It's Shoebox Time!

Yes, it's time to fill our shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child! What started as a tradition I did with my mother has become one that I do with my own kids. We go to the store and each of my children 'shops' for a child, and this year, the older ones will pay for the items themselves. It is a wonderful way to encourage children to think about others and to take the Christmas focus off of 'getting'. 

If you've never filled a shoebox, here is the link to Samaritan's Purse, the organization who runs this yearly program. (Operation Christmas Child) It is as easy as digging up an old shoebox and picking up some hygiene items, small toys and candies, and school supplies for a young boy or girl. (There are a few restrictions on what you can give-- see the website for a list of those items). They do ask that you think about a specific age, because some items are more appropriate for a toddler or older child. (You will label the box to specific gender and age of the recipient.) Some people cover the shoebox in Christmas wrap, and others use a lidded plastic box instead of a cardboard shoebox because the box itself can be reused by the child.

The only other thing to know is that EACH box requires $7 to ship it. Write a check and put it in the box with your items, or pay online and you'll even get an e-mail later telling you what country your box ended up in. Then find a local drop-off point (many churches collect the shoeboxes) and you're done!

Every time I watch a video showing the children receiving their Christmas shoeboxes, tears come to my eyes. Each child, in addition to their gifts, get a book telling them the Gospel story in their language. There are now adults who tell the story of how they became a Christian because of the shoebox they received as a child! Visit the Samaritan's Purse website for stories, or to see how your shoebox will go from your home, across oceans, forests, and deserts, into the hands of a beautiful child in another country!