After hearing the commercials on the radio for Samaritan's Purse "Operation Christmas Child," we decided to pitch in and help. The collection of gift-filled shoeboxes began last week, so on Wednesday after CBS, we went to the dollar store to purchase the goodies for our boxes. I knew Davis would be very excited about this project, but I was pleasantly surprised to see all four of you really get into the spirit of giving. We spent a LONG time in Dollar Tree, carefully choosing items and making sure they would fit inside each box. Davis, you were all about the "practical" gifts (mousetraps???), while Jackson just wanted to give his kid a mini-football and a bunch of candy! Overall, I think we ended up choosing a good variety of fun, useful items.
Once we got home, we all sat down at the table and put our packages together. We talked about the kids who would receive these boxes, and how our gifts would likely be the only Christmas presents they would get this year. Then, we got online and visited the OCC website. We looked at photos from previous years of children around the world, receving and opening their boxes. I think you guys were a little shocked to see how happy a little box full of trinkets could make a child who has very little else. It was a sobering reality for you to think that these simple shoeboxes could bring such delight to children who might otherwise never know about Christmas, not to mention the TRUE meaning of the day......
So, each of you made a card to enclose inside your box, introducing yourselves and sharing the message "God loves you." Even if they can't read our letters, I pray that the four kiddos who receive our boxes feel that love when they open them. One of our favorite bands, Casting Crowns, has a new song out called "Until the Whole World Hears." Our family loves this song, and if you listen careflully, the words really apply here. In giving these boxes, you are ~ in a very small, but tangible way ~ singing ".......until the whole world hears."
Love,
Mommy
"Lord, I want to feel your heart
and see the world through your eyes
I want to be your hands and feet
I want to live a life that leads
Ready yourselves, ready yourselves
Let us shine the light of Jesus in the darkest night
Ready yourselves, ready yourselves
May the powers of darkness tremble as our praises rise
Until the whole world hears
Lord, we are calling out
Lifting up Your name for all to hear the sound
Like voices in the wilderness we're crying out
As the day draws near
We'll sing until the whole world hears......"
~Casting Crowns
Preparing to pack our boxes
The loot
Tori's "girly" box
Carter decorating his box with stickers
Our cards
Headed out to the OCC Distrubution Center in Suwanee
Entering the warehouse to drop off our boxes ~
This place was FILLED with thousands of boxes,
prepared by loving hands for waiting kiddos all over the world!
Praise God!
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