#6 - Operation Christmas Child
With Thanksgiving and Christmas upon us, we often start looking for ways to get involved with giving to others. From Angel trees to food drives and even secret Santa projects. This week is the national collection for Operation Christmas Child.
According to Samaritan Purses website, "In the summer of 1993, Samaritan's Purse President Franklin Graham received a call from a man in England asking if he'd be willing to fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in war-torn Bosnia. Franklin agreed but figured Christmas was months away. He forgot about the promise until he received a call back around Thanksgiving asking about the gifts. Franklin asked his friend, the late Pastor Ross Rhoads of Calvary Church of Charlotte to see if he could help with the need. A Sunday shortly afterward, Pastor Rhoads demonstrated for his congregation how to fill a shoebox with simple gifts and encouraged them to include a letter to the child as well. Within weeks the church had 11,000 shoe boxes lining their hallways. Due to the generosity and additional gifts from Canada, Samaritan's purse sent 28,000 shoebox gifts to children in the Balkans that Christmas. Every year since, Samaritan's Purse has collected shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items for children around the world. Since 1993, more than 178 million children in more than 150 countries have received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox. The project delivers not only the joy of what, for many kids, is their first gift ever, but also gives them a tangible expression of God's love."
It's an honor to have a special guest, Ilona Penner, join me today as she was a recipient of an Operation Christmas Child shoebox years ago. Ilona grew up in Ukraine and now she packs shoeboxes and delivers them to Ukrainian children. Join us as Ilona shares with us about her upbringing in Ukraine, the memories of receiving a shoebox while living in a Ukrainian orphanage, and even provide suggestions on how to pack your own shoebox for a child in need. Hear of her story of hope, the heart of giving, the gift of time, and how one simple act made her feel like she wasn't alone.
It's perfect timing as this week, the third week of November, is the national collection drive for Operation Christmas Child.
Find out more about how you can take part in the shoebox drive or find a location to drop off your donation here. Would you like to connect with Ilona Penner or perhaps have her speak at an event? You can reach out to her here on Facebook or on Instagram @ilonochka96.
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