Cultivating a Desire to Give

Every year November rolls around (and sometimes we get on the ball with back to school in September) and we head to the store and pick out items for our Operation Christmas Child boxes. It’s difficult for the kids to make it down the aisles without spotting something that they want. I know the feeling. We have so much, yet we still want more.

This year we did 3 boxes. 2 for boys, 1 for a little girl. The items are not difficult to choose since our children are the same ages as the ones getting the boxes. The hard part is not picking TOO much so it doesn’t all fit and end up staying at our house :0)

Favourite items would include stickers, bouncy balls and books.

Little hearts reach out with little hands as they carefully go over the items they’ve chosen, fitting them just so into the boxes. Talking about the children who will receive them.

This year we want to Follow Our Box on it’s journey to the country where it will end up. Connect the dots from us to them as we see where it goes and learn about the children there. We watched this video – it had me in tears the moment I saw where they lived. We have so much. And yet give so little.

This year is the first year we’ve really focused on WHY we are doing this. These kids – it may be the only exposure they will get to the truth of the gospel. Every.single.one of them receives a message of truth and hope in Jesus Christ. If we didn’t send the boxes, would they still receive the message?

We’ve prayed over these boxes. Many times. And in the shopping, I saw my children’s hearts expand as they thought not about themselves, but were excited to give to others who have not.

In the packing, I saw the care they took to ensure everything go into the box – the love behind the choices.

In the praying, I saw their desire for these kids to know what they know, know WHOM they know.

If you’ve never done it before, why not start now? Whether you have kids or not, the story of salvation that goes with these boxes can and WILL change lives. If you can’t pack a box yourself, you can pack a box online – will you go and do that now? This week is collection week, Sunday is the deadline for dropping your boxes off. Please don’t hesitate, do it now!