greetings from zambia!

for many years now our family has made shoe boxes for Operation Christmas child. it's a part of our family tradition, and often part of my kids' Christmas present to fill a shoe box full of little goodies- practical as well as fun- to send halfway around the world to some child who has nothing. it's a reminder to us on Christmas morning, amidst the flurry of presents and paper, gifts and giving, that somewhere there is a small child opening our boxes. what they have received in their carefully packed box may be the only worldly possessions they own. good reminders for us, who have so much!

M has gone on several mission trips with a local church to Charlotte, North Carolina, to work in the Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child distribution center, getting the boxes ready to ship overseas. she has also taken Operation Christmas Child on as her own personal mission throughout the year, saving most of her tithe money to buy things for shoe boxes. last year she did 17 boxes, just herself, in addition to the mission trip! she has a very generous and tender heart for others!

here are a few pictures from that trip (ignore the date on her camera- she forgot to set it) you can see the massive warehouse, all full of shoe boxes. boys and girls, from ages 2-14 receive shoe boxes especially packed for them. the volunteers go through all the boxes to make sure that nothing inappropriate is in them, as well as to make sure they are filled up all the way. then they are sorted according to age, and boxed and ready to go on the cargo planes.

usually, M will include a little note, as well as a picture. today when dave and A went out to the mailbox, there was an air mail letter for miriam! from Zambia, Africa! the little girl who received M's box took the time, via a translator, to say thank you for her shoebox! her name is Glorious Musonda, and her father is a pastor. she wanted to tell M that they all appreciated her gift- her mother and 3 sisters as well! also enclosed was a picture.

how amazing that on this hot august day we receive a letter thanking us for something that we did all the way back in October! (i say we in the strictest editorial sense of the word!) it's just a reminder that God is always working, even when we can't see it!

and if you've never done a shoebox for OCC with your children, or even for yourself, i encourage you to do one this year! you won't be sorry- and look how we can bless the lives of others with this small act of generosity and kindness!