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We’ve been on the receiving end of the Operation Christmas Child boxes—when we lived in Africa many years ago. However, we have never had an opportunity to be on the giving side of the Operation Christmas Child boxes—the opposite side.
When they announced the project—boys vs. girls—at Pierre and David’s school this year, Pierre couldn’t wait to buy gifts to fill his Operation Christmas Child shoebox.
Every day, Pierre would ask me when we could go Christmas shopping.
One day, after school, we went to the Chinese store down the street from our house. We got our shopping basket and started filling it with all kinds of goodies—useful ones and fun ones. Pierre found a calculator, markers, a notebook, pencils, play-dough, games, little stuffed animals, toothbrushes, combs, fuzzy socks, warm gloves, cards, Christmas decorations, and ornaments. He also included in the box a note he wrote and a picture of himself for his “unknown friend on the other side of the world.”
We stuffed the box to overflowing, filling the last spaces with balloons and other fun little trinkets.
Who Will Receive My Box?
Pierre couldn’t wait to wrap his gift. As he wrapped it, he wondered, “Who will receive my box?”
With Operation Christmas Child, you can designate if you want your box to go to a little boy or a little girl. You buy presents to fill the box in accordance with the gender of the child. You can also determine what age category you want for your gift.
We chose Pierre’s same age—a little boy in the 6-8-year-old category.
Pierre was so excited and couldn’t wait to wrap his box. He carefully wrapped the shoebox in pretty Christmas paper and taped the edges tightly.
He asked me . . .
—Who is my “Operation Christmas Child”?
—Where do you think my box is going?
—What do you think the little boy’s name is?
—How old do you think the little boy is?
—What color of hair does he have?
—What color of eyes?
—Does he go to school?
—Can he read and write?
—Does he like to play soccer?
—How many brothers and sisters does he have?
—Does he live with his mommy and his daddy?
—What kinds of food does he eat?
Pierre was full of cultural curiosity and asked a lot of questions. I didn’t have answers to his many questions. I wondered the same things.
Praying for the “Unknown Boy“
The morning came when he was to give his box to the school, before it would be shipped off to the other side of the world to an unknown country and place, to an unknown little boy—unknown to us.
Pierre clung to his box. He held it tightly in his arms. Then, he prayed. He prayed that the little boy would know how much he loved him. He prayed that the little boy on the other side of the world would know how much God loved him.
Then, he gave his box to the school secretary.
Pierre won’t see the box again. He probably will never know that little boy or meet him. Pierre will probably never know his name or what color of hair he has, what color of eyes, or if he has brothers and sisters . . . what kinds of food he eats, if he goes to school, if he can read and write.
He may never know the answers to those questions.
Pierre prayed and filled that box with lots of love and lots of little things that he hopes that little boy will like. I believe that when that little boy opens up his Operation Christmas Child shoebox, that he will feel Pierre’s love on the other side of the world and he will feel God’s love.
What Can You Do to Help?
What about you? Have you ever heard of Operation Christmas Child? Have you ever gone Christmas shopping for an unknown child on the other side of the world—someone who doesn’t have the means, who lives in poverty, and who may never get a Christmas gift?
What could you do this year to share your love and to share God’s love with a child or a family—maybe not on the other side of the world, but right in your own hometown? Is there someone you know who can’t afford to go shopping and buy Christmas presents?
I can remember when I was little, our family adopted a needy family. We decided that we would go shopping for them. It was my grandpa’s idea. I can remember going shopping, wrapping
The gift of giving is powerful!
They say it’s better to give than to receive. It’s not always easy to give. But maybe we can try and give a little something this year.
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
MY GIFT TO YOU—GET YOUR FREE EBOOK—“THE 5-DAY JOURNEY TO CULTURAL AWARENESS”!
LET’S WEAVE CULTURES!
What could you do to make a difference and experience the power of giving? Where can you go to find opportunities around you or on the other side of the world—non-profit organizations, churches, etc.? Find an opportunity, do something, and tell us all about it!
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures!” Write about them in the comment box below.
