If you are a regular shoebox packer for Samaritan Purse’s Operation Christmas Child, you probably know OCC typically receives more boxes for girls than for boys, and for younger children than older. Their greatest need is for the oldest category of boys. I used to try to help fill this gap.
Then God gave us five grandsons and I became a rebel. The annual shoebox project has become my once-a-year opportunity to buy little girlie things. In 2019, I had great fun packing a shoebox for a girl around four years old.
Before I started shopping, I prayed. God already knew who was going to receive my box, so I asked him to show me which items she most needed and would like. In addition to the practical hygiene items and school supplies, I found a pink skipping rope, hair accessories, a pink notebook, and more. When I placed them all in the box, I discovered that by removing most of the packaging, I still had plenty of room for more.
I went shopping again. I prayed again. This time, I found a package of little girl underwear and a “Canada” t-shirt for her. But I knew the box still had space for one more toy. A little stuffed animal was in order. I sifted through the store’s bin of little stuffies. Which one would she like best, Lord? Please help me spot it.
I narrowed them down to three: a puppy, a panda bear, and a cute, snugly bird. I couldn’t decide. That’s when I noticed a man shopping with his little daughter. She appeared about the same age as “my” little girl. I wondered which toy she would pick.
As they walked toward me, I smiled at them. Holding up the three options, I asked the dad, “Is it okay if I ask your little girl which one of these she likes best? It’s for another little girl.”
Before I could even finish asking, she pointed with enthusiasm to the panda bear. I thanked her and put the other two back, hoping I hadn’t created a dilemma for her dad.
When I took the items home and began packing my box, I discovered something. The little pink hairbrush I had picked out on my previous shopping trip featured a panda bear on the back. A perfect match! The two bears looked terrific nestled in among all the pink.
Don’t tell me God isn’t in the details. I know this box landed in the hands of a little girl in a developing country—possibly even the same part of the planet from which the man in the store and his daughter came. A little girl who never received a gift before in her life. A girl who likes pink and who is especially fond of panda bears. I hope she also discovers that God is especially fond of her.
If you have never participated in Operation Christmas Child, I encourage you to consider packing a box this year. If shopping is too hard for you right now, your can fill a box online by going to OCC’s website.
“Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’” Matthew 25:40 (The Message)
No comments:
Post a Comment