As you know the Holidays are near and I could not be more excited! I love this time of year and what I love even more is the thought of giving to others. It really hit home to me when I had my girls sit down to do their Santa wish lists and my oldest daughter M said “Mommy, I don’t know what to put on my list. I have everything I want.” That sentence right there brought tears to my eyes. This child is the most giving child and I cannot help to think that her mommy helped play apart in that.
It was back in High School (the 90s) when I first started packing my first Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. I went with my Beta Club to help volunteer in the processing center in Boone, NC. That very year started a tradition and now the tradition is being passed on to my girls. It helps to know that my mom and dad has helped played apart in this tradition as well. My dad is a full-time employee of Samaritan’s Purse and my mom is one of the temporary workers each year in the Boone, NC processing plant to help sort through the shoe boxes that come in. I love hearing the stories that mom and dad tell me each year that goes on in the processing plants. Mom always says that it makes her Christmas so much more magical to know she is helping put a smile on these deserving kids that do not have a lot in their life.
I took a video of our journey this year and you can see in the video that the girls enjoyed this so much. I know M came home from school when we were going to do the packing and she said: “Mommy, I have waited all day for this.” You will see why 🙂
It is not too late for you to participate. This week is National Collection Week so hurry and pack a shoe box then drop off at one of the Collection Centers. If you live near a processing plant, I know they will take the boxes all the way up to Christmas. Just think of how much joy you will be bringing to a child’s life this year.
Samaritan’s Purse is also doing something awesome this year for the families and individuals that create a video about their Operation Christmas Child journey. You can upload your video to their ShoeTube and be eligible to win a trip which you will travel with an Operation Christmas Child team in 2011 to distribute shoe box gifts to needy children. Is that not awesome? I unfortunately cannot enter since my family works at Samaritan’s Purse, but I hope to see one of you win this once in a lifetime opportunity!
Happy Shoe Box Packing and Have a Wonderful Merry Christmas!
“Jesus is the Reason for the Season”
This video, your girls, you… all of it makes me smile!
Great video! My girls (4 &5) loved watching it with me! We have packed many boxes for OCC this month! Can you tell me how you got the OCC boxes? I have looked all over their website but have not found them. Thanks!
Thank you so much Tricia! I know you can get boxes at some of the Chick-Fil-A around the country. Also, you can have boxes shipped to your house if you call this number: (800) 353-5949. Hope this helps 🙂
Sooo precious! Just beautiful! And what a great cause!