Stripes Unlimited

The Candy Cane Caper for Operation Christmas Child continues. When I left for work on Monday, January 10th, I had 13,500 candy canes and was praying for 30,000 so we could put at least two in each of next year's Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.

In the morning I got a call from one of my team members, Rose Dobson, who told me she picked up 1200 candy canes at their Walmart. I then called the Asbury Walmart to ask if they'd sell me their remaining candy canes for 10 cents a box. They agreed, but counted them and said they only had 208 packages remaining (2496 canes). I couldn't believe they were all gone since they'd had 15 cases on Saturday but instead of being upset, God gave me the faith to believe He would provide.

At noon time there was a conference call for the Operation Christmas Child area coordinators in our Mid-Atlantic Region. When they asked for prayer requests, I asked for prayer for more candy canes.

After school I went to pick up those 2496 candy canes and on my way home I got a call from Jim Urban, a fellow OCC area coordinator who lives about an hour away from me. "Hey, Kathy, I'm cleaning out a Walmart here and I have about 12,000 candy canes for you!" Jim said.

I was thrilled, astounded, amazed, and blessed. God answered my prayers so quickly and thoroughly.

I later found that Lana Lacey, a friend who'd told me she'd bought 'some' candy canes for me had actually purchased over 5300.

In the grand total God provided more than 35,000. Just think of the thousands of messy, smiling faces those will make.

PS--I found out what happened to the other 15 cases of candy canes they had at the Asbury Walmart. They were purchased by my OCC team's Community Relations Coordinator who packs more than 1000 boxes at her church. How great is that? God provided all we needed in every way.