As my local friends know, so many of our shoeboxes go to the Philippines and so our area has committed to pray for the people of the Philippines. Other boxes from our area go to other nations in the Pacific, including Indonesia. This earthquake has also caused a risk for tsunami for all these areas. Join in prayer, that the people would be spared, that Gods comfort would pour out, and His Hand of protection would be on these people.
From CNN: (CNN) -- An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 has struck off the coast of the Philippines, the U.S. Geological Survey said Friday.
The quake prompted a
tsunami warning for parts of Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Japan,
Guam and other areas, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.
"An earthquake of this
size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike
coastlines near the epicenter within minutes and more distant
coastlines within hours," the tsunami warning center said.
The quake, which was
about 20 miles deep, struck just before 8:50 p.m., the agency said. Its
center was about 65 miles southeast of the town of Guiuan, in the
Philippine province of East Samar.
The below story is from Operation Christmas Child UK and is yet another example of how God is working through these simple shoeboxes. Do not be discouraged!! Your small gift packed with love and prayer can change lives. Praise be to God!!
A Family Transformed
A
seventeen year old boy living in a small village in Romania heard that
there was going to be a Christmas gift distribution, so he went and
received a gift filled box from Operation Christmas Child, along with
the booklet explaining the birth of Christ. The story intrigued him and
he would go to church where the gifts were given as often as he could
and even attended summer camp put on by the church.
On
the way to camp the Pastor asked the boy about his life at home. The
boy shared with his new friend about his desperate home situation – that
his mum was a prostitute and that his father found clients for her. He
was ashamed of his family and knew their lifestyle was wrong.
Upon
returning to his village from the summer camp, the young man boldly
told his mother that he could not live as they did anymore. As it turned
out, his pastor friend found a place for him to stay at the church. It
was not long however before he began to feel burdened for his family and
God gave him the strength he needed to go home.
His
mum was the next person in his family to accept Christ. Due to the size
of the village, it did not take long for everyone to know that the
former prostitute was a Christian. The father however was very angry
because his wife was not making money for him any more and he would have
to find another line of work. He tried many times to kill the mother
and son. One day he came home drunk and grabbed the woodchopper, closed
the door and gave his wife and son one last minute to make a wish. They
began to pray and God protected them that day, for the father simply
turned and left.
The church family continued to
meet and began to pray for this man. He soon became very ill and had to
go to the hospital. The hospital called the family to come and get him
as he was going to die very soon. The mother and the son brought the man
home and the church began to pray. The prayers were heard and answered.
The man stood up from his death bed the next morning –healed and
changed!
A shoebox gift for a boy was the beginning of bringing life into a hopeless situation.
As many of you know I have a Pinterest Page for OCC and there are SO many others! I keep finding MORE and MORE. I add then as I find them into the sidebar list of links.
Today I found ANOTHER great Pinterest Page so I thought it time to have another post on the topic. Through Pinterest you can find craft ideas for your shoebox for anyone of any skill set. There are many that your children can help with and others that are for those who sew or crochet or knit and every level in between! So don't think you need to be "crafty."
You can place something special in the shoeboxes that you made, generally for very little money, and find something PERFECT for the child you are packing for. So don't wait!
So check out the links.. and enjoy! Be inspired! And have FUN.
Since I just did a post on what to pack in a 2-4 year old box, I thought I would give a how to on one of the ideas I had listed..... A Memory or Matching Game!!
I thought this would be SO nice for a 2-4 year old box... and you could personalize it in so many ways. The author laminated the pieces which is certainly nice but you could just use modge podge and simply glue images to the back of tagboard or cardstock.
And you could make the images anything you liked! You could use images from Bible coloring pages online, or clip art of animals, or any other images you would like in this set. So many cute possibilities. And a simple gift for a young child.
I have not checked our local stores to see if the deal is going on but the Catalina offer is nationwide, and not just at Safeway. (Deals can be had at Kmart as well, for instance)
Here’s
a deal I stumbled across today while shopping at Safeway. You should
be able to snag this deal at all the Safeway family of stores, too
(Vons, Dominicks, etc). Reach Firm Toothbrushes $0.79 when you buy 2 Receive a $2 catalina* when you buy 2 or receive a $4 catalina* when you buy 4
Final Price: Free plus money maker!
