A Christmas Box

Ok, so I know that when we were all little, we were told we shouldn't brag, right? Well, today I'm going to brag on my church for just a moment. I think every now and then that's ok, right? Today, was the culmination of one of our Christmas outreach projects at our church- "Christmas for an Orphan".

Artwork created by Kids Point Children

which is sponsored by an organization our church supports- World Help. Like several other ministry organizations, World Help collects Christmas shoe boxes that families, churches, and individuals pack with toys and other daily essential items (toothbrush, soap, lotion, bandaids, neosporin, children's tylenol, etc.). These boxes are then distributed to orphans and less fortunate children around the world. 

We had to laugh, as we were shopping this weekend for our box items, that there is such a great difference between what goes into a "boy box" and what goes into a "girl box".  As you probably guessed, Nate chose the boy stuff and I focused on the girl stuff.  As we were looking through items and talking about what to get, Nate said that we had to get cars and trucks, lizards (since we happened to see those), a soccer ball, a dinosaur, wild animals (plastic ones of course because what boy doesn't like wild animals) among a few other things. Now, here is something we came across that Nate said every boy loves to play with because it is a little boy's way of teasing little girls (a.k.a. flirting) The picture says it all (and I'm sure some of you have some childhood stories that come to mind) 

**WARNING: If you don't like critters, scroll very quickly past this next picture**

I'm not going to tell you if this ever made it into the box or not...

that will remain a mystery.

Nate also informed me that what boy doesn't like loves flashing things and flashlights, so when he found the lizards and a little flashlight, he said that the little boy who got these would be the "cool kid" particularly because he had a flashlight. 

though quite a contrast from part of our "girly stuff"...

Today was the last day for individuals in our church to turn their boxes in or bring "loose items" for the boxes. All "loose items" were being used in Kids Point as one of the activity stations for children, where they would help pack a box for another child in Guatemala.

 The response from our church was overwhelming. Box after box poured in during our services...

 and numerous bags of items were also donated for our children's ministry to make boxes during their Christmas festival.

There were art supplies, pencils and sharpeners, pens, notebooks, 

coloring books, markers, headbands/hairbows/rubberbands, bracelets, stickers, dolls, cars and trucks, stuffed animals, and play dough, to name a few of the items represented. (of course who could forget candy!)

Toothbrushes and toothpaste, neosporin, children's cold medicine, children's tylenol, soap, lotion and hair care items were also donated.

 Children came through the various stations and chose items for either a boy or a girl and then packed their box...

This year, the Christmas festival had a global theme and children made different crafts as well as took home a Christmas ornament as a reminder that Jesus was born at Christmas for everyone and loves children all around the world. 

As always, our Kids Point staff and volunteers did an amazing job today in preparation for today's event. (I'm allowed to brag on them too, right?)

The boxes will head to World Help in the upcoming week...

Hundreds of boxes were collected (of course the official count will remain a surprise until our pastor announces it in the services). We are excited about how our church stepped up in such a big way this year. One thing unique about our partnership with World Help is that all of the boxes that our church packed this December, will be distributed by individuals in our church who will be heading on mission trips to Guatemala in 2013. They will be distributed in the village of Curva Del Pino.

We are thankful for such a generous church family and know that each gift will bless a child in need. There are several other projects our community groups and church have been blessed to be a part of this Christmas, which not only include providing items for children overseas, but providing Christmas gifts/items for children in need in our local school systems throughout the city. We also look forward to our local food drive that will take place during our two Christmas Eve services. 

To those who participated in this year's Christmas projects- we say thank you and are so very proud to be a part of such a loving and giving church family!