Shoeboxes-Trash or Treasure?

Christmas is almost here; a time of merriment and cheer. Suffice is to say Christmas must be a child’s favorite time of year. But I don’t believe it’s the carols that excites them, or even the time off from school. If you ask any child what his/her favorite part of Christmas is, he/she will most likely shout… “Presents!” So can you imagine how a child who has nothing to look forward to this holiday season must feel? I bet it certainly won’t be a very merry Christmas for that boy or girl.

The group Samaritan’s Purse, has recognize the need for bringing Christmas joy to less fortunate children all over the globe and has chosen to be proactive. Through Operation Christmas Child this organization started “National Shoebox Collection.” With this venture, families and individuals alike can volunteer to personally pack a shoebox or shoeboxes with fun and useful goodies for global distribution to children. The contents of the box may include items such as toys, school and personal care supplies, books, and even a handwritten note with a word of encouragement or an introduction of the family/individual to the child who receives the box. The packer/s is then asked to pray over the shoebox so it may minister to the child receiving it.

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian humanitarian organization, which seek to meet the needs of people both physically and spiritually. This foundation has been around since 1970. Its president is Franklin Graham, son of Christian evangelist Billy Graham. According to their website, “Samaritan’s Purse has met the needs of poor, sick, and suffering people in more than one hundred countries.” The name of the organization is based on the New Testament parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37), in which Jesus uses a parable to teach people the second great commandment – love your neighbor as yourself.

This foundation is truly amazing. Not only is its efforts bringing Christmas cheers to children across the world through the gifts they send, but they are also using these presents as a platform to introduce the Gospel of Jesus Christ to precious young souls. “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)

National Shoebox Collection week runs from November 17-24, 2014. For detail information on packing and dropping off shoeboxes, visit the link on their website: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box/