About 15 years ago (when I was in grade 5 or 6) my friend and I put a shoebox together for “Operation Christmas Child.” It was so long ago, I don't remember our initial motivation-- but I think we did this as a school project. And for years afterwards, (probably until I was in High School) I would receive mail from the organization asking me to donate again. Back then I never did, but I've decided that this year I have both the time and the means to put a few shoe boxes together.
Operation Christmas Child is a program funded by Samaritan's Purse. Each year at Christmas, they do a nation-wide collection of shoe boxes full of toys, and school supplies for children in less developed countries. This year, shoe boxes will be going to Costa Rica, Guatemala, Haiti and Nicaragua in Central America and the Caribbean, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela in South America and Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Senegal and Sierra Leone in West Africa.
Although Samaritan's Purse (and therefore Operation Christmas Child) is a non-denominational Christian organization, this does not mean that a child must be of the Christian faith in order to receive a shoe box. Christian literature is not added to your box, and children are not required to take Bible classes in order to receive aid. These shoe boxes are given unconditionally to children of all religion, gender or race.
National Collection Week runs November 15-21, 2010 (i.e. next week). If you'd like to fill a shoe box, I'd be more than happy to deliver it to a collection center for you. Or if you don't have the time to make a shoe box yourself, I'd be more than happy to take a cash donation and make a shoe box on your behalf. Due to my shoe addiction... I have a lot of shoe boxes!
Information on what can and cannot be put in shoe boxes can be found here: http://www.samaritanspurse.ca/occ/PackaBox.aspx
If you have any questions-- go ahead and ask!
Enjoy your weekend!
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