It's that time of year again! Shoebox packing time! If you don't know what Christmas Shoeboxes are, go to the Samaritan's Purse website and find out!
This is the first year that Abby helped me pack our dozen boxes. Sometimes it helps to do it a bit like an assembly line- same thing in the same place in each box.
This year the boxes were for the 10-14 boys group. Here's what we try to fit into each box:
T-shirt, string backpack, soap, washcloth, toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, comb, band-aids, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, pens, pencil pouch, calculator, scissors, ruler, composition book, rubber bands, flashlight, batteries, duct tape (what boy doesn't like duct tape?), rubik's cube, kazoo, candy, play-doh, crayons, super ball, roll of string, and a Beanie Baby.
Good thing they ask us to use two rubber bands to secure the lids because these were sure full!
Abs likes to play Santa. And why not? It is more blessed to give than to receive!
I can't leave without telling you about a remarkable young lady at our church. I didn't ask permission to tell her story, so I won't use her name. She is 13 years old and has packed shoeboxes for several years.
This year, however, she really took on this project and claimed it as her mission.
She saved her allowance and birthday money in a special fund she calls HOPE. The acronym stands for Helping Other People Everywhere. To purchase items for the shoeboxes, all year long she shopped the clearance aisles and going-out-of-business sales, paying for the items out of her HOPE funds. She also asked local businesses for donations. She collected freebie giveaways from the local county fair and home shows.
In the end, she has been able to pack SIXTY shoeboxes all by herself.
60. By herself. WOW! Someday, she hopes to go with some shoeboxes and deliver them in person.
