Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Shoeboxes

We received a special report newsletter from Samaritan's Purse the other day on the impact of shoe boxes delivered this past year. Does anyone else find themselves scouring the photos to see if you can see your box in the picture? I do!

I love seeing all the pictures of the children enjoying their boxes and am amazed at how few of them would otherwise receive gifts. Helping deliver shoe boxes is something I have on my to-do-someday list.

So, if someone wanted me to go and blog about it like Compassion just did - I'm volunteering.

10 comments:

Katy said...

We also participate in this...and I just love it! I love that kids enjoy what we send over! My husband is going on a mission trip to Romania in June...to help build a church and to go to an orphanage...and they are taking shoeboxes over there! I wish I could be going to see the kids' faces as they get them. I love that glow that children have! They are so genuinely appreciative and excited! :)

Anonymous said...

Ha, ha, ha -- yes, I always search the pictures for the wrapping I used, too. I'm always amazed when I see the pictures that the boxes are in such good shape -- it would be completely understandable if they arrived a little dented, paper torn, or mangled in some way. Simple things for us -- big smiles for kids.
Rita in Oly

*carrie* said...

Monica,

I do the same thing!

Will be interested to see what God does with your willing heart! Lisa and Michelle got to deliver boxes in Romania a few years ago.

Rebecca said...

Monica, I do the same thing. When I take the boxes to the drop-off site, I always check where our boxes are heading. China was one of the places...and I'm SURE that was some of ours on the cover :-) I have particpated in this ministry for many years...it gets to me every year and how thankful for they are for that little shoebox.

Anonymous said...

We participated for the first time this year after reading what you wrote about it. We just received our newsletter and yes I did the same thing, it's so nice to see the happy faces. We've already starting collecting things for next time.
Pati

Kathryn said...

We participate too....and I'm sure that ours were in there too! ;=) I always sniffle thru the magazine, its so moving to read the stories of families accepting the Lord thru a little shoebox. I've been doing this since 1998 and got a thank you letter/photo back from a child in Israel one year.
It feels so worthwhile, that I could cheerfully spend all of my Christmas budget on it.

Anonymous said...

Ladies,
I'm a missionary in Ukraine. We've been here for the last 7 years. I wanted you to know that every year our church receives the shoeboxes. They are a huge blessing. Our church uses them at various times throughout the year for our church children as well as evangelistic kid's outreaches. Keep up the good work!
Holly
Kyiv, Ukraine
SEND International

Mary Ann said...

We got our magazine today and I found myself looking closely too to see one of our boxes.I told my husband that next year, I'm going to make the wrapping unique so I can pick mine out! :-)

The stories and pictures brought tears to my eyes. It's amazing how God uses these humble gifts to bring children and sometimes whole families to Him.

Anonymous said...

My family has been sending shoe boxes since I was a little girl. Now married with 3 children it has become one of our families favorite traditions. It doesn't have to cost much. I find great deals and shop all year long. We also go online to Samaritan's Purse and purchase items from a catalog. There is a section in the catalog just for kids, items as low as $2.00. We allow the children to each pick one thing from this section to send to needy families all over the world. This last year our family purchased 24 baby chicks, 250 fish to stock a lake, a goat for a family, blankets and more. It makes me feel good as a mother to know that my children get more excited over the catalog from Samaritan's Purse than the Toys-r-us Toy Book. :)

Anonymous said...

My family has been sending shoe boxes since I was a little girl. Now married with 3 children it has become one of our families favorite traditions. It doesn't have to cost much. I find great deals and shop all year long. We also go online to Samaritan's Purse and purchase items from a catalog. There is a section in the catalog just for kids, items as low as $2.00. We allow the children to each pick one thing from this section to send to needy families all over the world. This last year our family purchased 24 baby chicks, 250 fish to stock a lake, a goat for a family, blankets and more. It makes me feel good as a mother to know that my children get more excited over the catalog from Samaritan's Purse than the Toys-r-us Toy Book. :)