Operation Christmas Child!

Operation Christmas Child is an organization that we have been involved with through our church for the past several years with MOPS and AWANA. It is about caring for the widows and orphans around the world, who have so little. It is demonstrating God's love in a tangible way to needy children around the world, and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ to others, along with the local church.

You can pack a shoebox with hygiene items or toys that they made need, wrapping the box in Christmas paper (or lining a clear box with fabric), putting the shipping money inside, and getting it to a center that ships them out.

I've seen the videos in MOPS several times, which promote the organization and their Christmas shoe box donations. They always get me teary-eyed! What Samaritan's Purse does with their Organization Christmas Child is so important! I like to involve my children in the process of choosing gifts and small toys for a child who needs them so much more than my children. It helps to give them a perspective that they are not the center of the world, but perspective that others are important, and we can show Jesus' love to them by giving to those we do not know.

Before you pack a box, you need to decide what age and gender of child you will purchase items for:
ages 2-4, 5-9 or 10-14.

Here are some ideas of what you can pack in a shoe box:
TOYS:
small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small EtchA Sketch, toys that light up or noise (with extra batteries), Slinky, etc.,

SCHOOL SUPPLIES
pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons, markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.,

HYGIENE ITEMS:
toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, etc.,

OTHER
hard candy and lollipops, (double bag all candy please), mints, gum, t-shirt, socks, ball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)

DO NOT INCLUDE:
used or damaged items, war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures, chocolate or food, out of date candy, liquids or lotions, medications or vitamins, breakable items such as snowglobes or glass containers, aerosol cans

You can find these instructions to print here.

The national collection week is November 14-21. If you are interested in learning more about Operation Christmas Child, and how to pack a shoe box, print labels for the different ages, to see videos and more, please check out their website: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/Pack_A_Shoe_Box/?hometab