Here we are caught in the middle of National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child. I am eager to find out how many boxes have been collected so far in Northwestern PA but I don't really know. I've had reports from a few collection sites, but not all of them.
I love what's happening, though. I love watching the boxes pile up--knowing that each of them will be a 'gospel opportunity' for a child in another country. A child like little Mario in the picture above. We met Mario at an Operation Christmas Child distribution in the Dominican Republic and in this picture he's sharing a huge hug with my good friend, Kim Wilkins. The thing Mario found in his box that he liked the most was a picture of my friend, Sherry, who gave him the box. Try to include a picture in your box because the children truly cherish the pictures they receive.
Last night I worked at the Operation Christmas Child relay center at The Federated Church. A precious group of folks from McLane Church brought in 365 boxes and we were able to get them loaded into cartons. Some of them were so full (closed with multiple rubber bands) that they looked like round balls.
Then I stood in awe as a hoard of youth ran up and down the stairs carrying armloads of boxes that Pat and a few friends had packed all through last year--1043 of them.
The harvest is coming and we're caught in the middle. We don't know the end yet and, of course, we won't really know until we get to heaven. But there's nowhere else I'd rather be than standing in the field watching it happen.
And, like little Mario, I want to throw my arms around everyone who has packed a box, and give each of them a huge hug for making it happen.
There's nothing like being caught in the middle of such love.
What a nice reflection! I am encouraged. This is the first year that I am going to send up fillers that could be compiled into complete shoe boxes -- in years past I have always used the stuffed toys as a conclusion point -- when they ran out I was done. This year I will be sending several thousand stuffed toys up to the processing center along with boxes and boxes of other stuff that people have donated. Our basement flooded this summer and I lost track of how many shoe boxes we have prepared. The last two years it has been between 1800 and 1900.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, watch your mail!! 15,000 candy bags are coming your way. Got them in the mail yesterday!
One question -- do you ever sleep??? I noticed you posted this at 4:44 AM.
My daughter and I dropped off our boxes this afternoon grateful that the Lord provided for these little ones once again!
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