Blue Umbrella Official Thanksgiving_Christmas Issue-1 | Page 13

Oper at ion
Chr istmas Child
Spr eading Joy t o t he Wor l d
by Sabrina L .
T he Christmas season is often a
time for giving gifts. My family enjoys
receiving presents but also enjoys
giving presents to those who might
not otherwise receive them. Each year,
our church and churches around the
country pack boxes for Operation
Christmas Child.
Operation Christmas Child is
an organization that collects shoe
boxes. Members of a church then fill
the boxes with gifts and distribute
them to children around the world.
People like you and I fill these boxes
with toys, school supplies, and hygiene
products. T hese boxes are then left at
a drop off center which are usually
churches.
T he drop off center then
delivers the boxes to a distribution
center. Here the boxes are examined to
make sure that everything in the boxes
can be sent overseas, if that is their
destination. T he boxes are then
packed into larger boxes for shipping.
OCC has been doing this since 1993
and have collected over 135 million
boxes over the years for children in
150 countries and territories.
T he greatest gift that is given
to the children is not in the shoe box,
however. W hen a child receives a shoe
box, they are also told of God?s love for
them and how Jesus died for them.
W hole families become followers of
Jesus because of these shoe boxes.
During this Christmas season, take
some time to care for others.
W hether it is through
Operation Christmas Child or
a different group, your help
and love transforms lives not
only in your community, but
also in
the
world.