Operation Christmas Child: the largest children’s Christmas project in the world!
Operation Christmas Child co-ordinates thousands of individuals, schools and churches across the UK in sending shoe-boxes filled with gifts to children in need around the world.
The boxes make a real difference to the children who receive them, not just bringing joy but changing lives – the toys and gifts in the boxes are often the only toys that the children have to play with as their parents struggle to provide even food and clothes for their children. The boxes impact whole families in the long-term as well, helping local churches to build relationships with people in need and sharing God’s love with them. Read some of the many stories on the Operation Christmas Child website, showing how the boxes make a difference to those who have received them.
Take part!
If you’d like to send a shoe-box this year or would like to encourage your school or church to take part, here’s where to start: http://www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk/how-to-pack-your-shoebox. Make sure you check the list of suitable and unsuitable gifts to include. If you’re a keen knitter, there are some knitting patterns for suitable gifts here, including some very cute hand puppets (unfortunately stuffed hand-knitted toys won’t be accepted).
There is a suggested minimum donation of £2.50 per shoe-box to cover operational costs. If possible, please make your donation online – keep a note of the barcode and you can find out which country your shoe-box is sent to! Take your shoe-box to your local drop-off point between 1 November and 18 November 2012. There are collection points across Cornwall, find your nearest one here.
If you don’t have time to create your own shoe box, visit Shoe Box World where you can order a pre-packed shoe box – the site is really colourful and easy to use - choose the wrapping paper, decide who it’s suitable for and pick the toys to go inside it, and then make a donation online to cover the cost.
Operation Christmas Child is run by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian charity providing international crisis relief and supporting development through local churches in communities in need, in 18 countries across Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
