Operation Christmas Child

 

I grew up looking forward to stuffing full these bright red and green boxes every year at Christmas time! My home church, First Pres, has always participated in this amazing ministry for as long as I can remember. I remember helping sort the boxes with another church at the distribution center in Boone. And last year I was so elated to hear that boxes from First Pres were actually being sent to Rwanda!

 

When I was a young girl, helping create and sort these fun boxes, and bring them to church, I never imagined that I would have the privilege to give a box to a child someday. It was such a blessing last week to help OCC volunteers from all over the US, distribute these bright red and green tokens of love to special Rwandese children.

 

The group spent a week all over the countryside delivering these gifts wrapped in love. I was able to join them for one city distribution at one of my student's churches, where her Mom is the pastor. She had invited the children from the neighboring slums to come and receive a box.

 

They showed up in their very best Sunday dresses and slacks, with their parents also dressed in their very best. They prayed for us. They blessed us. They wanted to sing for us. They were the ones being a blessing. We were just giving them a box. They were the ones that gave us the blessing. Hearing the kids speak of how thankful they were to know that people cared and loved them all over the world was precious. Hearing their songs of joy and gratitude upon receiving their first Bible was priceless!

 

I wish I had more pics to share with you, but I was too busy helping the kids unwrap their boxes and sharing in their joy! It was fun to see their faces when they opened the boxes; some were elated, and others were too overwhelmed to know what to do! It was cute.

 

It was a gift!

 

Thank you for making Christmas come to Rwanda this May. Thank you all who continue packing these colorful boxes each year to send all over the world! It's way more than just a box. They bring encouragement and the love of Jesus to all the kids who receive one!