I'm so excited to share this week's "MOVE" activity! If you've never participated in Operation Christmas Child, your whole family is in for a very special experience!
"Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God’s love. Since 1993, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been packed, shipped, and delivered across the globe. People of all ages can be involved in this simple, hands-on missions project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas—Jesus Christ (thecarpentersyard.org)."
Landon and I prepared our shoe boxes for our "Special Time" yesterday, and it was such meaningful, precious time spent together. I explained to him that we were going to go shopping to find fun toys for kids that might not get Christmas presents otherwise. I also showed him the flyer of two children smiling ear-to-ear after receiving their Christmas shoe boxes. With faces put to the mission, he couldn't wait to get started! We spent the rest of the afternoon searching store shelves together for treasures to delight friends (as sweet Landon referred to them) across the world!
Philippians 2:4 says, "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." This does not come naturally to us. It also doesn't come naturally to our kids (especially when they're standing in a toy aisle...). But, what a great way to teach a biblical lesson!
Fellow, Moms, I challenge you to do this week's MOVE activity with your children. So much good can be accomplished in such a short amount of time...for you, for your kids, and for our "friends" across the world! Here's all that you need to do:
Here's what Landon and I came up with after our shopping adventure! Visit this link to learn some great suggestions of what (and what not) to include in your box: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/Pack_A_Shoe_Box/
2. Download a Label:
This website will allow you to download and print as many labels as you need! Don't forget to include your donation for shipping and handling ($7 suggested per box). You can do that online too.
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/pdf/PackABoxwithLabels.pdf
3. Drop it off:
Many churches participate in this amazing ministry, so there is probably a drop-off site right around the corner! To find out for sure, simply visit this site and enter your zip code: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/Drop_Off_Locations/
4. Report back!
If you are participating in this activity, please leave a comment below (or on our FunMom Facebook page) letting us know! Tuesday, November 23rd, one family will be entered into a drawing to win a very special prize: Veggie Tales: Saint Nicholas, A Story of Joyful Giving. This movie, which emphasizes the importance of giving over getting, will be a fun, and fitting, addition to your holiday collection.
~Leslie
15 comments:
We are excited and are participating!!! We are donating items for shoe boxes and our church is collecting donations and packing more than 250 shoe boxes at our Operation Christmas Child shoe box packing party next Wednesday night. Great mission!!!
I was happy to see our new church does this, like the Chapel does. We loved doing a box for a boy and a girl every year, in honor of our grandkids. Great idea to challenge families to get involved with this, teaching their kids early on that it is truly a blessing to give.
Hi Leslie! Thanks for the reminder about shoeboxes. We have done these for years with our kids and even with my class. My kids have really connected with this mission!
We turned ours in last night at church. Our sons really enjoy putting these together and we have done it for years. Thank you for spreading the word on Operation Christmas Child and encouraging others to participate!!!
we are doing this also. I wanted a way to help my children to think of others, and also teach compassion. We are still filling ou boxes, those shoe boxes will hold more than you think, and taking time to pray over each item and for the child that receives it. What a great ministry and mission.
We're filling boxes for the first time this year... I can't wait till Jonathan is older and can understand what we are doing and help to pick out goodies for the boxes!
We are filling boxes today and my 2 children are so excited. This is our 2nd year participating and it will be an annual thing for us from now on.
Moms, you are awesome! Who knew so much love could come from a Nike box!?!? Pass on the challenge! :)
~Leslie
We really enjoyed this so much as a family. I great opportunity to communicate to our little ones that we are to use His blessings for kingdom purposes, family bonding was amazing and we also got an opportunity to grow friendships with our life group. Thankful for the hearts of the people that started OCC.
We love doing this with our children and try to do it every year. We just finished packing up our boxes & printing out our labels. We will send the boxes to work with my husband tomorrow (they are collecting them there). I always over buy and have to be very creative about how I fit things in there!
My 3 kids and I are so excited about this year's OCC. We are tracking our shoeboxes this year!!! It will be so fun to see where they go... especially since we are praying for the world this year with www.operationworld.com!!
Loving your website, btw!
Happy Thanksgiving~
Kellie M. (I don't have a google account....)
we dropped off our box last week at our MOPS group - I love that this is something that we can do even on a very small income!
randi_lynn137 at hotmail dot com
We dropped ours off at Chick-fil-a today. Filling boxes and praying for the kids who will receive them has become a favorite tradition at our house!
We helped each child in our family pack a shoebox. Then they showed our small group what they had done and how to pack their own shoeboxes and we offered to drop them all off is anyone wanted to put one together. Almost everyone in our small group participated so we had a car-full when we dropped them off!
Post a Comment