Uganda Children Sing Praise Ye the Lord

With Wayne and Terrie on their way to a shoebox distribution in Uganda right NOW, I thought we might enjoy some stories and videos from Uganda. Watch for them throughout the week.. and thank you for keeping them in prayer.

NEW Facebook Page

For those of you following our FB page, we will soon be closing it down.. to merge and be part of a larger area FB page... follow the link in the sidebar to our new FB page OR search for Operation Christmas Child Southern Oregon.

If you don't yet follow us, join us!! On our FB page, you will find area events for the whole Southern Oregon area, stories from our area, plus of course notice of savings, updates from OCC nationwide, impact stories, and all you have come to expect on the Klamath FB page.

A Life Transformed

Just another example of how shoe boxes are touching lives around the globe!  This one is courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse UK, found on clipwithpurpose.com
Looking back now, Tran Xuan Hoa is amazed that a small shoe box could have transformed his life forever. That’s because, 15 years ago, Hoa was a sad kid with very little hope, living alone on the streets of Hanoi, Vietnam. His family never had enough money and there was no future for him in the remote mountain village where he grew up.
“At age eleven, I dropped out of school after finishing grade five, due to extreme poverty and having to walk nine kilometers to school every day,” he remembers. “It seemed that I would never have any dream for the future.” Because of their desperate situation, Hoa’s parents let him go to Hanoi, hoping he could find work, never imagining he would end up a street kid. Aimless and alone, Hoa heard about the shelters run by Samaritan’s Purse.
And, thanks to the support of friends like you, he was able to find a new home with other street children where he was safe and cared for. Two months later, Hoa became one of the first children in Vietnam to receive a Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child shoe box. His eyes opened wide as he pulled out the flute that was packed inside. Who would have guessed that he knew how to play a flute? “The shoe box was small, but its power changed my life forever,” he smiles.
When Hoa opened his Operation Christmas Child shoe box, he opened up so much more than a box full of gifts. His shoe box opened up more opportunities through Samaritan’s Purse for Hoa and his brothers to finish school and, putting their education to use, support their family.
Hoa now serves as a Project Officer with Samaritan’s Purse Vietnam where he oversees the northern mountain region where he was born! He is married to Huyen and they have a two-year-old son called Noah.

As a child, Hoa didn’t dare to dream. But now, thanks to friends like you, he is giving hope to other impoverished kids… And it all started with an Operation Christmas Child shoe box, given to a wide-eyed mountain child.

Distribution in Uganda

I am so excited to ask for prayer for our area leaders, Wayne and Terrie, as they prepare to go on a distribution to Uganda! We had a lovely send off party this last weekend where we packed shoeboxes together that will be hand delivered. I am so excited to hear the stories from this trip!

Please join us in prayer for a safe journey, for every detail of this trip, and especially for the children soon to receive these shoeboxes and the gospel of Christ. May God go before them and with them as they share the love of Christ one shoebox at a time.

Just a drop in the ocean?

“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” -Mother Teresa

Sometimes it can feel like that one shoebox, such a simple thing, can't begin to make a difference. Oh but it DOES!!! That one simple shoebox goes to a child! A child who through the box experiences joy in the receiving of gifts. Who experiences loves because YOU CARED. And learns through the gospel message received that GOD CARES TOO!!

That one simple gift can be a seed planted... can be the beginning of faith for one child... who can be the start of something MUCH bigger. That one drop can have a ripple effect. Many times families come to Christ as well. And even the whole community.

 But who are we to dismiss even ONE. For we know God rejoices over that one precious child. Jesus would have died even just for them!! Never underestimate the power of a single shoebox.

 But know something NEAT????? This year, Samaritan's Purse will see the 100 millionth shoebox packed and distributed! 100 million children reached in this simple way with the gospel message and the love of Christ.

Yes, there IS an ocean out there.... an ocean of lost and hurting children. You can't save them all. But, one by one by one... GOD CAN.. and He uses us... and the power of a simple gift.

Boys in Madagascar Open their Boxes - Cup of Joy Video

Beautiful Crowns for the Shoebox?? Craft idea

 

I found this crown idea while poking around on pinterest.. and so HAD to check it out! 

Isn't it lovely???

This crown is made with fabric stiffener (or mod podge) paint and lace... that is IT. So the costs should be low. The tutorial is at http://www.joyfolieblog.com/2011/09/diy-wednesday-lace-crowns.html

Aren't they lovely! I think it will work for the shoeboxes. I am not sure how sturdy they would be.. but oh my goodness are they cute! And I am thinking if packed properly might hold up. Oh I do hope so! 

I think they are DARLING!!

Michael's Deals

Today, May 3rd through Saturday May 5th, Michaels has a coupon for 25% off your total purchase including sale prices. (Some exclusions apply, including clearance.) Find the coupon on michaels.com Additionally there are several items in the dollar aisle at 50% or more off! So there are a variety of items appropriate for the shoeboxes as a good price!

I picked up finger puppets and some pencil cases all at just 30 cents each! These items are MARKED at 50% off but clearly some are more, because they came up at 40 cents each, then with 25% off, they came down to 30 cents a piece.

Also worth noting that they have some VERY cute puppets clearanced down to 2.50 each. Super cute and super soft, they may be a good addition to your boxes.

