Operation Christmas Child- How a Shoebox Can Change The World

By Jolanthe Erb, Homeschool Creations/ Operation Christmas Child Ambassador

Have you ever sat at the edge of a pond, thrown a rock in, and watched the ripple effect that one little stone has in the water? Something so small, but something that makes an impression on something other than the little space that the rock plops into.

Since 1993, Samaritan’s Purse has been sharing gift-filled shoeboxes with children in over 130 countries around the world through the ministry of Operation Christmas Child. Each shoebox is filled with basic necessities such as soap and toothpaste, but they may also include small toys and gifts for children. These gifts may be the only ones that they every receive and is something that can have a lasting impact on the child that opens the shoebox.

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There may be language and cultural barriers from our country to theirs, but opening a shoebox full of things that meet daily needs and will put a smile on a child’s face – that is a feeling that can never be taken away from that child. It is one short moment in a child’s life that could change his entire outlook.

 

This above video from Samaritan’s Purse speaks volumes on the impact that one small shoebox had on the life of a small girl and the ripple effect that it had on her life and the lives of others.  Even though we may not know where the boxes are going, God knows what hands will be holding the boxes!

How You Can Participate with Operation Christmas Child

This Christmas, and in the months to come, you can make the difference in the life of at least one child by partnering with Operation Christmas Child and packing a shoebox for a child in need.   Visit www.samaritanspurse.org today and start the journey of a shoebox.

Additional Resources to Get You Started

Operation Christmas Child

 

 

Jolanthe Erb, Homeschool Creations

 

Jolanthe Erb is wife to Rick and mom to 4 children. Prior to being a stay-at-home and homeschooling mom, she was a preschool special ed teacher for almost 4 years. Working with children has always been her passion loves that the online world has provided a way to share ideas and resources with other families all over the world. You can hear Jolanthe in Nashville, Spartanburg, and Washington, DC.