This Reminds Me

Today we delivered our shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, a ministry outreach of Samaritan’s Purse.   We always thank our friends and announce how many boxes we dropped off, but this year I wanted to go into more detail.  The boxes are a major undertaking for our entire family, only possible because we are surrounded by compassionate friends.

So if you’ve been one of the folks who’s donated – see what your gift endured on its way into a shoebox and ulimately into the hands of a grateful child. 

The girls and I shop for the boxes all year.  We spot $1 T-shirts at Old Navy?  We buy all they have.  $.24 calculators at HEB – grab ‘em, Rachel.  $.11 index cards at Target – fill the cart!  Generous AT&T friends shop, too, and hand it off to me.  I just keep piling it in the guestroom closet.  Nothing thrills me like getting a box of $.25 (75% off Target Dollar Spot) jump ropes from Diane, or beads from Lisa or socks from Jennifer, or – wow! – a box of unopened Happy Meal toys.  The shoeboxes don’t have to be identical.  Onesies-twosies are just great.  Samaritan’s Purse collected more than 7M shoeboxes last year – you know there’s plenty of variety!

The very best news is when a friend tells me, “Gosh, you know, we decided to do our own boxes this year, so we can’t send you anything.  Sorry.”   Love that!

I was always – and still am - reluctant to ask for money.  I don’t mind taking a deck of cards or pens picked up at a trade show (what are you really going to do with that stuff - you know?!), or clearance stuff that friends buy.  Several friends, though, said, “You know, I’m never going to shop for anything.  Let me help with shipping.”   This year, generous friends gave $212 toward shipping costs of $665 ($7@ box), and we deeply appreciate it.  I know – and they know – the only “thanks” they get on this earth is pitifully small, because the children who get these boxes can’t express it to them.

Before we ever pack a box – lots of prepatory work has to be done.

The labels for the tops of the boxes designate gender and age range (2 – 4 years, 5 – 9 years, 10 – 14 years.)  The labels have to be copied and trimmed.  I was fascinated years ago to learn that clergy order these boxes for children by age and gender.  It’s not just a shotgun ”send a bunch of boxes to Lower Gurgistan” approach.  The millions of shoeboxes are requested for specific children.  We didn’t make boxes for “Girls Aged 5 – 9.”  We made boxes for Katya, and Dasha, and Oxana.

We use plastic shoeboxes so the container itself becomes part of the gift.  Friend Ann gave us 2 cases (20@) from tje Container Store this year – the nicest boxes we’ve ever, ever had.  All the exterior labels have to be peeled off – a great job for someone with strong fingernails.

Samaritan’s Purse encourages you to insert a personal note in each box, so the child knows from whom – and where – it came.  It’s not ego for the giver – it’s fun for the recipient.  I’ve learned to prepare a picture-of-girls-with-city/state/country-and-nativity-art Powerpoint, save it as a jpg and have Sam’s or Costco spit out several dozen prints for cheap.  So – one of these type of prints go into each box.  I order them a few weeks out, guessing at a quantity and knowing I can get more made in a few hours for about $.17@.

We separate everything into labeled piles/boxes – like, “Girls’ Toys,” or “Teeth,” “Pens/Pencils,” “Crayons,” or “Paper.”  Separating and organizing takes as long as does packing.

Watching TV?  That’s a great time to individual zip bag 100 pairs of gloves from friends Mary Anne and Lisa.  We zip bag ever piece of cloth – gloves, undies, socks, shirts, whatever.  Keeps ithe cloth clean, and compresses it.

Seventy-two tote bags from Shelley had to be unpackaged, too, then neatly stacked for individual insertion into each girl’s box.  Everybody can help, even if it’s just to walk around the room and pick up trash.  Julia was a lot more into it this year.  The concept of giving something away was more familiar.  In fact, several times this year she spotted toys she wanted to buy “for the kids.”  Now the fact she might have wanted one, too, well…..

Eventually, the den looks like this – what we call “the store,” as we walk around and fill the boxes.

Excess packaging from toothpaste – gotta go.  Neighbor (and great helper) Aminah tackled the tooth products from friend Barb.  We think every box has to have at least one toothbrush and toothpaste.  Most years, we’ve had to go out at the last minute and buy several sets- but not this year.

We can’t actually pack boxes until after Halloween.  We need the half-price candy.  Even with several donations of leftover Halloween candy from friends, we still bought $70 worth – hence, why we wait until the after after Halloween to buy it!  We have learned that Smarties are just great, as are thin Tootsie Rolls, jaw breakers, Jolly Ranchers, and bubble gum balls - they fill little holes so nicely.  Flat lollipops are very handy for a top box layer.  Can’t use chocolate – it melts.

Finally – ready to pack!  Friends Curtis (pictured) and Dorothy came over Friday night to help, and quickly learned the order:  Picture in the bottom of the box to start.  Tote bag in every girl’s box.  Toothbrush, paper, toothpaste, pens/pencils/crayons in every box.  Add on the clothing items and misc. stuff, and pile it higher than you think you need.  Go to a quiet spot – pour it all out and begin arranging in earnest.  Beads and candy go in the holes and along the top as you pack – and you keep looking at the sides as you pack to ensure you got all your holes filled.  No rattles!  Novices always want to put in too much candy.  More experienced packers  know to get everything else possible in there first, then add candy – which may be exciting to receive for the first few minutes, but won’t last.  The boxes cost $7@ to to ship, and are given in Jesus’ name.  We don’t send rattling boxes of junk.  Period.

I should have gotten pictures of friend Renee with kiddos Arthur and Allison who were over Saturday morning to pack for the second year.  They bring their own toys and leftover Halloween candy and pay shipping on their boxes.  In fact, Allison contributed an extra $5 from her allowance.   Renee closely supervises Arthur and Allison while they pack to ensure a quality box, and it’s delightful to hear Allison and Arthur ponder and ultimately select the best gift combinations for their offerings.

Yes, kids can work on boxes – that is one of the most appealing aspects of Operation Christmas Child.  But only older kids with pre-packing experience can fill boxes solo.  Like everything else of import with children, shepherding is required, and experience matures the child into the job.  A shoebox is likely to be a child’s entire Christmas. That’s a sobering reality we discuss frequently while packing.  Doing boxes is fun, but it’s not a game.  Yes, we want to finish, but it’s not a contest.

Finally finished packing – 95 boxes!