Article by: Christine (Eves) Martin
The Samaritans Purse Ministry was established in 1920 by a man named Bob Pierce. He met Billy Graham’s son, Franklin Graham, in 1973. Two years later, Franklin went with Bob to some of the poorest areas of the world. In 1978, Bob Pierce died of leukemia and in 1979 Franklin Graham became the President and Chairman of the Board of Samaritan’s Purse. Samaritan’s Purse currently funds and operates the following ministry projects: International Crisis Response; Operation Christmas Child; The Greatest Journey; U.S. Disaster Relief; World Medical Mission; Greta Home and Academy; Children’s Heart Project; and Operation Heal our Patriots.
You can read more about each of these ministry projects by visiting the Samaritan’s Purse webpage at: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/
Check out the history behind Opperation Christmas Child by visiting the following link: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/mission-and-history/#
“Every box is an opportunity to reach a child with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”—Franklin GrahamPresident, Samaritan's Purse
My family has been putting together shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child for as long as I can remember. My mom started doing it with us when we were little and now my sister Kaelyn heads up the operation. Last year Kaelyn expanded the project and we filled 50 shoeboxes with the help of our youth/young people during our friend’s get-together last November.
Each month, Kaelyn hosts a youth/young adult get-together at my parent’s house in Michigan (Daniel and I attend when we are in town). During the monthly get-togethers, we encourage one another and have a special devotional time where we read God’s Word together and pray. Kaelyn provides food and usually also has games and a special activity. Each November, the activity is to pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
We all work together to fill the boxes with the supplies that Kaelyn has purchased and sorted out. (Check out the picture on the front page.) Whatever is not used is saved for the next year. Each participant has the opportunity to also sponsor one or more of the boxes which basically just means to pay for the shipping which costs $10 per box. Last year we packed 50 boxes and this year we plan to pack 50 more.
28 boxes have sponsors so far—which leaves 22 that need to be sponsored for this year. If you would like to be a part of the operation, there are several ways you can participate.
We have set up an Operation Christmas Child Fund which will be opened year round for donations—all of which will go toward paying for the shoeboxes, the items we pack into the shoeboxes, and the shipping.
If you are interested in donating to our fund, checks can be made out to: Kaelyn Eves
Mail checks to: Kaelyn Eves
8460 Beecher Rd.
Flushing, MI 48433
Or you can venmo me and I will send the money to her.
Please include on the check that it is for the Operation Christmas Child Fund.
100% of your donation will go toward filling and shipping these boxes. We hope to eventually be able to fill more than 50. Each box costs approximately $30 to pack and send, so any amount donated will help.
If you want to pack your own shoebox at home, you can purchase Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes at Hobby Lobby and visit the Samaritans Purse Website for details on how to pack and ship a box at: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/
Another neat feature that just came out recently is the ability to pack a box online. That means you don’t have to go out and get a box or shop for things to put inside. You can just simply visit the following webpage and follow the prompts to completely shop and send a box right from your computer (or phone): https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/buildonline/
Another special feature that has been added to Operation Christmas Child is the ability to send the child that receives your shoebox to a special Bible Study in their own language for an additional cost of only $6 per box. Visit the following link to learn more: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/the-greatest-journey/
Here is a picture from last year of my sister Kaelyn and my husband Daniel with Teddy Bears for the Shoeboxes and here are some of the supplies my sister has gathered so far for this year’s packing.
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