“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!” Operation Christmas Child is in full swing and as usual, Calvary folks are enthusiastically leaning into that opportunity to serve children around the world. This ministry of Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse organization, seeks to provide children around the world with some small essentials as well as a small gift at Christmas. This past Sunday was the first week the empty boxes were available for people to fill and 192 boxes were given out. Last year, Calvary filled a total of 364 boxes. Way to go, Calvary family!
You may remember reading about Lindsey Anderson in a February Who Is Your Neighbor article. Lindsey is a part of the Calvary Family who is especially passionate about this ministry. Quoting from that prior article, “I asked Lindsey why she was so passionate about this. ‘I love to go to the Operation Christmas Child website and see the kids’ faces when they open their shoebox and the joy it gives them.’ But that’s not all that Lindsey does. Taking a page from her local FCA chapter (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) who suggested that some of the recipients won’t know who Jesus is, Lindsey always writes a personal note to each recipient which she puts in the shoeboxes!
Those notes tell the recipients about Jesus and that Jesus loves them! Of course she doesn’t know who will receive any of the boxes, but that doesn’t matter. She puts love in each box and knows that the recipient will be the person God wants for that particular box.” By the way, if you look at the pictures, you’ll know which one is Lindsey….she’s the one wearing the shoe box….which she bought from the Operation Christmas Child website.
Organizers of this international ministry say, “A small shoebox can have a big impact. What goes into the box is fun, but what comes out of it is eternal. Be a part of changing children's lives all over the world in Jesus' Name through the power of a simple gift with Operation Christmas Child.”
Who is my neighbor? Our neighbor is that child who opens that box and knows that they are loved.
About the Author
Debbie Reese is the Co-Directing Pastor of Calvary UMC