You have so many gadgets and toys previewing on a daily basis to the general public. Every commercial you see on television is some kind of push for a new product.
Parents are to blame as much as the media for the purchase of these extravagant items.
I am not going to lie, I am a nervous wreck when it comes to buying something for a kid these days.
Most children I know, by an early age, already have iPods, computers, cameras, Playstations, Nintendo devices, and televisions.
What do you buy for a kid who has everything?
My answer, do something for someone else.
Operation Christmas Child (Samaritan’s Purse) is a wonderful program, I would recommend it to anyone.
Savannah and I became involved in this last year.
Her school, Leitchfield Christian Academy, collects boxed-gift items for kids overseas every year during Christmastime.
This project is a great way to get children involved in helping out those who are less fortunate.
Samaritan’s Purse was created in 1993. Its initial purpose was to give gift-filled shoeboxes to young war survivors in Bosnia.
During that year the organization collected 28,000 boxes to be handed out.
In 2008 over eight million shoeboxes were collected, and delivered to children in over 100 countries.
Franklin Graham, with Samaritan’s Purse explained, “The boxes are a tool to share the Gospel, a way for the refugees to know that God loves them.”
The way the program works is that each person picks a boy or a girl to shop for. People also have the choice to shop for both if they want to.
Savannah and I decided to shop for a little girl. I left this project completely up to her.
We went to Walmart and bought items that she thought the girl would love for Christmas.
Inside the box was a Barbie doll, hairbows, a brush, toys, and also a Christmas card.
The card was my decision, because I wanted to personalize the gift just a little.
Cards are very important to my family. Each card we get in during the Christmas season is posted on the wall for visitors to see.
One year Savannah and I even cut up the cards and made them into artwork. It is still in a matted frame to this day.
Back to Operation Christmas Child. Once we were finished with our shopping we took the gifts home.
We bought a plastic container for the gifts to be packaged in. The girl’s gift-wrapped the top and the bottom of the box.
After you are finished, you must say a prayer for that child, fill out the necessary paperwork, and then securely close the package.
Savannah was so proud of her efforts.
You could tell she was beaming with excitement, knowing she helped make another kid’s day.
We took the box with her to school the next day.
When we arrived we notice each student had their own box, and had them decorated with his or her own personal touch added to the gift.
The students were asked to go to the sanctuary with the boxes.
One last group prayer was said for the recipients of the gifts, before the boxes were shipped out overseas.
I know it is such a cliché that people always do something good during the holidays, but these are kids helping other kids.
The last thing most youth think of when it comes Christmastime is what they can do for someone else.
It really impressed me how one school came together for the greater good.
What made me think to write this piece was because I received an update in the mail from Samaritan’s Purse.
The magazine showed the kids, of different ages, with their boxes of gifts.
This little token of appreciation made me stop what I was doing and think back to the LCA collection event.
For me, it made me realize that things may be bad out there, but there is always someone worse off.
I need to appreciate what I have, and also instill that in my children.
The little moments like what I shared with my children last year truly make my life worthwhile.
For more information on Samaritan’s Purse people can visit the website at www.samaritanspurse.org.
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