I have been packing Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts for over 20 years and have had the privilege of serving as a year round volunteer for 13 years. This April, I was blessed with the opportunity to travel to Ukraine and pass out shoebox gifts to the Ukrainian children. Every November, these boxes are packed and collected by churches, school groups and families all around the United States and are filled with school supplies, hygiene items and toys. The children were thrilled to receive these special gifts, but even more important than the shoebox is the opportunity they have to hear about how much God loves them. After years of packing these gifts with my own family, it was such a joy to watch the children open their boxes and read through the Gospel booklet that goes along with their gift. My prayer is that each of these boxes will have an eternal impact on the lives of the children who receive them.
To learn more about Operation Christmas Child, visit https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/
Information about Operation Christmas Child and empty shoeboxes to fill will be available at all of our AOT offices this fall!