*A catalina is a coupon that prints at the register when for you to use on your next in store purchase
NOTE: You must buy these in quantities of 2 or 4 (don’t buy 3!) for the
deal to work! If you have any of the $1 off coupons from 7/29 Red
Plum, then you’ll have yourself an even better money maker!
People never seem to struggle when packing a box for a 5-9 year old, but both the 10-14 and 2-4 get fewer boxes and one thing I always hear is I don't know what to get them.
I thought it was time to post for the 2-4 year old darlings!
First, be careful in including things with small parts that pose a choking hazard.
Second, pray! God works miracles all the time through the shoeboxes so pack as you are lead. :)
Now for ideas:
Plush or Doll - this is SO valuable to any age but perhaps most for the little ones. Including a huggable toy can be a tangible way to share love. If you want there are many ideas for lovies you can make right here in our craft section, such as this toddler lovey and or this stegosaurus.
Art Supplies:
-coloring pages are a great option for this age group. A coloring book or printed pages from the many free sites online offer many great options.
-crayons (perhaps consider the chunkier ones)
-markers
-paper
-safety scissors
-crayon holder
Clothing:
flip flops, shirts, pillowcase dresses, hats, gloves, socks, etc. If you crochet you have to check out these cute hats too.
Imaginary Play:
puppets, finger puppets, a dress up cape, play crown, are all fun options. Or accessories for a doll? Small animal or people figures. How about toy cars and a car mat? Most of these options can be bought inexpensively or made for even less. (Instructions can be found in our craft area)
Active Play:
Balls of all kinds (including handmade), jumpropes, and a new favorite of mine, ribbon twirlers.
Games and Puzzles: Matching Games, simple puzzles, printable simple mazes, etc make fun extras for your box.
Practical Items are ALWAYS a must!!!
Don't forget the basics- toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and washcloth. Maybe a comb or brush.
How about a tote bag for carrying these items in?
We have just scratched the surface on what you can include but I hope I have inspired you to pack a box for a precious little one! Don't forget to send a photo and letter... they are often treasured years after everything has worn out.
The above picture is from Operation Christmas Child FB page. I have so enjoyed their series of photos recently and so will continue to share some of them with you here on the blog.
This morning this story was also on their feed:
A mother brought her 3-year-old son to an OCC
shoe box distribution in Belize. She said that several days before the
distribution, he had asked her for some marbles. When he opened his box,
there was a bag of marbles in the box! His mother began to cry, and
said she felt that God had given her child something he really desired.
Our God.... He answers prayers. He gives true Hope and Joy! And through Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, we can share God's love, His hope, and His joy! Remember to pray as you shop and as you pack. The simple dollar store marbles may be an answer to prayer... may be just what a child wants... and be the simple gift that shows that our God cares!
Operation Christmas Child makes inroads for the Gospel in communities all over Nepal
Nepal is known for being the home of Mount Everest, the crowning
jewel of the Himalayas and the tallest peak on earth, reaching more than
five miles into the heavens. Mountaineers from across the globe travel
to Nepal to challenge the rugged peaks.
The country also has a unique spiritual heritage that embraces two of
the world’s most widely held religions, Hinduism and Buddhism.
Thousands
of Buddhists make pilgrimages to Lumbini, Nepal, to visit the
birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha. Although Buddhism spread
across Asia, it was Hinduism that took root in Nepal. The country was
the world’s only Hindu kingdom until it was declared a secular state in
2006. Today more than 80 percent of the nation’s 30 million people
worship the gods and goddesses of Hinduism.
Christians have always been a minority in Nepal. In 1980, only a few
thousand believers were known to exist. Today, that number tops 700,000
and continues to grow with the help of missionaries and native believers
dedicated to spreading the Gospel.
Samaritan's Purse is helping make a way for the Gospel through gift
boxes that are distributed to children through Operation Christmas
Child.
Working in partnership with local churches, the Operation Christmas
Child National Leadership Team in Nepal is building bridges of trust and
making inroads into communities from the slums of Kathmandu and to
remote villages, where gift boxes have to be packed in on foot over
rugged mountain trails.
