God Gives Us the Brush-On

I love it when God brings people alongside me in this Operation Christmas Child journey.  And one of the sweetest people he's brought back into my life is my friend Ellen.  Ellen's husband and I were in the same youth group as teens and she sang at my wedding.

Now, years later, we reconnected on Facebook and for the past few years she has used our NWPA Operation Christmas Child Packing Party as the mission project for the VBS at her church.

When I told her I needed about 5,000 more toothbrushes for our boxes this year, she decided to make that their goal.  I told her I'd been buying nice ones from an online site for about 15 cents each. 

Last week Ellen sent me a message saying their church would be sending me a check for $505.17.  Even though their VBS had the smallest attendance ever with only 15 regular attendees, their giving was amazing.  The children were especially touched when they heard the story of a shoebox recipient who lived in an orphanage in Russia where 20 children shared the same toothbrush.

Ellen said "we all have long faces because we didn't reach our goal.  I think with the money and the toothbrushes we had donated, it came to 3,426 toothbrushes."  

But that's not the end of the story.  

When I went to the site where I've ordered the toothbrushes, I found the price had risen to 17 cents each.  So I decided to check some other outlets.  Here's the story via my Facebook conversation with Ellen.

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  from me to Ellen: Good news! I searched a website today called Plak Smackers (recommended by some other OCC folks) and found some toothbrushes on clearance and (today only) shipping was free for a $500 order. I spent $511.40 and was able to get 5,040 toothbrushes!!!!! So.....your gift, including the toothbrushes you sent, was closer to 5,100 toothbrushes!!!!! God is SO GOOD to us all, isn't He? I can't wait to see what God does from all this love you have sent. Praising Him for how He lets us come into His plan and be blessed.
• from Ellen to me:  Oh my goodness Kathy! I can't believe it! What a Savior we serve! I can't wait to tell our Hill kids And my granddaughter Sam who gave me her piggy bank $ when she knew we didn't hit the goal. She said I know God wants those kids to have brushes! Praising God with you and FOR you.
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  from me to Ellen: I love God's timing and His amazing faithfulness. A special hug from me to Sam--God will reward her sweet heartWhen we give and pray--God hears aWhat a Savior we serve, indeed!