I found out this past month that my body does not do well with 60% humidity anymore. The day at the St. Louis Zoo was great but I must have sweated at least a gallon. We have just a couple more months of hot weather then we start our cool down with autumn arriving. That means we need to start thinking more about our Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes. Collection week is in November, so we need to have all our gifts bought.
I thought this month I would give you the history of the shoebox gifts. In the summer of 1993, Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham received a call from a man in England asking if he’d be willing to fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in Eastern Europe. Franklin agreed, but figured Christmas was months away. He forgot about the promise until he received a call back around Thanksgiving asking about the gifts.
Franklin asked his friend if he could help with the need. A Sunday shortly afterward, the pastor demonstrated for his congregation how to fill a shoebox with simple gifts and encouraged them to include a letter to the child as well. Within weeks, the church had 11,000 shoeboxes lining their hallways.
Due to their generosity and additional gifts from Canada, Samaritan’s Purse sent 28,000 shoebox gifts to children in the Balkans that Christmas. Through these gifts, they communicated to children and their families what the angel said to the shepherds about Jesus’ birth: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10, ESV).
Every year since, Samaritan’s Purse has collected shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items for children around the world. Since 1993, more than 244 million children in more than 175 countries and territories have received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox. The project delivers not only the joy of what, for many kids, is their first gift ever, but also gives them a tangible expression of God’s love.
Millions of Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts are collected each year from locations in North America and throughout the world, including Australia, Austria, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Many of us have been doing some shopping all year to help fill 200 boxes but we are still in need of some items. Crank flashlights, small stuffed animals, colored pencils, pencils and pens, hats, water bottles, socks, soccer balls and toys. These are just a few ideas. We want to be sure we are putting in items that the children can keep using past the day they open the box.
I have come across a webstore called Western Star Wholesale. What they sell is intended for OCC shoeboxes. They have some great toys to buy in bulk. If shopping is not your thing or you would like to help us put together a large bulk order talk to me or to Amanda.
What would have been your favorite item to find in a shoebox gift as a child? 🎁
For Alex, it was a soccer ball! ⚽️
When he received a shoebox gift as a child in Haiti, it was the first item that caught his attention. Soccer was one of his favorite things, and he and his friends couldn’t wait to start playing! That simple, yet impactful gift was a reminder of God’s love and unique purpose for his life.
Let’s spread the love of God around the world.
Robin
Operation Christmas Child, item of the month: School supplies
Please remember, they must fit in a shoebox and still have room for other items. Also, if you search for Operation Christmas child on Amazon.com or WesternStarWholesale.com you will find LOTS of suggested purchases.
