How to pack an operation christmas child shoe box!

Here's a list of ideas to bring and pack in your boxes!

Please note, all items should be new and your shouebox should include items from each category. Remember to make your box both FUN and EDUCATIONAL!

Yes please, these gifts are fine.. Toys: Bear, soft toy, tennis ball, finger puppet, jigsaw, yo-yo, building blocks, small musical instrument. For boys trucks and cars, for girls dolls, clip on earrings etc. Educational supplies: Felt pens, pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, colouring book, notepad, picture or puzzle book, chalk, pencil case, stickers etc. Hygiene items: Toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, comb, hair clips, bar of soap, flannel etc. Other items: Sweets (sell by date to be at least March of the following year), gloves, scarf, sunglasses, cap, hat, bangles, necklaces etc.

No thanks, these items should not be included... No food especially chocolate. Only exception, non chocolate sweets are allowed. No medicine or vitamins of any kind. No war related items: Toy guns, soldiers or knives of any kind. No clothing other than listed above. No fragile items: Glass containers, mirrors. No liquids: including blow bubbles, shampoo, bubble bath, toiletry sets or aerosols.  No dangerous items: Any sharp objects, scissors or razors. Nothing of a political nature. No hand knitted stuffed toys without a CE mark.

Don't forget to read the small print...

Due to import regulations, all gifts should be new and comply with the conditions listed above. Please make sure your gifts are age appropriate and that you do not send any items in a shoebox (intended for a small child), which might be swallowed or mistaken for sweets.

Should you inadvertently include any item that is not suitable or might be regarded as dangerous for the intended child, Samaritan’s Purse reserves the right to remove that item and use it for the benefit of the charity. Occasionally we have to change the contents to meet specific country requirements or change the shoebox to meet our approximate dimensions.

Dates, Dates, and more Dates :)

We had a lot of new faces and old faces back this Sunday! Yay!  We also had a great lesson I am posting below sorry a little late but I am really working on my blogging promise, I know I will never be as the pro blogger Danny Graham : )  So also a few very important, important dates to remind you about that's coming up...

 November 11th will be our Operation Christmas Child Wrapping party at 6:00 p.m.  Be sure to bring a shoe box filled with toys if you can and then come wrap it and see how many boxes we can send this year we wrapped over 60 something boxes last year let's beat that!  I know lots of children who would be so grateful for just one gift this year everywhere over the world children go without Christmas at all. We have the opportunity to change that, and  what an amazing way to share God's love with these children by giving them a gift and also share with them the greatest gift of all God loves for that He would give His one and only son Jesus! So with all that being said be a missionary you have the opportunity to change a child's life somewhere in the world!  Get your children involved remind of them of how truly, truly blessed we are!  

   November 18th will be our last G.P.S until January when we will get that going again!  So then that following week will be Thanksgiving break...teachers are jumping for joy I know :)   Even typing this next date is crazy...December 2nd on wednesday nights we will be practicing for our Christmas program which is called the Christmas Hang-ups we would love for your children to come and sing the exciting true reason of Christmas!  The birthday of Jesus!  So if you have any questions about any or all of these dates please feel free to call or see me! Love you guys thanks again for the amazing opportunity to be a part of your child's life! We are truly blessed and grateful!

Children's Coordinator,

Sarah Robinson

My all time favorite bible story...

David and Goliath

Based on 1 Samuel 17:1-50

High on a hillside the Philistine army gathered for

battle (add Philistine army 1). Across the valley

of Elah [EE-luh], King Saul and the men of Israel

lined up in battle formation (add Israelite army 2).

The champion, Goliath, led the battle for the

Philistines (add Goliath). Goliath stood 9 feet

9 inches tall and wore a helmet and armor of

bronze that weighed 125 pounds. The point

of his spear weighed 15 pounds! Goliath was

tall, strong, scary, and mean! He did not like

the Israelites. Each day Goliath walked out and

shouted a challenge toward the Israelite army.

Each day the Israelites saw Goliath and listened

to his threats. The Israelites were terrified.

One day, David came to the campsite to bring

food to his brothers who were soldiers in Israel’s

army (add David). David heard Goliath’s threats,

but David was not afraid. David asked his

brothers to explain why they were so afraid. They

should have been angry with Goliath because he

showed no respect for the power of God! David

boldly offered to fight Goliath.

David’s brothers and King Saul were against this.

David told Saul, God had already helped him

fight lions and bears as he cared for his sheep.

David knew God would help him fight Goliath.

(Add armor to David) King Saul told David to

wear his armor. Saul placed a bronze helmet on

David’s head. The armor was so big David could

not walk (remove armor). He took the armor off,

picked up his staff and five smooth stones and

walked toward Goliath (add sling/stones).

Goliath was angry because David was young.

Goliath called David names and threatened him.

He believed beating David would be easy. David

knew God was with him and boldly told Goliath

he was fighting in God’s name.

David said this would be the day God would put

an end to Goliath. David put one stone in the

sling, slung it, and hit Goliath in the forehead.

Goliath fell to the ground (turn Goliath on his

side). David killed Goliath. David put His trust in

God and God helped him defeat Goliath!