The Way Church Should Be

Today's Shoe Box Story from Mary Damron:

MARY DAMRON -- Shoebox Corner -- The children from the community were gathered in an old abandon warehouse. It was dark because very little sunlight shone throught the broken windows. But i was glad that it wasn't as cold as it had been. We gave the children shoeboxes and enjoyed the "Holy Uproar", that always takes place. We played with the children for a couple of hours and gathered our belongings. Suddenly I realized that I didn't have my camera. I ran back into the warehouse and searched in the dim light for it. I spotted it on the floor in one of the Offices. As I bent down to retrive it, I heard someone crying. A little girl about 9yrs old was sitting between 2 other girls and I realized she didn't have a box. "How did we miss her? She must feel like she's being punished for something or that she didn't deserve a box." I tried to comfort her and tell her, '"I'm so sorry baby, I'll be right back, I'll get you a box."

I ran to the van, got her shoebox and headed inside. Making my way through the children, i was stopped in my tracks. The 2 girls were now patting her and loving on her. Other children were coming by, each dropping something from their shoeboxes into her lap as they stooped down to hug her. It was a beautiful site. She now had more gifts that anyone. These loving children, who had lost everything in the war, were sacrificing their gifts to make her feel special. I walked out thinking --- This is the way the church should be.

(Special thanks to Pam who shared this story today, to Mary Damron who has done so much for OCC and therefore for so many precious children, to Franklin Graham and all the OCC volunteers who make this possible, to EACH who gives a shoebox, and especially to Christ Jesus who taught us first to love so that we may love others.)