Day of Prayer

Hi all! Today at 3pm at Calvary Chapel Klamath we will be having a prayer meeting, but whether you can attend or not, we would love to have you join in prayer.

We know that God works when we pray.... So here are some prayer requests... please pray as you are lead....

Leadership- We pray for the leadership in OCC throughout the nation and world… that they would keep their eyes on Jesus. That God would protect them and pour out His blessings and wisdom upon them as they seek to do His Work.

OCC locally –

-We pray for wisdom for the local team of volunteers, that they would do the work prepared for them, according to God’s calling

- We pray for more volunteers to help us do the work for OCC, sharing about OCC, and helping churches and organizations as they participate. Specifically, we pray the God would lift up a Media Volunteer.

- We praise God for the continuing partnership of churches. In 2011, almost 68,000 churches and church groups participated in OCC worldwide. We ask for the growth of this ministry to new churches in 2012.

-We pray for the churches and organizations involved, that they would have the energy, wisdom, and vision to carry forth the program according to God’s plan for their group

-We pray for the individuals who will pack shoeboxes this year. That God would guide their purchases, for the specific child who will receive a box… and that God would bless them richly.

-We pray for upcoming events where OCC will be present- Praise in the Park, and 3^rd Thursdays, that the information about Operation Christmas Child would go out, and with it an opportunity for others to see what God is doing.

Distributions-

-We pray for those still traveling to do distributions, that God would protect them, guide them, and bless them as they show His love to these children and communities around the world.

-We pray for the pastors and Christian leaders at the distribution sites, that they would be good shepherds to these families, for their protection and provision.

Children and Families-

-We pray for the children who have yet to hear the gospel and receive a shoebox,  that God would soften their hearts and prepare them for the Good News they will soon hear.

-We pray that each child would receive the right box for them… filled with items that would meet needs physical and emotional and spiritual, and that they would meet with God and feel His love through this gift.

-We pray for the children who have heard the good news, that the seed would go deep and would produce true faith. That this experience would not be a one day event but be the beginning of a lifelong walk with God.

-We pray for the families and communities. That the light of Christ would go forth!

Philippines- We pray specifically for the work God is doing in the Philippines! (So many of our shoeboxes have gone there.) We pray for each child who received a shoebox from Klamath Area… that the love of Christ who go forth boldly through these simple gifts. There is much need in this nation, where so many are hurting and poor, and so many do not know the love of the Savior. Lord we thank you for the work you are doing through these shoeboxes. For the miracles You have wrought and for the salvation brought! We thank you for the work of Perry as she leads OCC in the region containing the Philippines and Indonesia. We ask that you would guide her and her volunteers to do Your Will.

Latvia- We also lift up Latvia, who a little over a year ago graduated their first class from the discipleship training course, the Great Adventure. We praise you for the Good News going forth in a nation that not so long ago banned You, under Soviet control. We praise you that as they have gained freedom as a nation, many are gaining true freedom in Christ.

We praise God that under His guidance and through His provision, this year, God willing, the 100 millionth shoebox will be collected and distributed!!!!!!

God Incidences in Fiji

Hi all... This Impact Story was posted just today on the Operation Christmas Child site.... and I just had to share. I never tire of reading of the work of God's hand through this ministry. I hope you are blessed.

More “God-incidences” in Fiji By Jessica On May 1, 2012 ·

Students in Fiji, Source: Fiji Times Online I love how someone coined the term God-incidences to describe situations in which children receive exactly the gift they need/want inside their shoe boxes. It truly is God’s hand at work; much more than a mere coincidence.

While helpers of Operation Christmas Child are going to great lengths to ensure kids in Fiji feel special at Christmas, God is using the project to show the extraordinary lengths He goes to, to make Himself relevant to children, who have often never heard of Him.

One such trek took local indigenous church partners back and forth over a river 14 times, carrying the shoe boxes on horse-back, for children who would otherwise not see any gits for Christmas. Tears and emotions flowed freely as children received gifts, with one child from the island of Rotuma shouting with joy as he held his first Christmas gift. The parents at various distribution locations wept openly as their children received gifts – lots of them happy that large amounts of stationery were provided for their children’s school needs.

In one instance a child had recently given away his sandals to a friend who couldn’t afford any. The following week he came to the distribution day and was given a box. To his surprise he got a brand new pair of sandals that fitted him perfectly. He told the pastor what he did the previous week and how God had given him a new pair of sandals! Some of the children have already started attending Sunday school and church services because of this testimony.

Another girl wanted shoes for Christmas but her father was in prison and couldn’t buy her any. When she was given the gift box, she opened it saw a pair of shoes…that also were a perfect fit! Tears flowed as she wore the shoes and nearly forgot about other contents in the box. She was told by the pastor that somebody loved her so gave her this gift – she went on to tell her friends, “Jesus gave me new shoes!”

Rev. Emmanuel Reuben who coordinated the first part of the Western Division said it was the first time he had seen at least 12 different denominations come together. Lots of crusades and conferences take place, but Operation Christmas Child has brought them all together as one body in unity. Together they have distributed gifts in churches, community halls, village playgrounds, school grounds and under trees. Source: OCC Australia