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One Box - One Life!

 Operation Christmas Child1

One Box – One Life!

 

If you’ve been around Hope for a year or two, you know that when the calendar reaches November, it means one thing – Shoeboxes!

For the past 8 years or so, Hope has teamed up with the Ministry Samaritan's Purse to help send over 100 million shoeboxes to hurt, abandoned, and war ravaged children around the world.

(Click here) to watch the 100 million shoebox celebration!

What does 100 million shoeboxes look like? How can we put 100 million into perspective?

If you would stack 100 million shoeboxes on top of each other, they would be 26 times higher than the Empire State Building. That is a lot of boxes!

More importantly, that is 100 million children who have heard the good news of the Gospel and the hope found in a relationship with Jesus Christ!

You may ask…

Who is Samaritan's Purse?

Samaritan's Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan's Purse has helped victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God's love through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Click on Operation Christmas Child to watch more about this amazing ministry!

Since discovering Operation Christmas Child about 8 years ago, besides here at Hope, I have taken time at school to tell my students about it. I have shown videos, handed out thousands of brochures, and tried to get my students excited about it.

Why am I so passionate about getting people excited about packing a shoebox? Here are just a few reasons:

It’s easy. The compact size of a shoebox limits how large and how much can fit into the shoebox.

It’s inexpensive. Students and adults alike can fill a shoebox for about the same amount of money that they would spend a night out at the movies or grabbing a bite to eat.

It’s fun. I absolutely love taking the youth group on our annual trek to go and shop for their shoebox items. Also, since our son Drew is now old enough to complete a shoebox, Michelle and I take an evening with him, grab our shoeboxes, and walk up and down the aisles, helping him choose the items that will make it into each of our shoeboxes.

It’s personal. Each year, when about 12-16 million shoeboxes are prepared by individuals across the U.S, not one of them is identical. Each one is lovingly hand-packed, prayed over, and sent out to make an eternal difference. I love this part of OCC! I don’t know about you, but when I am choosing the items that go into my box and writing my letter, I always think about the child who will receive it. Will he like the items I picked out for him? Will he know that I was thinking about him when I was packing it? I sometimes envision him out playing with the toys with a group of friends – laughing, running, smiling! My hope is that, for a short time, will my meager box of items allow him to escape the pain, hunger or conflict that he is currently dealing with?

Man, I sure hope so!

It’s a box of Hope! Slinky, Nerf football, toothbrush, baseball hat…these don’t seem like much to us Americans, but to a child who has NEVER received a gift EVER – it lets them know that someone cares, someone believes in them, and puts a smile on their face that seems like it is a permanent fixture.

It’s more than just toys. You can be confident, that when you team up with God and create a shoebox, a miracle is going to happen! We don’t know who is going to receive our shoebox – but God does! I believe with all my heart in the Sovereignty of God and I know that the box that is prepared is going to be delivered to the young man that God had planned to receive it.

Through OCC and Samaritan's Purse shoeboxes have the ripple effect of…

children hearing the Gospel for the very first time,churches being planted in areas never thought before could,parentless children being adopted into loving homes,forgiveness being granted to a prisoner who once slain an entire family, (View Video)and God’s Army rallying together, to serve, love, and impact the world in the name of Jesus Christ!

So, the opportunity is here! Grab your friends, co-workers, classmates, teammates, and whoever will listen and prepare a shoebox!

Your box – it WILL make a difference!

Her are some helpful links to help you prepare a shoebox.

How to pack a shoebox

Follow your box

Frequently asked questions

Videos to get you fired up

Shoeboxes are due at Hope by Sunday, November 24. See you there!

Your co-worker and servant in Christ,

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Pastor Brian

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