“Operation Christmas Child is a wonderful outreach to the community,”
said Dhan Raj Ghimire, the National Leadership Team coordinator in
Nepal. “Jesus Christ loved children very much. When we share His love
with the children, parents see it, they learn to trust us, and they
allow their children to come to church and participate in other
Samaritan’s Purse programs. It’s all about Jesus Christ.”
When Pastor Arzun Ramtel moved to the village of Khadgabhanzyang to
plant a church, there were only a handful of believers, and he found it
difficult to make headway into the community. Operation Christmas Child
changed everything.
“Operation Christmas Child became a way to show love to the community,”
he said. “The gifts are given to the children, but they become a way to
reach the family.”
A blind man named Rasham first heard the Gospel when his 10-year-old
daughter, Mina, brought a gift box home. She handed her father each gift
and described it to him in detail. There was a pair of gloves, a
coloring book, pencils, a ball and her favorite gift, a stuffed animal
dog.
Mina began to attend the Bethel Assemblies of God Church, where she
learned more about Christ and studied the Bible. “I accepted Jesus at my
Sunday school,” Mina said.
Pastor Ramtel visited Mina’s family and discovered that Resham was
having fainting spells and had been unable to work. Although Rasham is
blind, he is a talented musician who plays a sanai, a unique Nepali
instrument that looks somewhat like a clarinet that is played at
weddings and special events.
Ramtel prayed for Resham and shared the Gospel with him and his wife, Batti.
“The pastor became like a father to me,” Rasham said. “He comes to help
me during times of hardship. I have accepted Jesus. I have committed my
life to Christ.”
Rasham is one of many new believers who heard about God’s gift of salvation because of the project.
“Operation Christmas Child is a milestone for the church in this
community,” Ramtel said. “Through this ministry, many unreached people
have had a chance to hear the Gospel, and many have received Jesus
Christ.”
Alongside each gift box, children receive a colorful booklet called “The
Greatest Gift of All.” When the children go home, the booklet often
becomes the first contact that families have ever had with the Gospel.
In the village of Shikharbshi, Shanti Tamang opened a gift box and
caught her breath when she found a “Cutie” doll with bright orange hair
resting on top of the gifts.
“I never had a doll before” the 12-year-old said as she gave the doll a
hug. “And the notebooks and the pens and—oh, I am so happy!”
Shanti heard a Gospel message before she received her gift box and was
intrigued by the colorfully illustrated booklet she received.
“I like the pictures,” she said, thumbing through the pages. “When I get
home, I will read it to my brother and sisters. I will also read it to
my parents, because they can’t read.”
Recent Operation Christmas Child distributions have taken gift boxes to
remote villages in the Nuwakot region, where the Gospel has rarely been
heard and where there are no churches. Tragically, the area is also the
center for human trafficking.
Lured by promises of good jobs and even marriage, young girls are
whisked away from their mountain villages and forced to work in brothels
in Kathmandu and neighboring India. Young men are also taken and put to
work on construction crews or in factories. Most of the children are
never heard from again.
Pastor Lok Bahadur is coordinating distributions in the Nuwakot region.
He said that human trafficking is a source of shame for the people in
the villages, but the Gospel provides hope and truth that can help
conquer the darkness.
“I have been praying for these villages for years,” he said. “I will
visit the villages myself to do fellowship and follow-up ministry with
the children and the community.”
Shoe box distributions were recently done at local schools in the
Nuwakot region, and school administrators were thrilled. Many children
drop out or rarely come. But when word went out that the gift boxes were
coming, classrooms were overflowing.
“I think the teachers were happier than the children,” Pastor Bahadur
said. “The gift boxes encouraged children to come to school and get
involved again.”
Bahadur was also encouraged knowing that the excitement of the children
and the Gospel booklets they received would touch hundreds of families.
“My job is to spread the Gospel and replace darkness with the love of
God,” Bahadur said. “These shoe boxes that came all the way from America
are symbols of God’s love.”
