
I've been driving around town in my van with my boxes. I'm hoping this week to fill them up. We normally go as a family and purchase what each box needs. 1 for each child. We have kept up with the girls pack for the girls and the boys pack for boys and match the ages as well. This way we know the receiving child will have age appropriate gifts.
Thanks for the reminder Amy. Now I have to start my own Christmas list.
I loved doing this with my girls when they were young and now they do it with their kids! THis is awesome and what Christmas is all about anyway... Jesus...
Our little church is participating in this as well. I pray that you all are blessed as you bless others through this wonderful ministry.
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