Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Operation Christmas Child

My friends and fellow youth ministers Phil and Michelle recently made a difference halfway around the world by rallying their youth around a cause: Samaritan Purse's Operation Christmas Child. You can read about their experience here.

Basically, you (and all your friends) fill up shoe boxes with Christmas gifts for impoverished children around the world. Samaritan's Purse, then, throws in a booklet telling the children about Jesus in their own language, as well as a 10-week discipleship course. It really is a great cause.

Earlier this year, in Namibia, I actually got to see a shipment of these Operation Christmas Child boxes come in. That particular shipment came from the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. We helped load the gifts into a local warehouse owned by a Christian company. Later, we helped disperse the boxes to a local pastor, who then passed them on to the children who really needed them. I was really impressed to see how organized the whole process was, as well as how much the people involved in the process seemed to really care about the kids. So, if you're looking for a way to make a difference in a child's life this Christmas, check out Operation Christmas Child! It's a very worthy cause!

Our group loading boxes in Namibia.

2 comments:

Phil Strahm said...

Thanks for the love. Enjoy your last days in Africa!

I need a way to post it before it happens so more people can do it. Because by the time I post it the deadline is over!

Breuer Adventures said...

Our girls have packed shoe boxes the last two Christmas'. It is good to hear the program is well run. Last year the boxes went to Madagascar. We haven't hear where they are going this year.