Operation Christmas Child party!

Hello all!

We have been collecting little things for Operation Christmas Child for a long time (since we do this at every birthday party in lieu of gifts) and it is time to have a party and get together and fill shoeboxes!  This fun event will be open to any and all homeschool families and friends.  We can even make it a little holiday themed party, where we talk briefly about being Thankful and Giving in the name of Love. : ) 
                               
We can all pool our resources, so feel free to bring a packet of pens, or a collection of combs, for example, and we will share them in our boxes.   (In fact, that's why I am announcing this plenty early, so you can keep your eye out for special deals on erasers, pencils, little things that are perfect for these boxes.)

So, everyone interested, please bring:

--empty, clean shoeboxes (if you have extra, we can use them!)--some people use plastic shoeboxes.

--small new items to put into them (see the Operation Christmas Child website for ideas)

--cheerful wrapping paper and tape, if you have it on hand.

--$7 for each shoebox your family makes, to help pay for the cost of shipping the shoeboxes.***

***I strongly encourage any of you wanting to be part of this fun project to visit the OCC website before the party, so you can see a new feature--paying for the cost of the shoebox shipment online, and receiving a tracking number for your family's shoeboxes so you can find out where they went!  We are SO going to do this!  Perfect for a lesson not only in compassion and sharing, but also in geography and world cultures!

****Please do still come and help make shoeboxes even if you don't have the $ for the shipping donation.    If all you can bring is an empty shoebox, great!  The main thing is putting these together with one another. : )

These shoeboxes really go to the hands of children around the world who don't have much--can you imagine the feeling the child might have, to realize that loving people somewhere else in the world put together a box full of fun and useful things just for them?  We have seen this in action!  We help support an orphanage in India, for boys who are orphans due to HIV.  When my in-laws visited the orphanage, they were so surprised to see that there was a special cupboard in the orphanage, in which were each boys' cheerfully wrapped Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes!  The boys are well cared for, and loved, and have all their basic needs met, but those boxes and their clothes were all they had for their very own. 

(For more feel-good moments, you can also look up youtube videos to see kids in other parts of the world receiving their boxes!)


WHEN:  Friday, November 18, noon-2:30

WHERE: the preschool classroom there at Vintage Faith Church (children's ministry building)

WHY: to spread love, help our kids learn about the world and to clear out our over-accumulated gift bins!  (ok, maybe that last part is just me)


Please leave a comment if you have any questions, and please spread the word!