What the elves did this week

This past week, a few little neighborhoodelves joined me as I began packing the toiletry items, toys, and schoolsupplies my sister, Tammy,  and I have purchased for Samaritan’s Purse OperationChristmas Child boxes. Our boxes have to be packed in a certain order so thatall the items we’ve purchased will fit and my helpers caught on in no time.With their help, we packed nine boxes toward the goal of twenty-five.

This year, national collectionweek is November 18-25, so you have almost three months to get those boxesready, but if you start now, you may be able to pack more boxes because everyyear the need increases. Since 1993 when Operation Christmas Child began,Samaritan’s purse has distributed more than 220 million boxes to children inover 170 countries. To many of those children, this box will be the only giftthey receive all year. I’ve mentioned here before that children in orphanages sometimesshare toothbrushes and their favorite item is not the toy but having their own toothbrushfor the first time.

Along with the box, an invitationis also extended to attend a Greatest Journey Bible study. More than twenty millionchildren have accepted Jesus as their Savior through this study. So, with everybox goes the opportunity to meet Jesus for the first time.

Bev and Tammy with 2023 Operation Christmas Child Boxes

Instead of packing a box, you mayalso give toward Operation Christmas Child, and they will pack a box for you.Also, some churches have programs where they  purchase items in bulk and offer their folksan opportunity to pack boxes in that way. 

I was so impressed with my helperelves this week. They had several good ideas while packing, but a favorite one was to create a color theme—making sure everything inthe box was red, pink, blue, or green. We talked about how when a child opens abox, we want them to be overjoyed at what they see, and color is a terrific wayto do it.

I’ve had the privilege of havingmy writing included in a couple of Christmas collections from Grace Publishingincluding Celebrating Christmas. No author in these books receives aroyalty but royalties are donated to Samaritan’s Purse. You could buy thesebooks for gifts and donate to Samaritan’s Purse at the same time.

For more information on how topack a box, visit the Samaritan’s Purse website which I will link to at theend.

Happy packing and thanks for all you do for Operation Christmas Child!

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Mark 10:14).

Operation Christmas Child

Grace Publishing, Celebrating Christmas

Herblog, One Ringing Bell, has nearly1,000 posts in its archives. Her work has been featured on World Radio, in the Upper Room Magazine, a dozenanthologies, as well as other periodicals, and online sites. One of herscreenplays was a finalist for the prestigious Kairos Prize in screenwriting. More at link in bio. 

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