I bet you’re already getting bombarded by ads for Christmas gifts. Am I right?! But just humor me for a few minutes. On Sunday, at the front of our church were stacks of shoeboxes. Not just any shoebox, but red and green shoeboxes ready to be filled with small gifts for special kids. Many of my readers will know immediately the meaning of these boxes because it’s an annual drive in the US to send Christmas gifts to children who otherwise wouldn’t get much, if anything for Christmas. The boxes are filled by anyone who wants to share with hurting children in poor or war-torn countries. I love seeing the videos each year of children rejoicing when receiving the gift-filled shoeboxes in the far corners of the world last Christmas. Seeing the kids light up when they open the simple gifts makes my heart happy.

Some families choose to include a note and a photo of themselves so the child receiving it could contact them. Sometimes years long relationships result. The boxes are distributed on location by local churches who invite the children to come back for Bible lessons. There is no obligation, but some children are curious and come weekly for several months to hear Bible stories. Often relationships are formed that help the child for many years both at the church and with the donors.

I’m a sucker for love stories and several years ago I read this real-life love story that really touched me. Disclaimer: I know that it’s often better for grown-up kids to stay in their country of origin to help others, but there are exceptions. The following true story was published in a Samaritan’s Purse publication, December 2014.

“Back in 2000, an 8-year-old girl named Joana in the Philippines got a shoebox packed by a 7-year-old boy named Tyrel in Idaho. Through that box, Joana heard the Gospel and put her trust in Jesus. So did her father, who is now a pastor.
In 2011, Joana wanted to thank the little boy whose gifts transformed her life. The only clue she had was the name on a photo she had kept from her shoebox showing a blond boy in a cowboy shirt holding a lariat: Tyrel Wolfe. She found him on Facebook, and they became such great friends online that Tyrel traveled to the Philippines to meet her. Then they fell in love, and guess what? In October, they were married. For wedding gifts, they asked their guests to bring shoeboxes.
Tyrel said, “I remember as a little boy, I was so excited to know the toys and other items I put in the box would bring joy to another child somewhere else in the world. I just didn’t know the joy it would bring back to me one day.””

We all want to help those less fortunate and this is a small way we can make a difference in a child’s life. An added bonus is that we can use this as a teaching tool for our own children and grandchildren. One of our adult daughters fills a box every year with the help of her daughter who thoroughly enjoys picking out the gifts and getting the satisfaction of helping another child. We can’t fix this hurting world, but we can contribute to the well-being of a child or two who needs to know that people far away care about them and want them to know Jesus.

For more information: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

“remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed (happy-making) to give than to receive.’ ”  Acts 20:35

PS  Please forgive the short blog this week.  We had a sudden opportunity to visit out-of-town family for a couple of days.