Operation Christmas Child

We had a neat experience this week with our church youth group. I'm sure you've all heard of Operation Christmas Child - where you put toys, hygiene items, school supplies, etc. in a shoe box that is sent off for needy kids around the world. Well we have four kids in our youth group who have been adopted and received OCC boxes while living in orphanages in Russia. Several of the local TV stations and newspapers wanted to feature our youth group because Ted, Klava, Nadia & Kola (the 4 teens from our youth group) were asked to be OCC representatives for the Twin Cities this year. What a great way to give back!!



On Sunday at church during our last worship song all the kids starting from little itty bitty ones all the way up through highschoolers came streaming in to the gymnasium where we meet. Each child was carrying a shoe box that was wrapped up and ready to be sent abroad. They stacked them up front so people could see just how many boxes we'd collected. We had so many shoe boxes donated that each child had to go back and carry in boxes several times. It was so neat to watch the kids carrying in their boxes, so excited that they could help other kids who are less fortunate!! There weren't many dry eyes at the end of the worship song as people realized what an incredible outreach OCC is. I know I was balling like a baby!! :)

Operation Christmas Child has been near and dear to my heart since I got married back in 2000. Chad and I now have 6 nieces and nephews who have been adopted, so thinking that special kids like them could be receiving the gifts we package up each year just completely overwhelms me. As much as I'd love to be able to bring all these kids home to love them and show them what it's like to have family, I realize that's not possible. But by sending off these shoe boxes, hopefully these kids will understand that there are people out there who love them and most importantly that Jesus loves them.

This week is "collection week" for Operation Christmas Child, so if you want to be a part of this great ministry, check out the Samaritan's Purse website for details.