A Simple Gift | Giving Through Operation Christmas Child
One of my favorite traditions leading up to Christmas is filling shoeboxes with gifts to send around the world through Operation Christmas Child. A few days ago I talked with my friend and OCC volunteer, Christy, about this opportunity to give to others. Keep reading to hear what she has to say about OCC and how you can be involved.
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Christy, you’ve been a volunteer for Operation Christmas Child for quite a while. Can you tell us what Operation Christmas Child is?
Sure! Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse. It is a program that allows children around the world to get supplies that they need through a gift. We call it a simple gift. Because so many countries are in need we can say, “Hey, I have a gift for your children. Would you allow us to come in and distribute them?” Many of the areas we serve are desperate for help and are happy to have us share these gifts. Along with distributing the boxes, we get to do a Gospel presentation, offer a Bible Club called The Greatest Journey, and have a special graduation ceremony for the kids who complete that program. Most of these kids will not experience something like a graduation, so this is very special for them.
Operation Christmas Child walks into areas that are completely against the gospel. But when that country allows us to bring these gift boxes for their children, the door is open to share about Jesus. Sometimes children of prisoners will get a box. Right now there is a big initiative to provide boxes to a chain of islands. The goal of OCC is to get a box to each child on those islands within the next five years. Last year we sent over 11 million shoeboxes. So this program impacts many people all over the world.
Wow! What an amazing goal to reach for! How did OCC get started?
OCC was started unexpectedly. Someone asked Samaritan’s Purse if they could provide gifts for a small group. A small church helped round up shoe boxes filled with gifts to help meet this need. When it was almost time to send those boxes off, they realized there was a need for more boxes. The church continued to help and it grew from there. They realized that packing boxes with small gifts is something easy for many people to do and it’s a great way to spread the good news about Jesus. There is a book called Operation Christmas Child: A Story of Simple Gifts that you can read to hear the whole story. It’s phenomenal.
Ok, thanks for that recommendation. I know for several years you have led a packing party with your local church. How did this tradition of having an OCC packing packing party begin for you?
It started about 16 years ago when I was working in the children’s department at my church. Our youth department was actually wrapping shoeboxes for a larger church. The youth minister shared with me that they needed items to go in their boxes. So the children’s department I was involved in started collecting the items to go into the boxes. Together, we were able to gift those items to the bigger church and they sent those boxes out. When I came to Eagle Heights, a friend of mine had participated in the program before. We were teaching together and she wanted to pack boxes with our first grade Sunday school class. It started there and over the years it has grown into the entire children’s ministry participating.
The way our packing party is set up is pretty simple. Families donate items like small toys, crafts, school supplies, and hygiene products to be packed in the boxes. Those items are taken and set up in a “store”. Then, we gather together and pack as many boxes as we can. The children also raise money to pay for the shipping for these boxes. The kids love to do these things. We even have many teenagers come back and help us. They remember packing boxes when they were younger and they want to come back and help.
Because of COVID, we are doing things differently this year. We aren’t having a big packing party, but we are still providing safe ways for kids to pack boxes together. Many families are also packing boxes on their own at home.
Yes! My kids are excited to pack some boxes at home this year! So, many children are involved in this. Why do you think it’s important for them to be involved?
I think it’s a great way for them to, essentially, be a missionary. They get to share the gospel. They get to give. They get to see that a small gift they picked out is being used to share Jesus with others. Even if they do not get to pack the toy they brought to our packing event, they see that the love is still being taken and passed along. I think that’s very important. I also like to really emphasize with the children that even as they shop for items for their boxes, they may have the opportunity to share about Jesus right in the middle of the store!
Another blessing with these boxes is that a single box may serve several people. A child may receive a box and end up sharing items with family or friends in the community. People who are volunteering on the field estimate that a box could end up reaching 8-12 people.
That’s so amazing. So really in many ways the blessing, the giving, the opportunity to share the gospel is being multiplied.
Absolutely!
That’s really cool. I know that my kids enjoy and look forward to this opportunity every year. What are the biggest reasons you do this?
I do it because I want to help share the good news of Jesus. I want other people to know that Jesus loves them and that He can give them the hope and peace and salvation that every person needs. I also love to be able to allow the children to have a way to share the gospel. They can tell their friends about Jesus at school or in their neighborhoods, and this project provides another opportunity for them to do that.
In our children’s classes at church, we talk about going to all the nations and telling the world about Jesus. Most children cannot just get on an airplane and go be a missionary in another country, so this allows children in our group to pack a shoebox and be a missionary.
I agree with you. This is a great way for kids to give, serve, and grow compassion for others. How can other people get involved? Is it too late to be involved this year?
It is absolutely not too late to be involved. I’m actually a year round volunteer. I work in different capacities and there are many ways you can serve. We have prayer teams, church relations teams, and other ways you can serve year round. You can volunteer to serve in a packing center in the weeks coming up. And of course, you can pack a box! There is alway that need! It’s never too late to become involved. It’s a huge blessing to the givers and receivers!
Ok great! When do boxes have to be turned in this year?
Boxes need to be dropped off at a designated location between November 16 and 23.
Ok. Well, thank you for telling us about Operation Christmas Child. Thank you for your service and for trying to get lots of other people involved too!
Yes, you’re welcome! We need everybody!
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If you want information about packing a box, volunteering, or drop-off locations, go to the link below. Happy packing!
