Operation Christmas Child - 2020 - Shoebox Appeal

Posted by R.Broad on October 17, 2020

Shoebox Appeal

 

A big thankyou to everyone who contributed to this years appeal in this difficult time. Despite the problems this year we have still managed to send over 70 Shoeboxes with Christmas Gifts for children around the world who don't have much.

 

We are going to be taking part in this appeal for the 8th time this year – with a few changes. Last year we donated over 100 boxes as gifts for children around the world who don’t have much. The coronavirus pandemic is causing even greater hardship for some children and their families, and this is one way to show God’s love and bring some joy. Please read below or downlad the pdf the attached note for details of how you can contribute this year.  If you have any questions, please contact me at jwilks@jwa-consultancy.co.uk.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Operation Christmas Child Shoebox appeal 2020.pdf

 

Operation Christmas Child was formed in 1990 when Dave Cooke from Wrexham saw the horror of children in Romanian orphanages.  He asked his friends to help fill a truck with toys and drive it to Romania.

OCC is now the world’s largest Christmas project run by Samaritan’s Purse.  Since 1990, more than 168 million children in over 160 countries have experienced God’s love through the power of a shoebox of gifts.

 

Packing shoeboxes for the Operation Christmas Child shoebox appeal has become an important part of our ministry in recent years and, speaking with Father Jeremy and others in our community, we agreed that we don’t want to stop the support we give to these children. Last year, our 7th year of taking part, we donated over 100 boxes. We aren’t going to be able to contribute in the same way as previously, because of the impact of Covid-19, but have come up with some alternatives. 

 

In the midst of a global pandemic, the lives of children and families have been turned upside down and, now more than ever, boys and girls around the world need to experience hope and joy, and a shoebox gift offers just that!

 

There are 3 ways that you can contribute this year:

Shoebox Online - If getting out is tricky at this time, you can select your gifts online and Operation Christmas Child will pack and send your shoebox for you. Click on the link in the picture below or go to  https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/ and choose ‘Shoebox online’.  It costs £20.

 

Donation –If you’re not keen on the online option, you can make a monetary contribution.  You can do this by making an online bank transfer or writing a cheque to the church - or by giving cash.  Cheques or cash will be collected from church on Sundays and Wednesdays. Please mark any donations clearly as being for the ‘Shoebox appeal’. (Cash involves visiting the bank, so the other options are preferred for Covid-19 reasons).

 

Your own shoebox –You could pack your own complete shoebox.  Some of you have done this previously.  Click on the link in the picture below or go to  https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/ and choose ‘How to pack a shoebox’ for more information.  As you may remember, there are some items not allowed and these are listed on the website – and it may give you some inspiration too! The nearest drop off point is Braywick Nurseries, 41 Braywick Rd, Maidenhead SL6 1DX.  Dates to be confirmed but likely to be 7 – 13th November.  Please don’t bring your shoeboxes to the church.

 

A reminder of the project

There are a number of videos on the Samaritan’s Purse website which give stories about the children who receive the boxes, but here is my favourite.  You may remember it, as we’ve shown in several times in church.

WOW! video https://youtu.be/i7g4C4k7UTw

A simple heartfelt gift, packed with love and fuelled by prayer can mean so much to a child and their family – and enables us to share God’s love and bring joy to children around the world. 

 

We hope that you can support this project again this year – and please let me know if you send a box online or drop one off, so I can let you all know the number of boxes we donate.

 

Thanks, Jenny Wilks 

jwilks@jwa-consultancy.co.uk