For years Samaritan's Purse has gathered millions
of shoeboxes stuffed with all kinds of goodies
which are opened by children all over the world.
This year our church became a relay station for
this area and I had the opportunity to receive boxes
as they arrived. Each box is prayed over and then
taken to a big city where volunteers place the story
of Jesus in the correct language. Today this will
happen all over the US. Our little church has
gathered close to 500 shoeboxes. (One church of
12 members brought in 176 of them! This is their
project which they work on all year.) It is expected
that 10 million boxes will be delivered this
Christmas. Many of these children have never
received a single gift let alone a whole box full of
surprises. Most have never heard the story of Jesus.
I am amazed at the number of "closed" countries
who allow the children to receive the boxes! The
kids are instructed to tear up the literature.
Why pray over the boxes? Because they need to
go to just the right child. Case in point. In one
place all the boxes had been distributed and one
little girl was left out. When her sister opened her
box it had two of everything!
What happens after the gifts are opened? The
children are offered an opportunity to attend a
three month course about how to become a
Christian, how to maintain a relationship with
God, how to share the gospel, how to plant a
church. Did I say plant a church? YES! As
the children learn they share with their parents
who also come to Christ and soon a church is
planted in that area.
Other things are set into motion. A nine year
old boy sent off the box with his picture and
address but heard nothing back from the nine
year old girl who received it. Then came Face
Book and she found him years later. He went
over to the Philippines several times. They are
now married! How do I know this story?
Because his wife came into the fellowship
hall to deliver their boxes!
Reader, I am laughing. God is awesome! The
message of freedom in Christ is making its way
into the dark corners of our globe bringing
hope and light! Hallelujah!
"This gospel of the kingdom will be
proclaimed throughout the whole world
as a testimony to all nations, and then
the end will come."
(Matt 24:14)
of shoeboxes stuffed with all kinds of goodies
which are opened by children all over the world.
This year our church became a relay station for
this area and I had the opportunity to receive boxes
as they arrived. Each box is prayed over and then
taken to a big city where volunteers place the story
of Jesus in the correct language. Today this will
happen all over the US. Our little church has
gathered close to 500 shoeboxes. (One church of
12 members brought in 176 of them! This is their
project which they work on all year.) It is expected
that 10 million boxes will be delivered this
Christmas. Many of these children have never
received a single gift let alone a whole box full of
surprises. Most have never heard the story of Jesus.
I am amazed at the number of "closed" countries
who allow the children to receive the boxes! The
kids are instructed to tear up the literature.
Why pray over the boxes? Because they need to
go to just the right child. Case in point. In one
place all the boxes had been distributed and one
little girl was left out. When her sister opened her
box it had two of everything!
What happens after the gifts are opened? The
children are offered an opportunity to attend a
three month course about how to become a
Christian, how to maintain a relationship with
God, how to share the gospel, how to plant a
church. Did I say plant a church? YES! As
the children learn they share with their parents
who also come to Christ and soon a church is
planted in that area.
Other things are set into motion. A nine year
old boy sent off the box with his picture and
address but heard nothing back from the nine
year old girl who received it. Then came Face
Book and she found him years later. He went
over to the Philippines several times. They are
now married! How do I know this story?
Because his wife came into the fellowship
hall to deliver their boxes!
Reader, I am laughing. God is awesome! The
message of freedom in Christ is making its way
into the dark corners of our globe bringing
hope and light! Hallelujah!
"This gospel of the kingdom will be
proclaimed throughout the whole world
as a testimony to all nations, and then
the end will come."
(Matt 24:14)
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