 |
 Penny's
SAHM Journal
November
21, 2004
Operation
Christmas Child
Homeschoolers participate
in a fun and meaningful Community
Service project
Our homeschool group participated
in Operation Christmas Child
(OCC) this weekend. We filled
32 shoe boxes with supplies
such as toiletries, school items
and small toys that Samaritan's
Purse will deliver to needy
children, worldwide. Annually,
the families in our group coordinate
a pre-Thanksgiving potluck event
where we fellowship and wrap
our shoe boxes. Prior to this
family event, we shop for items
to fill the boxes. It's such
a fun and rewarding community
service project.
Today (the day after the Thanksgiving
potluck), a few of the members
of our homeschool group met
at a local church designated
as one of the OCC drop-off locations.
The children in attendance were
able to transport the gift boxes
from the trunk of my car to
the area where OCC volunteers
were collecting the boxes. Next,
the children had the privilege
of assembling larger boxes and
helping the volunteers pack
the individual boxes into the
larger ones. They then put a
sticker on the big box indicating
how many smaller boxes were
inside of it. The next step
was for adults -- the large
boxes had to be loaded onto
the truck that will transport
the items to an OCC processing
center in Georgia. Once the
processing stage is complete,
the boxes will be distributed
throughout the world -- from
the United States to the Caribbean
to Africa and tons of places
in between.
Tracy Tarkington, the OCC representative
we met at OCC drop-off site
today, told us that many of
the Florida boxes may be sent
to the Islands that have been
hit badly by hurricanes this
year. She also shared a touching
story with us about how a particular
child who lived in an orphanage
had received an OCC box from
a family in Florida and has
been adopted by that same family.
Some of the children who receive
the OCC gift-filled boxes write
to the sender of the gifts.
Two years ago, one family in
our homeschool group received
thank-you letters from children
in Zimbabwe. We learned of another
family who received a letter
just days ago from a child in
Indonesia. It's exciting to
learn -- from these letters
-- where an individual's box
ended up. This process is a
life-lesson in Geography!
In many cases, these boxes we
send contain the only gifts
numerous children will receive
for the year. Compare this to
the many, many things our children
get all year long! That's why
it is critical that we take
advantage of the opportunities
to help those in need. Yes,
young children most certainly
can help make a difference!
We must also train our children
to always keep those less fortunate
than themselves in their prayers.
By doing so, not only will our
children develop a greater appreciation
for their countless blessings,
but they'll grow to forever
nurture that special place in
their hearts that God wants
them -- wants us -- to secure
for those in need.
Before we removed the boxes
from my car today, I shared
a letter with the children from
Caleb's book "e-mail from
God for kids" by Claire
Cloninger and Andy Cloninger.
I read page 43 to them called
"Show Me Some Action."
The letter talked about the
importance of being more than
just talkers -- but doers --
when it comes to helping the
needy. "What kind of person
do your respect the most?"
the letter begins.. ..........Thepersonwho
talks about giving money to
the poor or the person who actually
gives the money? The person
who talks about helping people
in need or the person who actually
helps needy people?" I
used the letter to remind the
children that they were truly
taking action by participating
in this OCC project.
To learn more about Operation
Christmas Child and other projects
by Samaritan's Purse, visit
www.samaritanspurse.org.
Penny 11/21/04
Momtoaboy@aol.com
| |
