For many years now our children have been filling boxes for Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child. So when I was asked to represent my church out the local information meeting, I readily agreed. I thought I was there to pick up empty boxes; I did not realize that I would come away encouraged by the impact of the Christmas Child program. As I waited for the meeting to begin, I thought of how I might challenge others to fill a shoebox. I thought of the wealth of our material goods and of the many underprivileged children who are blessed when we give from our own abundance. I thought that the focus of the meeting would be the joy we bring to those who are less fortunate when we fill a shoebox. However, I took home a different message of encouragement. The gift of a shoebox is the message of God’s love touching the hearts of children, families, villages, and countries.
The speaker, a fourth generation missionary to the country of Uruguay, shared with us the impact of Operation Christmas Child in his country. One of the first pictures he shared was that of a family of five children. These children chose not to attend the Christmas celebration where the boxes were being distributed. They did not own shoes or proper clothing. They would feel embarrassed coming. A group of volunteers decided to pay a special visit to this family. They brought shoeboxes for each of the children. Miraculously, inside each of the five shoeboxes were a pair of shoes and some clothing. This was not planned by the volunteers, but rather by our loving Father who wanted these children and their family to experience His love in a personal way. Those of us at the meeting were impressed with the fact that God leads every shoebox to just the right person.
He then spoke of a young boy who was growing up in an area of profound racism. This boy’s mother had forbidden him even to speak to a child with darker skin. This was the accepted way of life in his village. He came to the Christmas celebration and received his shoebox. He sat on the floor playing with the marvellous toys, wonderful toys he had never been able to own before. As he reached into the bottom of the shoebox, he found an envelope that contained a picture and letter from the boy who had prepared and sent the box. The giver’s skin color was black. The boy was amazed and, as he listened to the translator read the letter, tears came to his eyes. The giver wrote that he prayed that this young boy would understand what Christ had done and that he would accept the love of Jesus. This young boy and his mother, who also heard the translation, did receive Christ that day. The boy went on to share the picture of the giver with all in his village. Today the village no longer lives with racism. Through the gift of a shoebox God was able to work bringing love where hatred once ruled.
Filled shoeboxes are the first step in reaching a nation with the love of God and His message of salvation. Before the shoeboxes are distributed, every participating church attends four sessions where the leaders learn new tools for evangelism, follow-up, and spiritual support. They are also given access to Bible teaching materials. When the shoeboxes are distributed, the children are given the opportunity to participate in The Greatest Journey, a series of twelve lessons that share the gospel and love of God. On graduating from The Greatest Journey, the children receive a certificate and a New Testament. In 1998 when Samaritan’s Purse first came with shoeboxes to the country of Uruguay, the country had only 850 churches and only two percent of the population confessed to be Christians. After thirteen years in the country, the number of churches has risen to 2,000. Now, in 2011, six percent of the nation confesses to be Christian. Operation Christmas Child has founded 668 Bible Schools and many of these schools have become new churches. God is working in the country of Uruguay through the simple gift of shoeboxes.
Every shoebox filled is not just a gift of love for an underprivileged child, but it is also an opportunity to share the gospel, to share God’s love. When we fill a shoebox, we take part in the transformation of a child, a family, a village, a country. God works in mysterious ways and one of those ways is a shoebox packed with love and sent by prayer to a child who needs to know the Good News of Jesus Christ. If you have children, I encourage you to pick up a shoebox for each one to fill. Your child can decide what to pack in the box and then he can write a letter to the recipient and enclose a picture of himself. Through this simple and meaningful act, your child can have a part in transforming the life of a child with the love of God.
