The energy of December is special, lights up in people the care for others; it brings hope and empowers the vibes that better times is coming.
It’s the Holiday season and the cities around the world are decorated with special lights and colors, also typical Christmas music has been playing over and over, and it is magical. This is the time of the year when we can express and feel the power of hope, because the date means love for others, a wish that better times are coming and happiness.
Around the world people find time and energy to help others, to organize special celebrations, whether small acts and events (organized in the neighborhood, among a group of friends, local churches) to the large ones like big companies or non-profit organizations. No matter which one you are part of, it is time to cherish precious moments.
In Brazil, for more than 30 years, the company Correios (main company of mail and delivery services) created the “Correios’ Santa Claus”. Children from the whole country send Santa a letter talking about their lives and wishes and people who want to be the “godmother or godfather” of that child build a package with gifts and deliver it to the nearby Correios’ station; they will be responsible to deliver it to the children. It is an amazing way to spread hope, love and of course give them some gifts.
Years ago, here in the US, I was talking to a friend of mine about Christmas solidarity actions, based in what I knew from Brazil and Eliane Mendes introduced me to Christmas Child Operation from Samaritan’s Purse as one of the hugest programs that brings hope and love to children around the world.
All you have to do is build a shoebox full of school material, hygiene products, toys and clothes; write a letter and pray for the children who will receive that shoebox. It looks so simple, but it is much more than that. Going deeper into the stories you can see that it is not just a shoebox full of gifts; it is a package that can change lives, bring hope and spread love.
By reading the many stories from those who received the shoebox I could see how those boxes were a game change in so many lives. It is magical!
Lucas Zeller, from Samaritan’s Purse, called me to manage the interview and the information that we needed to write this edition’s highlight; by listening to his voice it was possible to feel the love about the program and how important it is, even more in current times. He said that “every shoebox provides opportunity for local ministries, present in many countries, to bring hope to the children in Jesus’ name. We do not yet have the numbers for 2020, but since 1993, when Operation Christmas Child started with our president Franklin Graham, more than 178 millions of boxes have been delivered around the Globe, in more than 150 countries.”
For many kids, it is their first gift ever, it represents more than a gift but also that they are not forgotten and a lot of people around the Earth care and want to give them a tangible expression of God’s love.
We interviewed Izabela McMillon, she is involved with the Operation Christmas Child now, but years ago she was one of the teenagers that received the shoebox and it changed her life. During our conversation, she expressed how important it was in her life, how grateful she is and more importantly, how you can make a difference in someone else’s life.
BeyondUs: You got the shoebox at age 13. Why were you on the list to have a shoebox?
Izabela: It is really interesting this question. I received my shoebox gift when I was 13 years old in post-Communist Romania. I was not specifically chosen to receive a shoebox gift as the ministry came into my country to bring aid after the fall of communism. I received a shoebox gift along with all the other children who were present that day.
BeyondUs: What was your first impression when you opened the box?Izabela: My shoebox was like a splash of color entering our black and white gloomy world we were used to. Everything in my shoebox was colorful and new. It deeply impacted me to know that I was not forgotten and a gift was given to me with no strings attached. My shoebox was life changing, because it allowed me to experience for the first time God’s unconditional love and His existence. I finally understood that God is truly a personal God who cares about each and every person.
BeyondUs: You said that it was a splash of colors. Today, how important is it to have a “colorful” life?
Izabela: Today I am grateful for the opportunity to have the freedom of speech, freedom of religion and have the opportunity to freely choose to give back to the very ministry that deeply impacted my life through packing Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.
BeyondUs: More than gifts, the boxes have prayers and are giving hope, it also can be expressed in the letters. How does it work in your house when you and your family are building the boxes?
Izabela: I love packing shoeboxes with my family, and teaching my children that it is indeed better to give than to receive. We love to make every shoebox unique and place a letter and a picture in each of them, so that the child who receives it will know they are loved and have been prayed for. We also spend very intentional time praying over every shoebox we pack. Shoeboxes truly become a tangible representation of God’s unconditional love, and we get to play a part in that.
BeyondUs: In your words, it is better to give than receive. Years ago you got a box that changed your life, now you are on the other side, building boxes full of hope. How important is it for you?
Izabela: I want to be able to extend the same unconditional love that was extended to me, and I want to be part of the life-change that happens at the receiving end of shoeboxes.
BeyondUs: What is the most important message you learned working with the Operation Christmas Child?
Izabela: Hope is powerful. Hope fuels faith, and faith gives us strong will to continue to move forward no matter how hard life circumstances might be. My shoebox provided hope for me in a way I have never experienced before. I knew for the first time that I was not forgotten, and there was a hope and a future ahead, and I want to be part of providing the same hope to millions of children around the world.
The Amazing Journey of a Simple Shoebox Gift
It starts with people choosing what will be put inside the shoebox, then the wrapping and praying, finally the drop-off in the locations or sending by mail.
After that, thousands of volunteers serve annually inspecting and preparing shoeboxes for the international shipping. The worldwide distribution is amazing; no matter what type of transportation, they will find a way to get in the cities or remote locations.
