Vicki Stamps has been “packing” shoeboxes of love gifts to poor children worldwide since her daughter was in preschool.
Now that daughter is in her 20’s.
Vick is now the Operation Christmas Child coordinator for St. Louis City and County. Begun by Samaritans Purse in the 1990s by Franklin Graham of the Billy Graham Association, the massive number of shoeboxes “packed and distributed” by thousands of volunteers and distributed to most countries of the world exceeds 135 million!
My observation of those involved in OCC (sponsored by Samaritans Purse, – See www.samaritanspurse.org) are full of joy as they plan and then fill the shoeboxes for children they may never see in this lifetime.
Joan and I join the many who are full of appreciation for those who make it happen and are packing our own shoeboxes.
Vicki Stamps puts in perspective the continuing need: “The total of 135 million shoeboxes already distributed to children to date would not be enough today to give to every child in India!”
Collection time for the shoeboxes each year is always the third week in November … just before Thanksgiving Day in the USA. For all the terrific information, click on www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/ .
At the site, there is a place to insert you zip code, and the list of collection points nearest you and the times of their availability – will be indicated.
Stories by two of the shoebox recipients are listed below:
To hear … “Alex of Rwanda saw family murdered; in orphanage given OCC shoebox, received Jesus, forgave killer” … click on … http://haroldhendrick.com/content/view/469/5/; and…
To hear … “Mariya of Ukraine, 10, received OCC shoebox of love gifts; her life impacted forever! Hear her story” … click on … http://haroldhendrick.com/content/view/827/5/.