Twin girls arrived a shoe box gift
distribution in the Philippines. They stood in line to receive their
gifts, which were being distributed according to age and gender but had
not been opened since being shipped from the United States. When the
girls opened their boxes, the items in them were identical and letters
inside the two boxes explained that they had been packed by twin girls
in the U.S.!
Our boxes often go to the Philippines! What a wonderful affirmation that God IS working and He is working THROUGH Operation Christmas Child!!! Please remember to pray as you pack your boxes! We are doing this in service of an AWESOME GOD!
Note: at each distribution the boxes remain taped shut until after prayer time over the boxes, and are only opened BY the children after a countdown... so this was NOT orchestrated by man... but by GOD!
Free After Easy Rebate (To get an easy rebate you must have the free Staples Reward Card)
Sharpie Accent Tank Highlighters, yellow or assorted.
$4-$4 ER = FREE
Limit 1 rebate HP Everyday Photo Paper 8.5" x 11"
$9.99 - $1 Instant Savings - $8.99 Easy Rebate = FREE
Limit 2
Avery NoteTabs, assorted colors and sizes
$3.99 - $3.99 Easy Rebate = FREE
Limit 1
Excludes Martha Stewart and Clearance
BIC Round Stick Grip Ball point pens, Medium, black, 12/pack
$2.49 - $2.49 Easy Rebate = FREE
Limit 1
-------------------------------------------------------- Extreme Deals - These are GREAT for the Shoeboxes! $0.01/ea with $5 Minimum Purchase, limit 4 ..#2 Yellow Pencils 8/pack ..Pink Cap Erasers, 12/pack ..Slider Pencil Box
$0.50, Limit 2 unless noted
..BIC Mechanical Pencils, 5/pack
..Staple's 12" See thru Ruler
..Staple's 8.5" x 11" Writing Pad, (no limit)
Staple's Stickies 1/2" page flags: $1
Hammermill Copy Paper Ream: $6.99 - $4.99 ER = $2
-------------------------------------------------------- Triple Recycling
Get $6 back in staple's rewards per cartridge when you spend $50 on HP Ink.
Limit 5 recycled cartridges per customer
If you buy items from the first list, totaling $5 you qualify for the Extreme Deals. And ALL the penny deals look great for the shoeboxes this week! You can then get an Easy Rebate online for the purchase price, making your shopping total sooooooo low.
My plan is to buy the pack of photo paper, to use for my family and to send a photo in each shoebox, and the pack of pens, and get the easy rebates for those, and then buy the penny deals, and perhaps some rulers. :)
Starting August 26, Dollar Tree will be accepting coupons!! There are many possibilities here for even BETTER deals!
I love Dollar Tree already for shopping for the shoeboxes! There are many options there that are great for the shoeboxes.... but with the possibility of even MORE savings makes the store even MORE exciting!
The below links have a variety of paper doll printables. I am not familiar enough with copyright laws to know for sure the legality of them... but all are out of print and one of them has the artists permission for personal use.
These can be printed on cardstock and sent as is or laminate the main doll and send them cut out for easier fit in the shoeboxes and so that the children more easily understand them.
13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
As I have said before, I do not crochet, but these patterns are too adorable to pass up.
If YOU crochet, I can't imagine a cuter thing to put in the boxes, especially for the little ones.
The pattern for this is available free from ravelry! The designer, Elizabeth Trantham, outdid herself with this one. Now what little girl wouldn't adore this??? Find the pattern at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hello-kitty-hat-7
When I first saw this one, I immediately thought of the adorable theme boxes of Hello Kitty by Project 414... such as this one at http://project414.com/2012/03/24/another-hello-kitty-shoebox-girl-5-9/ If you took the time to make this precious hat, it would be a fabulous centerpiece for a hello kitty theme box!
And then, this one!!! Oh my goodness! So cute for either a boy or girl! This fuzzy polar bear hat pattern is also available for free from ravelry at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fuzzy-polar-bear-hat The designer Ashley Phelps is brilliant!
If you crochet, I think these would be so special to include in the box. Made with love and prayers and sure to be treasured by the receiving child.
I read this story of Khin Khin from Operation Christmas Child in Canada and just teared up massively. The gifts we send, they are so valued... treasured!
