Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child has been a part of our lives for many years. I really can't remember when we started it, but it would be safe to say my kids think it is part of Christmas. If you aren't familiar with it, it is where you fill a shoebox with small gifts, wrap the box in Christmas paper, and a child in a needy country will get the box for Christmas. Our school collects the boxes at their last chapel before Thanksgiving each year. This year is filled with many "lasts" as Kaylee loves to remind us that since she is graduating, our "school" days are nearing an end. So, Friday was our "last" shoebox chapel, and Cary and I went. It is just amazing to see all the boxes, so insignificant to us but very possibly ALL some children will get. The last time I went to Romania, I was in a small village, no running water, and I bought some hand made gifts from an older lady. She didn't want the things unprotected, so she came out with a shoe box that still had the wrapping paper on the bottom for me to put my things in. I still have it-I think it probably made a round trip! We have an exchange student from Lithuania, Povilas, that goes to our school. Since being here, he has accepted the Lord and has shown so much growth. It was a blessing to see him stacking the boxes that possibly could end up in his own country! Povilas is the very tall young man in the center of the picture. It was our last chapel with a student attending the school, but I'm not so sure it was really our last. It is such a part of our Christmas, and a wonderful blessing! We haven't gotten a final count yet, but we do know that our school collected over 700 boxes.