Christmas in July with Operation Christmas Child

Back in April while I was in Manzini on my way to the fruit market I noticed some of the children carrying colorfully wrapped packages, which looked like shoe boxes. As I looked closer I realized that they were actually Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. WOW! Pretty cool, huh? I remember writing about the experience in my journal. Every year my home church, Flatwoods First Baptist (FFBC) in Flatwoods, KY, would prepare about 150 boxes to be sent out by Samaritans Purse International. During the last collection I was able to participate in November of 2006 my Sunday school of 4^th and 5^th graders prepared close to 16 boxes. So, for myself and my church family Samaritans Purse and Operation Christmas Child are very close to all our hearts. As one of those who would fill a box for a special little girl or boy I always imagined what it might be like on the other side when the children received their box. So, to actually be able to see a child with their box it was kind of surreal. The boxes were perfectly in tack and not one of them had opened it yet. I know for myself if I were one of the children I would so excited that I couldn’t help, but rip into the box. Not these children, though.

 

Well this past week my experience was taken one step further when I was able to participate in the distribution of the shoeboxes. One of the other mission sending organizations called, Children’s Cup, have care points where they feed and help the children with their education. As a part of their ministry that have also partnered with Samaritans Purse to be a distribution center for their shoeboxes and when I found out about it I jumped at the opportunity to join in. How awesome is our God that He knows our hearts desires and grants our requests without even an utterance.

 

 So, here are some of the pictures from my experience. Hope you enjoy our Christmas in July.