Operation Christmas Child as part of children's ministry

As anyone who reads this blog knows, I LOVE OCC. I love how it reaches children around the world with the love of Christ, the gospel, and a gift filled with items that bless the child in so many simple ways.

I ALSO love what it does HERE. In the hearts of those who pack shoeboxes.

One of my favorite things to see is CHILDREN packing boxes for the children in need on the other side of the world. It can be difficult to teach children in a real and meaningful way what outreach means, what missions mean, what it means to live out the Great Commission. It can be difficult for children to see beyond their own circumstances. Operation Christmas Child can give a Youth Pastor or Children's Ministry Director a way to do this in a concrete way with the children of their church.
Additionally, the program is small in scope so it is very manageable and can be fit easily into a program.

There are several ways to do this. You can have each classroom pack one box for a boy and one for a girl, and then the class can pray over the boxes and the children who receive them. You can have each family or child pack a box and bring them in for prayer. You can collect items all year round and have a packing party so that each child can pack a box. There are many ways to do OCC with the children of your church.. but all bless the giver and receiver.

 And think of the lessons that can be included! From the Great Commission, to Jesus's desire for children to come to Him, to living out loving one's neighbor. About prayer. About miracles. (There are MANY OCC stories about modern miracles with the shoeboxes.) Or other nations and cultures. About poverty and difficulties in the world and the blessings we have here. Children GET this. It is something they can relate to!

I love when children reach out.. I love to see them blessing other children.. and knowing that in the process kids are hearing about and experiencing Christ's love. I LOVE OCC!!