You know, I'm pretty shameless when it comes to trying to promote Operation Christmas Child for the possibility of getting more packed shoebox gifts to kids around the world.
I spent last Thursday and Friday at a satellite site of the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit. I've gone each of the past few years mostly because I blog my notes in hopes of driving more people to this blog with a chance that someone new will learn about Operation Christmas Child. Like I said--shameless. So, for those who are my regular blog readers I apologize for loading the blog with all those notes. You might want to scan through them and see if you can learn something, though.
During a break at the Global Leadership Summit, one of the church staff told me there were more stuffed animals in the church office for me to pick up. Truthfully, I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with donations. I need them. I want them. I'm blessed by them. BUT I get tired of dealing with them--hauling them and sorting them. So...I trudged to the office to collect the bags and boxes and saw a note in an envelope addressed to my name with the church address on top of the pile.
I'd just left the church prayer room where I'd knelt and prayed and shed more than a few tears. Leadership conferences have that effect on me. Really. And I'd also been wrestling with a decision I needed to make about our shoeboxes. So...there I stood looking at the return address on the envelope. Didn't recognize the name. Someone from Missouri. I don't think I even know anyone in Missouri. Intrigued, I ripped open the envelope and pulled out this homemade card with OCC patches on it--
I opened that card and saw two words with a signature from my unknown friend at the bottom--
I teared up again, but happier tears this time. Just that morning I read a devotional about how much Jesus loves me. I'd been hanging onto that truth during my time in the prayer room. God knew how much I needed that card with its message at that precise moment. He knew. I'm amazed at how He uses His people to encourage me. Friend, if you're reading this blog--thank YOU.
So...moving from the blessing part of this blog to the begging part...our team set up a fundraising page two weeks ago through Samaritan's Purse to raise funds for shipping our shoeboxes. Our goal is $7000 which is only enough for the first 1,000 boxes. We're closing in on 10% of that goal, but we have a long way to go and haven't had any activity on the page for a while now.
The idea was to get a LOT of people to give a little--if 1,000 people would just give $5.00 each we'd be close to our goal. Instead, we've had a few large (and very greatly appreciated) donations along with a few from our team members.
Here's where the shameless begging comes in--because shameless is appropriate when you're working to get the gospel to kids around the world. You can click here to go to our fundraising page.
or copy and paste this: https://www.classy.org/
Would you consider making a small donation (hey, we won't refuse large ones either) to help ship our shoeboxes? It's my birthday tomorrow, and I'm shameless enough to use that occasion, too...
Thanks in advance...
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