Mission trips outside of the country aren’t possible right now, but you can still make a difference in children’s lives around the globe. Each year Operation Christmas Child delivers shoeboxes full of supplies and hope to kids who live in poverty.
If you’ve never participated in Operation Christmas Child before, this should be your year. This ministry of Samaritan’s Purse has been partnering with volunteers and churches worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ since 1993.
In this time that you can’t physically go on a mission trip and personally share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, your families can still send the Gospel into the lives of children all over the world. Encourage each family to pack one or more shoeboxes with school supplies, crafts, books and toys. Visit the Operation Christmas Child website for complete details on box packing.
These little boxes of hope can be assembled in each home and dropped off at your church, or if you have a large space, small numbers of volunteers could assemble boxes at their own tables. However you choose to implement this program, your families should be encouraged to pray over each box that they pack. It’s a wonderful opportunity to teach children how to pray and to extend the personal connection to the child that will eventually receive the gift. Providing an example prayer could help families implement this at home.
Homeless shelters and food pantries in your area would also be a great place for families to go on mission this year. Preparing a gift for each family that comes to the food pantry or meal location will provide a tangible way for your families to share the love of God throughout your community. A note inside each gift bag—filled with wrapped snacks, activity books, and a craft or toy that carries a Scripture reminder—will help you share how important the recipients are to God.
This year CTA is making it easier than ever to pack a Gospel message inside the shoeboxes and gift bags. Our first-ever “Buy by the Dozens” sale allows you to get a great deal on many things that will fit perfectly into a shoebox AND that share a message of hope with each child who receives them. There are a wide variety of items to choose from, and they are all at least 30% off in honor of CTA’s 30th anniversary in ministry. You can see the entire selection here!
If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for in the “Buy by the Dozens” sale, click on the Children’s Ministry tab to see the entire selection of children’s resources available from CTA.
God’s blessings on your ministry to families as many of you begin to reopen your in-person programming this fall!
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