Mission Accomplished
What happens when a group of people leave town on a mission? A lot of things! Missed exits, hidden shoes, going to the wrong hotel… just to name a few. Eleven from my church traveled by van and car for seven hours one way to do manual labor in a warehouse for free. That may seem like a strange thing for some, but when you understand the purpose of the mission, you're happy to do it.
Our group met up with some friends and family along with hundreds of other volunteers to process Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes. The red and green boxes packed with gifts for children in other countries. They have to be inspected before being shipped to make sure nothing in them would cause a delay by customs. They're then taped shut and crated before being sent on their way to the final destination... In the hands of children that will not only receive their gifts packed with love, but will hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They're then given the opportunity to participate in a discipleship program.
In the last 30 years, Operation Christmas Child has sent 209 million shoebox gifts to over 170 countries. The ones being processed that day were going to Mexico, Ghana, and Nigeria. This year's goal is 11 million. That's a lot of boxes that require a lot of volunteers to do a lot of work. Thankfully, our group was up for the task. Not only did we fulfill our main purpose, but we also grew together as a group. We talked, laughed, and got to know one another better.
As I was reading The Great Commission in Matthew 28, the first verse immediately caught my attention. Now the eleven disciples... Did you catch that? Eleven disciples, eleven volunteers, eleven million shoeboxes. I thought that was pretty cool.
If you would like to be involved with something like this. Let me tell you how you can. They're still taking orders for Build a Shoebox Online. You don't even have to get out to go shopping. You can pick items and have someone else build the box for you. AND... If you'd like to be a part of that, they're still needing volunteers to work in Aurora, IL the end of January and early February to build those boxes. Links for both are at the bottom of this post.
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him they worshipped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. -Matthew 28:1-20
Click here to Build a Shoebox Online
Click here to Volunteer in Aurora, IL
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