Last Monday some friends gathered together at church to have a first annual Operation Christmas Child packing party. I'd been collecting stuff here and there, as I found it on discount while out shopping. Things like $.20 crayolas, $.10 sticker books, $.05 balls, $.40 flip flops, $.10 beanie babies, $.08 plastic cups, etc etc etc. It's amazing what you can find SUPER cheap when you keep an eye out for it :) My goal was to collect enough to pack 10 shoeboxes for OCC. It's a great lesson for the kids in giving and something I want them to be a part of - even if they don't fully understand the whole idea yet.
Well... it amazed me how God multiplied my "little" stash. We ended up with two overflowing tubs full of toys, candy, hygeine items and school supplies!! And soon I was facing the reality that I couldn't afford the shipping costs for all the boxes we had enough stuff for - well more than 10! But God showed up again ;-) Someone at our church heard about our little packing party and gave enough $$ to ship 115 boxes!!!! Way to go, God!!
So last Monday night we hauled our loot to the church, along with some cute little kiddos ;)
A few other moms had been collecting throughout the year, too. And we were amazed at how many goodies there were, just waiting to be packed and sent to bless a child on the other side of the world.
And I was absolutely astonished at how well Nathan & Faith packed boxes!!! There were almost no arguments over toys, or tears because they couldn't keep things. Most of the time, when I find stuff on clearance for OCC, the kids are with me so they think what I am buying was their's. I'll often have to sneak it away during nap time. I was worried that when they saw some of the toys again, they'd want them back. But that only happened with one toy - a pink stuffed dog that Faith ended up packing in a box herself for a little girl her age. The little girl who gets Faith's box will be blessed with one very beloved (but still very new) pink doggie :)
The kids had fun picking out toys and gifts for their boxes. Who knows how much they understood - we told them they for other boys and girls who have never gotten a gift before. And that God was happy that they were giving the other kids toys. The kids seemed to understand that the box was not theirs - they never got upset that they had to leave the boxes behind. Little by little, each year, they'll understand more.
After packing their boxes, the kids colored a letter for the child who would get their box. And we enclosed a photo of the kids, too. We even included an addressed envelope, in hopes of maybe getting a letter back from the child who receives the box.
After Monday night's packing party, we had 25 packed boxes (between 5 families). And the remaining stuff (there was a LOT still to be packed!!!!!) got hauled to another packing party the next morning - our MOPS packing party. Every year the moms at MOPS pack boxes for OCC. Last year was a record breaking year, they packed 84 boxes. This year??? Even with fewer moms, and tighter budgets, God multiplied the love and supplies! We packed 119 boxes. Plus the 25 from the night before, we ended up with 144 boxes for OCC. And still had tons of stuff left over!! Some of the leftovers will be saved for next year, others will be packed by people able to pay for the box to be shipped.
After our MOPS packing party, I picked the kids up from the nursery and they helped us stack all the boxes for a photo.
And they were great helpers as we loaded all the boxes up to take to the local drop off location.
Wow, that's a lot of blessings. For the kids who will receive them.
And for us moms and kids who packed them, too.
If you haven't packed a box for OCC yet, and want to, it's not too late. OCC is collecting shoeboxes packed with hygeine items, school supplies, clothing, toys, candy, etc. They're collecting through November 21st. You can still pack a box yourself, with your spouse, with friends, or with your kids. Why not make it an annual tradition, too? We are! I've already started collecting for next year... FYI... Johnson & Johnson travel size first aid kits are free at walmart for the next month (with this $1 off coupon - if you get the coupon, make sure you get the $1/1 neosporin OR red cross item coupon, travel first aid kits are $.97 at walmart (in the travel size section), making them free when you use the coupon)
If you want to pack a box this year and don't know where to start, here's a link with information on what to pack, how to pack it, and where to drop it off. There's also some amazing videos there to watch that will give you a glimpse at the amazing impact this little box ministry has on children across our globe!
Well, that's my little plug for OCC :)
So glad my kids sure had a great time packing boxes, too!
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