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Ministry Information
Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan's Purse in which shoe boxes are packed with gifts and delivered along with the Gospel message in their native language to children in countries around the world. Since its inception in 1993, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been delivered across the globe to hurting children. These shoe boxes are a tangible way for Christians to demonstrate God's love to lost people. It has been reported that as many as 3 out of 5 children who receive these boxes, also receive Christ. Additionally, there are numerous stories of children changed by the love of God impacting their families, and their entire villages for Christ! There are even accounts of this ministry so touching the lives of those who witness this extraordinary effort, that truck drivers and convicts who have been involved in the delivery process have given their lives to Jesus. How exciting is it to think that we can work together in such an effective way for His kingdom. To learn more about Operation Christmas Child, and its impact, please visit http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/index/.
How Do I Help with the CCHM Operation Christmas Child?
Pray. If each person who heard about this ministry just prayed for Operation Christmas Child, can you imagine the tremendous impact that effort would have? So even if these are rough times, and you just feel that you cannot commit financially, or from a time stand point, please commit to praying for this effort fervently.
Make a "t-shirt twin" by dyeing one shirt for yourself, and a "matching" one for a shoebox recipient. The end result will be that a photo of you, in your tye dye shirt, will be in a shoe box that also contains the twin tye dye shirt you made. We will coordinate a picture day on a later date. You need to register for this activity on the CCHM calendar section, September 12, 2008.
Commit to locating one or more shoe box items from the list of needed items. Please scroll further down to see the "Shopping and Obtaining Donations" complete list of needed items, and tips for obtaining those items least expensively. Please register on the CCHM calendar, September 12, to let us know which item you would like to collect. Scroll down to the bottom and click on Click here to Sign Up. If you do not want to participate in the twin t-shirt activity, merely choose that option and continue with registering and choose the item type you would like to donate.
Contribute financially. Samaritan's Purse requests a $7.00 per box donation to assist in paying shipping costs for the boxes. Any amount you feel led to contribute will assist us in our box packing efforts. These donations should be payable to Samaritan’s Purse such that you will receive, in the mail, a receipt for this tax deductible contribution.
Attend the Packing Party on November 17, 2008. We will be sending an email at a later time with complete details about this event, but for now, save the date! This event will be part of our Fun Day Friday event. Please register to attend this event on Friday, November 17, 2008 so we know how many packers we will have.
If you have any questions about this project after reading this, please contact christilow@yahoo.com for clarification.
Shopping and Obtaining Donations!
Preparing boxes for Operation Christmas Child is going to be great fun, and a wonderful way to teach your children how to fulfill the Great Commission right here in their hometown. It’s a chance to put into action the things you work so hard to teach them, and to have a blast while doing it. Please pray about this exciting opportunity, and see how He will use you. Remember...Follow Jesus...Live Dangerously!!!
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Toys (small cars, balls, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch®, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky®, etc. Please do not include war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures)
Stuffed Toys/ Dolls (Remember that stuffed animals that are larger than a shoe box, within reason, can be vacuum sealed to fit)
Hygiene Items (bar soap, washcloths, combs. Please do not include any type of liquids as they may leak and ruin other item.)
School Supplies (markers 8-12 count, colored pencils, crayons 24 count, safety scissors, pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, white paper, lined notebook paper, pocket folders. Of course package sizes are suggestions, and we are happy to accept items of different quantity as long as they will fit into the shoe boxes with a reasonable amount of space for other gifts)
Hard Candy (Please no chocolate or out of date candy.)
Packing Supplies (zip lock bags, vacuum seal rolls, wrapping paper. Zip lock bags should be the small type for holding crayons and bar soap.)
Other Items (Other items that you feel would delight a child and fit into a shoe box are welcome. You never know what a child might be praying for, so if God puts an item on your heart that isn't on this list, it might just be exactly what someone needs. Please just email me christilow@yahoo.com so that we can plan to include the item or items in our boxes.)
Remember to be creative to reduce expenses involved in obtaining these items:
This month, for example, is an excellent time to obtain school supplies at deep discounts.
The beginning of November is a wonderful time to get hard candy that wasn't purchased in October.
If you are good at watching for sales, you can even purchase needed items when you see something that is a good deal, and then sign up to bring that item after you have already purchased it.
Hygiene items, such as soap, can be obtained from hotels that are willing to donate. Your hairstylist may be able to donate combs.
So far we even have commitments for 225 toothbrushes and tooth pastes donated by local dentists!
Also, consider making soaps with your kids as an easy and fun craft project to help with this ministry.
Check dollar stores, and discount stores, for all kinds of items, and don't forget to get the kids involved by asking them not open their kid's meal toys (only the really cool ones) and instead donate them to the boxes.
Also, party stores and aisles offer many neat, inexpensive toy items in quantity for favor bags.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you need additional information christilow@yahoo.com.
Thank you and may God bless you,
Christi
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