Today starts the big pre-packing-party-prep for our Operation Christmas Child 10,000 shoebox packing event on September 25th. A bunch of youth and adult volunteers unloaded the 40 ft. storage container next to the church today and moved all the boxes and bags inside. There's lots of organizing to be done this week but at least the first stage is completed.
Friday and Saturday proved interesting. On Friday morning I call Wal-Mart to check (again) on the 3000 crayons I ordered on August 31st. I was told they wouldn't be arriving since the store is moving to a new location and isn't receiving any shipments. They suggested I call and order them through another Wal-Mart, which I did. The second store, however, said they couldn't guarantee the crayons would come in by Saturday for the packing party.
Amazingly, I didn't freak out. I had a peace that God had a plan but I posted the problem on facebook. Pam Hatchell, my dear fellow-OCC-Area Coordinator from northern Virginia, suggested I call Wal-Mart's corporate headquarters. I wrote back that I never would have thought of that and didn't have the courage to do it. So Pam, bless her heart, called them for me. The Regional Manager, Mindy, is making some calls and doesn't see any reason we won't have 3,000 boxes by the 25th. I'm still praying.
Then on Saturday (yesterday) I got a message that the 10,000 pads of paper that had been promised as a donation can't be delivered until September 28th--3 days after the packing party. Again, God kept me calm and peaceful. Maybe this is why we got 8,000 free coloring books this year? We're investigating options and maybe God will provide the promised paper on time after all. Won't you please pray for this situation?
Last night I went to hear Lejla Allison speak. Lejla received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox in Bosnia in 1993, the first year boxes were sent from the United States. Listening to hear speak about her desperation as an 11-year-old girl in a war-torn country and hearing how God used that simple box which contained a pair of shoes she needed so badly to bring her to faith in Jesus, reminded me again that these are GOD'S boxes.
He knows which child will receive each one and whether they need paper or not. He can and will provide for every need for each of them. So I'm continuing to pray and waiting to see how the rest of the week unfolds.
God is on the move and, because of His grace, I'm tagging along.
WOW!!!!!! 10,000 boxes!!!! I am so proud o you guys... Is this one church or a whole community? Write me back at mrdearybury@hotmail.com I want to know how you pull this off. Thanks for stopping by my blog!
ReplyDeleteKathy---your work for OCC is an inspiration for all. We may have heard you speak last year in Boone---were you there? We are planning another trip this year-it will be our 3rd year. We are from WA State--yes there are PCs closer to us---but we love the Blueridge Mtn. area--and it's only 5 hrs. from DC where our son and family live--so we combine time with them and 4 weeks of working at OCC. We call it our vacation with a purpose!! I would love to know where you got those great boxes we see on the video? Our church buys plastic boxes and we hand them out in Oct-every family packs their own boxes--this year we are hoping for 1200--a small amt. compared to what you do--but we are growing. May God continue to give you the energy and resources to accomplish great things for Him. Please let me know about the source for the boxes at ronaldandme@msn.com
ReplyDeleteIn Him, Marlene Horch