Please take the time to read the story and then, when you send your gift, remember to put in a letter and photo. And pray for the child receiving the gift. What a BLESSING to show God's love in such a simple way.
Khin Khin received an Operation Christmas Child shoe box at a New Delhi refugee camp, and now packs shoe boxes with her church in Winnipeg.
"Everybody thought receiving the shoe box was the best thing that ever happened in our life."
That's a memory 18 year-old Khin Khin has of her time living in India as a refugee from Burma, waiting to be transferred to a new country. "Not only receiving gifts from someone we had never seen, but reading the letter of encouragement. It was amazing and unforgettable."
Khin Khin was eleven when a church near her temporary home in a New Delhi refugee camp distributed Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes to the children there.
"I received some coloring books, pencils, crayons, a notebook, a letter, and a photo of the girl who sent the shoe box," she says. Khin Khin carried that photo with her when her family was chosen to resettle in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
This autumn, she and others at her church in downtown Winnipeg are preparing to send gift-filled Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes to children around the world living in situations of war, poverty, disease, and natural disaster.
"Receiving the shoe box made me realize how a Christian should give for others," she says. "Some children might not have people who care for them, so for them, it's encouragement to know they still have other people who care for them and that God is always there for them when they don't have anybody else.
One thing I include in EVERY shoebox is a toothbrush and toothpaste. Many of the children receiving the boxes will never see a dentist. Many do not have or have to share their toothbrush. It is a simple thing we take for granted here but is of such value around the world.
Here is a Cup of Joy video of a girl receiving hers.
And remember to watch here or at clipwithpurpose, as whenever we find deals for FREE or very inexpensive toothbrushes or toothpaste it will be on the site. There is a deal RIGHT now, scroll down one post, for FREE toothbrushes
And, when you go to your dentist, maybe ask? Many dentists will gladly give for this charity!! If they give extra, that you don't need for YOUR box(es) bring it to the drop of location.
Yesterday marked the 3 month mark before Collection Week!! YAY!!!
If you haven't started now is a GREAT time to begin buying for the shoeboxes! School supplies are at a low low low price, summer clothes and toys are on clearance, and ziploc bags and socks and underwear are on sale as well!
Wanna remember why we do this???? Take a moment to enjoy this Cup of Joy video about a boy experiencing SUCH JOY from the simple gift of a toy harmonica in his box.
U.S. Families Do Their Part to Reach Global Goal of Helping 9 Million Children in 2012 and More than 100 Million Since 1993
BOONE, N.C. , Aug. 6, 2012—There are tens of
millions of children in developing countries who have never attended
school. (Source: UNICEF) While a number of factors contribute to a lack
of education among children in developing nations, one key component is
access to basic school supplies.
However, this
back-to-school season, U.S. parents, kids and teens are looking beyond
their own school supply lists and making a difference in the lives of
needy kids overseas. By maximizing back-to-school sales, U.S. families are stocking up on items for Operation Christmas Child,
a year-round project of international Christian relief and evangelism
organization Samaritan's Purse, headed by Franklin Graham. Participants
fill shoe boxes with school materials, toys, necessity items, and
letters of encouragement for children in poverty around the world.
This
shoe box packing effort, requiring months of organization and
preparation, is expected to bless more than 9 million children this year
suffering the effects of natural disaster, disease, war, terrorism,
famine and poverty. In 2012 Operation Christmas Child anticipates
reaching a milestone-collecting and delivering shoe boxes to more than 100 million children
since the project began in 1993. Through the power of a simple gift
and the message of hope through Jesus Christ, children learn they are
loved and not forgotten. For many of these children, the shoe box will
be the first gift they have ever received.
I LOVE CLEARANCE!!! Today I found a selection of items around town including...
JoAnn's
-tape measures in fun colors clearanced to 25 cents each
-fun flip flops (patterned) at 97 cents each
Michael's (LOTS of clearance bins at 75% off)
- magnifying glasses at 25 cents each
- good quality jump ropes at 59 cents each
- beach balls at 25 cents each
- solid color flip flops at 74 cents each
- journals at 25 cents each
Staples
- 1 cent packs of lined notebook paper (limit 5, $5 purchase required)
Walmart
- princess jump ropes 50 cents each
- more school supplies
- zip lock bags on sale, plus used a printable coupon from coupons.com
I am looking forward to prices continuing to drop on summer items.... still hoping for more sports items and toys for boys.
