#912 - Operation Christmas Child 2013

I can't remember the first time I packed a shoebox full of helpful items to go overseas through Operation Christmas Child. What I do know is how meaningful it has been throughout the years to share just a little of my resources to bring a smile (and the GOSPEL) to children all around the world. So, when we started having children, I knew this would continue to be a 'tradition' in our family. I think it is SO important for my children (who have SO much) to learn about others who may have no toys, school supplies, hygiene products, etc. I have been to places in the world where this is the case. And to whom much is given, much is required!

Right now, our tradition is to send a box to a little girl and a little boy. Here's little miss topping off her box with some candy.
 

And brother giving candy to his little boy's box

Our boxes are complete!

Without prayer, these boxes are just full of fun stuff. We took some time to dedicate our boxes to the Lord and ask that He use these Christmas presents to make Himself known to the children who receive them. Our prayer ultimately is that they know there is a God who loves them and wants a relationship with them. Here's our sweet oldest praying the most precious prayer!

Our church is a collection site for our area, so this week the Family Room at our church is full of huge boxes full of smaller OCC boxes. The tradition at our church is to kick off collection week by placing all of our boxes on the altar at the front of the church the Sunday before the week of collection. During the service, our children walked their boxes down to the altar from the back. Such a sweet time! Here they are waiting for their chance in the service to walk down.

Just some of the boxes collected

Here they come!

For the first year, Samaritan's Purse opened an OCC processing center in Dallas. Once the boxes leave our church they will head that way. Volunteers there will go through every single box making sure there's nothing in them that would melt or spill, and then they'll box them up to head to various countries. My goal for the near future is to help at the processing center. A long-time goal of mine is to be on a team that actually delivers the boxes to villages in another country. And the icing on the cake would be if our kids could deliver them with us! What a blessing that would be! 

If you have no clue what I'm talking about in this post, please go to the Operation Christmas Child website and find out!