Operation Christmas Child 1st-18th November

catkins

I love doing these boxes. I shop all year round for little and inexpensive items - jewellery, make up, hats, gloves, toothbrushes, combs, toys etc etc. I have no children of my own and all my friends' children and neices and nephews are grown up now so I enjoy still buying for young ones.

I have managed 10 boxes this year which I am pleased about and they are all bursting with items! I have always given to Samaritan's Purse but may consider Link Romania next year. Trouble is I don't think there is anywhere nearby to take boxes for Link Romania.

All the places near to me to take boxes for Samaritan's Purse are churches so am I being naive in thinking churches would not support them unless they are doing some good?

I have seen the videos and it's wonderful seeing the look on those childrens' faces. I just wish I could give more.

laura2481

Only just heard about this! I'm gonna rustle something up for Link Romania as I can post it to them before December 5th- gives me a week or so! Better go find a shoe box! I really feel that I've been moaning a lot about not having any money, but really, things aren't so bad and I can spare a few pounds for some little bits and pieces to give to a good cause!

Ianna

All the people who can't easily get to a collection point (all listed here) can phone linkromania on 01903 529333 to see if there's an alternative.

You can also post the boxes to Link House, Park Road , Worthing, West Sussex , BN11 2AN

For some people next year it might be worth setting up a scheme or just getting friends and family to do shoeboxes because they can collect off you direct if you have more than 60. I'm going to try that next year.

Ianna

Homebaked wrote: »

Emweaver, I think you're right - if the leaflets were simply educational about the origins of the real Christmas, or just went to Christian countries, there wouldn't be such a controversy at all. Unfortunately this is a particular brand of American evangelism at work, and Samaritan's Purse target Catholics, Hindus, Muslims or anyone who isn't a born-again Christian for conversion, not education.

Yes, exactly. The main figures in the organisation have been very open about the fact that they use the appeal to convert people - they're not interested in giving and charity, they just want to bribe people into xtianity and specifically their interpretation of christianity. Main figures in the organisation have also said some truly repugnant things about other faiths (showing that he's thrown christian values of love and tolerance for their fellow man out the door!)

laura2481

Ianna wrote: »

Yes, exactly. The main figures in the organisation have been very open about the fact that they use the appeal to convert people - they're not interested in giving and charity, they just want to bribe people into xtianity and specifically their interpretation of christianity. Main figures in the organisation have also said some truly repugnant things about other faiths (showing that he's thrown christian values of love and tolerance for their fellow man out the door!)

Wow, REALLY glad I didn't deceide to do something for them. I hate that kind of intolerence. It should be about helping and giving...

sarahg1969

For those who have children, perhaps you can persuade your school to take part in the Rotary shoebox collection? They collect all year round, and even provide the boxes for you!

I think someone has posted the link further up this page.

I find it a little bizarre that people are commenting that we should "think of the children", when no-one is suggesting we don't give at all (well, apart from the one poster who thinks we should stop throwing money to "foreigners"). It's just that some of us prefer different charities to others. That's OK, isn't it?

veruccasalt

CyberDrunk wrote: »

Where is the grabbit?

It's cunningly concealed in the first post of this thread-can I suggest you have a quick peek there to see if you can uncover it.

And many thanks for effectively bumping this thread up a bit, to hopefully bring it to the attention of even more charitable people willing to do something good for a stranger.

BusyGirl

Over the past 3 years I've helped to check and seal some of the shoeboxes from my area.

WE DO NOT PUT ANY RELIGIOUS LEAFLETS INSIDE THE BOX!

The boxes are collected from schools, work organisations, churches etc and then delivered to our local warehouse where they are sorted into age groups, opened and checked.
We take out the money donation/envelope and then check for inappropriate items e.g. liquids, dangerous items, food, soiled items etc. We also have to remove any items that may have religious pictures on them such as xmas cards. Occasionally, some of the boxes need extra items to be added which we do as we have supplies of toys, sweets, hats etc which have been collected/donated over the previous 10 months.
The boxes are then sealed with tape and packed into big boxes where they are transported in trucks.

The helpers at the warehouse are all volunteers and are a mixed bunch and are not all Christians. Some are retired, some work part-time (like myself) and local schoolchildren come to help too. We do it because the boxes are sent with love and will be received by a child/young disabled person who will really appreciate them.

A friend of mine who helps to run the warehouse each year has been over to Romania twice and on her return showed the photos to us and we were all in tears. She described the reaction of the children when they opened the boxes and also that sometimes they didn't always have enough boxes for all of them.

Every area/city will have a warehouse like ours and they are always looking for more volunteers to help check/seal the boxes. So before you believe all of the 'stories' and hype, give up some of your spare time and go and see for yourself. I warn you though, it becomes quite addictive and you end up dreaming about checking the boxes in your sleep.
Last year we checked around 22,000 shoe boxes in our warehouse! So that's 22,000 children somewhere in the world that we made smile for a short while.:D

spora

I remember doing these show box things when i was in primary school. I had completely forgotten about the scheme until i saw this post. I gave a box in on monday. Wish i could give a few more boxes, but im a student so money is tight. I might try and save little bits up through out the year next year as catkins said.

mrspnut

If you want to help children in need in your area then why not send a gift to the Salvation Army or useful toiletries and small toys to your local women's aid.

From what I have discovered about Samaritans Purse, it goes far deeper than just a leaflet. The children have to attend a long sermon where they are told that their religion is evil and wrong before they can get the boxes.

Also, whilst it is called operation christmas child here, in many countries they go to it isn't because the country is celebrating christmas, it's because donators are more likely to give at this time of year than any other.