The eyes of children light up as shoe boxes are opened, and they uncover pieces of candy, stuffed animals and even objects such as toothpaste. Although some items are familiar, others bring a sense of curiosity and the overall feeling of joy.
With the hope of providing Christmas presents for children in foreign countries, FC?s goal is to pack 250 Operation Christmas Child (OCC) boxes through the efforts of K-12 students and faculty, by Nov. 10.
Bible teacher Robert Foshee is encouraging his students to participate in order to aid others with the tools to spread the Gospel message.
?I like Operation Christmas Child not just because it?s giving gifts to kids, but it?s really about sharing the Gospel with them,? Foshee said. ?They can partner with someone across the world. They may not be able to travel to Africa Europe or Asia to share the gospel, but they can give a tool to someone that is going to do that. It?s like in the Bible, someone waters, someone reaps and someone harvests.?
As students become involved with box collections, senior Adam Wood says that, although he has not taken part in OCC since elementary school, he knows the feeling of impacting others with one simple gift.
?It?s been a while since I?ve done one, but I first did it in elementary school,? Wood said. ?It feels really good to help others out and you just think about how lucky we are and how deprived others are, and how the smallest gift makes such a big impact on others? lives.?
Along with realizing the privileges most children have in America, this opportunity shows kids that people do care about them and want to show them love, freshman Mikayla Miller said.
?With Operation Christmas Child you get to send kids boxes and I think it?s pretty important because not everyone gets Christmas presents,? Miller said. ?It shows them that people really do care about them and want to show them love. I think I did it once in elementary school, but I?m thinking about doing it again this year with friends and doing a bunch of boxes.?
According to the OCC, ?how to pack your shoe box gift? pamphlet, each shoe box should be a normal size or a plastic container. If wrapped, the box and lid must be wrapped separately, but this is not required.
Before filling a box with gifts, participants must choose a boy or girl and an age category. After packing various items, label the top with the age and gender. Once assembling the box is completed, include a $7 or more donation to help cover shipping and other project expenses, and tie a rubber band around the package.
Some of the suggested categories of items include school supplies, toys, hygiene items and other things like candy, sunglasses, flashlights and T-shirts. All candy must be sealed in a Ziploc bag. Do not pack used or damaged items, chocolate, food, medications or breakables.
Junior high and high school students may pick up boxes and instructions in Room 608, or may use their own boxes with the online directions. All completed boxes are due by Nov. 10.
?There?s so many stories about kids getting these gifts and then receiving the gospel and becoming disciples, local pastors, and keep it going to keep ministering to the kids,” Foshee said. “It?s really just a tool to help share the Gospel.”
For more information, go to Samaritan’s Purse Online, or read the Oct. 26, 2010 article, Operation Christmas Child impacts Moldovan.
For more information, contact Robert Foshee.