When I think of an OCC Packing Party, I often think of the big ones... the ones that are community wide or with K-Love or a big church packing party. Big scale. But the reality is as awesome as those are... they are not the majority of packing parties. But a SMALL SCALE PACKING PARTY? This CAN happen!!! It is a fun and easy way to multiply the gifts to precious children and grow awareness as well.
Besides.. Who doesn't LOVE A PARTY??
Packing parties can come in all shapes and sizes and for all sorts of groups. They can end with just a couple boxes packed or a LOT of boxes packed. There are so many possibilities that I am just going to list a bunch.
Who can have a packing party???
- Women's groups, Men's groups, Bible Studies, Youth Groups
- Clubs - 4H, Scouting, Quilting clubs, Service Clubs, AWANAS, Campus Clubs.....
- Neighbors
- Birthday boy or girl
- Friends and Family
How can you organize a packing party???
Have everyone bring a bunch of a single type of item from a list... say one person brings toothpaste and toothbrush, another school supplies, another plush, another clothes, etc.
Have everyone bring ONE item and put together a box or two
Collect items at meetings or monthly making certain items the item of the month
Get together and craft for the boxes throughout the year, then bring toiletries and school supplies, etc.
There are many possibilities. And every one of them is AWESOME because it results in more shoeboxes!
Now is the time to really start looking for bargain flip flops if you still want them for your shoebox(es). Michael's Craft stores have them at 74 cents at many stores.. which combined with their coupons can be a great deal... but other stores might also be closing out on this summer item.
Also if you order from Oriental Trading Company for your shoebox(es) they currently have a promotion going: ORIENTAL TRADING FREE SHIPPING NO MINIMUM
Order online by 11:59 p.m. CT, August 7, 2012, and get free standard shipping on any purchase, within the contiguous U.S. Additional charges apply for Express Shipping. Gift cards not included. Enter key code WCE3503 during checkout.
Have you ever placed an order and thought.... "Oh, if I spend just a couple dollars more I would get free shipping!!" I have. And now I have a WONDERFUL SOLUTION. Order something for Operation Christmas Child!!!!
Recently I ordered a book for my daughter who was prepping for the ACT test (which she did SO well... so proud.... but anyway I digress) and the book cost $23. It was a product that would qualify for free shipping if I spent $25. Shipping on that heavy book was going to be $6. And I decided I would much rather buy $6 worth of stuff for the shoeboxes than pay shipping. And I found a 12 pack of finger puppets for $4. YAY. Soooo I spent $2 LESS than if I had paid shipping and got finger puppets for the shoeboxes!
I can't claim that this idea is all my own, because clipwithpurpose actually set up a shop of their own that has a bunch of stuff that could be bought inexpensively to help you get to your free shipping. You can find this store at http://astore.amazon.com/clipwithpurp-20
If you are packing many boxes, then her choices make SO much sense... big mega packs of items to add to a bunch of boxes. Maybe because you pack a lot, like I do, or maybe because you have a church or group packing party. In that case buying in bulk makes LOTS of SENSE. I have found other options than hers over time and they often vary, so
if you want to search for different options go ahead. I have found great
deals that way.
BUT if you are just packing a FEW boxes you can also use this! There are many items that could be bought for your shoeboxes this way. Jumpropes, harmonicas, recorders, toys, dolls, clothing, flip flips... that you could get essentially for free for your shoeboxes in this way.
Here’s a wonderful deal for you at Rite Aid this week! Look for the oral care coupon book in store near the oral care aisle. You might want to ask the clerk if you don’t see one. I’m excited about this deal since toothbrush deals have been few and far between this year.
Reach Toothbrushes $2
Use $2/2 Reach Toothbrushes printable
and use $2/2 Reach Toothbrushes (Found in store in the Rite Aid Oral Care Booklet)
Final Price: 2 for Free!
