Operation Christmas Child Collection Week is almost here! Over these next two Sundays please bring your completed boxes to the church. On November 24th a team of people will be taking the boxes our church collects to one of the drop off locations in town. You can drop of your boxes or get more info on OCC at our table in the foyer.

Is Operation Christmas Child new to you? OCC is a wonderful ministry from Samaritan’s Purse that takes small gifts packed by people like you and me and delivers them to children around the world. I love this quote from the Operation Christmas Child website:

A small shoebox can teach a child about the love of God, lead him or her to faith in Christ, inspire pastors, and plant new churches. What goes into the box is fun, but what comes out is eternal. Be a part of changing lives through the power of a simple gift.

I love it! Something as small as a shoebox of gifts can be used by our great God to show children and communities throughout the globe His love and grace. I always tell my children that we give gifts at Christmas not just because we love the people that we are giving to, but also because it reminds us of God’s great gift to us in the person of His Son, Jesus. This ministry is a way that we can share that with a boy or a girl who needs the good news and great joy of God’s love.

The best part of all of this is that these gifts are not delivered in a vacuum. The delivery of the boxes connects the children with local churches and children are discipled and cared for by that church. Many times whole families come to faith in Jesus through one small shoebox. Your gift matters…God can do amazing things with it! The OCC website has many wonderful and touching stories of children, families and communities that have been changed  because of God’s work through this ministry. Go check it out and get inspired!

Need help with getting started? Below are some simple instructions on how to pack a shoebox gift.

This is a wonderful project to do with family, friends, your small group or Bible Study! It is also a great way to get even young children involved in giving and global missions. Make shopping and packing the box an event with your group or family. And don’t forget to pray, pray, pray for the child that will receive your box and for the church that will be following up with that child and his or her family.

Use an empty shoe box (standard size, please), a small plastic container or just grab a box from church. You can wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required. Most importantly, pray for the child who will receive your gift.

Determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Print out the appropriate boy/girl label by downloading the artwork from the OCC website. Mark the correct age category on the label, and tape the label to the top of your box.

Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child.  Use the gift ideas provided on the bottom of this page on the OCC website.

Please donate $7 or more for each shoe box you prepare to help cover shipping and other project costs. You can give online by using the “Follow Your Box Donation” option, or you can write a check to Samaritan’s Purse (note “OCC” on memo line) and place it in an envelope on top of the gift items inside your box. If you or your family are preparing more than one shoe box, please make one combined donation.

Place a rubber band around each closed shoe box and drop it off at our OCC table in the foyer at church.