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Harley and Chevelle Elder help their grandma, Fae Beaumont, pack shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child every year. By ELLEN MORTENSEN
Chief Assistant Editor
While Christmas is still months away, one organization is already busily making preparations for the season.
Operation Christmas Child, a subsidiary of Samaritan’s Purse, works to bring joy to millions of needy boys and girls all over the world during the Christmas season. Sending hope to hurting children worldwide is a full-time, year-round effort that requires the compassion of many individuals and families.
Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project, is calling on local kids, families, churches, businesses, schools and community groups to fill shoe boxes full of gifts for children overseas who are suffering from disease, famine, war, terrorism and natural disaster.
“My shoe box gift might be the only gift a child has ever received,” says Fae Beaumont, OCC drop-off site coordinator. “A shoe box can make a difference. It lets children know that someone really does care about them.”
Collection times for Broken Bow relay center, Operation Christmas Child - Nov. 16-22
Monday: 9:30 - 11 a.m.; Tuesday: 5 - 7 p.m.; Wednesday: 9:30 - 11 a.m.; Thursday: 3 - 5 p.m.;
Friday: 5 - 7 p.m.; Saturday: 3 - 5 p.m.; Sunday: noon to 1 p.m.
Packed shoe boxes may be dropped off during these hours at First Christian Church, Buffalo Run Rd., Broken Bow. For more information contact Fae Beaumont at 308-872-6044.
Fae has been involved with OCC for many years, and started packing shoe boxes with her youngest daughter when Ellen was 9-years-old. Now Fae helps Ellen’s children pack boxes.
Four years ago Broken Bow became a relay center for the shoe boxes, and Fae has served as the coordinator since the beginning. It is a project she is very passionate about.
OCC is a project of international Christian relief and evangelism, headed by Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham. Since its inception in 1993, Graham has collected and hand-delivered more than 68 million shoe box gifts to hurting kids in some 130 countries.
“This is a wonderful chance to teach children in this country about generosity and compassion, and bring hope and joy to hurting children in other countries,” said Beth Armes, regional director for OCC.
Fae says the number of boxes received at the relay center, located at Broken Bow’s First Christian Church, has increased by about 150 boxes each year. Last year the site collected 657 boxes from Broken Bow and the surrounding area.
While the organization has set a goal for the Broken Bow center of 704 boxes this year, Fae says she expects more than that. Her goal is to reach 800 boxes, which would keep up the trend of the 150 box yearly increase.
OCC encourages the gift boxes to be fun and educational. Examples of recommended items include: toys - such as teddy bears, soft toys, tennis balls, finger puppets, jigsaws, yo-yos, building blocks or small musical instruments; educational supplies - such as felt pens, pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, coloring book, notepad, picture or puzzle book, chalk, pencil case or stickers; hygiene items - such as toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, comb, hair clips or a bar of soap.
Other items often included in the shoe boxes might be sweets (except chocolate which is not allowed), gloves, scarf, sunglasses, cap, hat, bangles and necklaces.
Besides chocolate, other items not allowed in the shoe boxes include medicine or vitamins, war related toys or items, fragile items such as mirrors or glass containers, liquids, sharp objects or anything of a political nature. It is important to remember to make your items age appropriate for the child you are packing for.
Anyone wishing to pack a shoe box will need to obtain a sticker, for a boy or girl of a specific age range. This can be done by logging on the Website at www.operationchristmas child.org, or you can call Fae at 308-873-6044.
Fae is able to provide information and brochures, which contain the necessary packing stickers and all of the packing instructions for you shoe box. This year, Fae was also able to provide some shoe boxes, which she obtained with funds from the Little Give, Big Give Custer County Chief promotion last year. She purchased 100 packing boxes with the funds, and the local Dollar General store donated a dozen more boxes.
After packing the shoe box, a check must be placed inside on the top of the items for postage. However, for the computer savvy givers EZ Give is a simple and convenient way to make your shoe box donation online by using a credit or debit card, eliminating the need for a check.
After completing your donation online, you will be able to print out special EZ Give shoe box labels included in your e-mail receipt that indicates you have made a donation online. EZ Give also allows the giver the opportunity to track your gift through a bar code on the label.
Those wishing to track their boxes will receive an e-mail telling them the destination of their box, along with information about OCC in that country.
Included in every gift box is a story book about Jesus, titled “The Greatest Gift,” written in the child’s native language. These books give children an opportunity to hear the message of Jesus Christ that may otherwise never have the chance to hear.
The missionaries handing out the gifts also offer a 10-lesson Bible study for all family members of the children receiving boxes. Fae says the goal of OCC is not only to provide gifts, but also spread the Gospel message to children around the world.
Collection week is coming up fast - Nov. 16 through 22. Gift boxes may be dropped off at the church during the times and days indicated in the box above. |
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