For the past four years, the BCEC has been involved in Operation Christmas Child, run by the Christian charity Samaritan’s Purse. In its simplest form, it is all about a gift – given by you to a child in need.
Each shoebox goes on a remarkable journey, involving children and adults wrapping and packing, an army of volunteers checking and preparing, overseas partners delivering, and the children who need them most receiving and experiencing God’s love at Christmas.
This year, we want to have all the shoeboxes/gifts completed by 20 November 2011. We’re working with Project Tom, and they’ll be helping us by collecting the shoeboxes for the Samaritan’s Purse on that day.
So what do you need to do?
Shoeboxes – what to do?
STEP 1: Get a ‘normal’ sized shoebox
STEP 2: Wrap it with Christmas wrapping paper (box + lid separate)
STEP 3: Fill box with gifts
STEP 4: ‘Completed’ shoeboxes to be labelled (ie; GIRL (5-9yrs)
STEP 5: Put an elastic band around the box (do NOT seal)
STEP 6: £2.50 shoebox donation per box (to help cover transport costs)
Labelling shoeboxes with ‘labels’
Wai Lo, from Project Tom will be working in the OCC processing warehouse in the weeks running up to Christmas. She can put ‘official’ labels on all of them when they are taken in. Do not worry about ordering labels/leaflets (save time and costs) – simply write clearly in top corner of each completed shoebox in marker pen Boy/Girl and the age group [2-4yrs /5-9yrs /10-14yrs]
What to Pack
Please include these basics as a priority (if possible)
• Toothbrush + toothpaste • Flannel/face cloth • Bar of soap • Socks/ gloves/hat/scarf • Pens/ crayons/ pencils/ stationary • Notepad/ exercise book/ colouring book • Tennis ball • Soft toy
You can also choose from each of these 4 categories:
Toys: Bear, soft toy, tennis ball, finger puppet, jigsaw, yo-yo, building blocks, small musical instrument. For boys; trucks and cars, for girls; dolls, clip on earrings, etc.
Educational Supplies: Felt pens, pens, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, colouring book, notepad, picture or puzzle book, chalk, pencil case, stickers, etc.
Hygiene Items: Toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, comb, hair clips, bar of soap, flannel, etc.
Other Items: Sweets (sell-by date to be at least March of the following year), gloves, scarf, sunglasses, cap, hat, bangles, necklaces etc.
All gifts should be new, please include items from each category.
No Thanks! Please do NOT include any of these items:
No Food especially chocolate. Only exception, non-chocolate sweets are allowed
No medicine or vitamins of any kind.
No war related items Toy guns, soldiers or knives of any kind.
No clothing other than listed above.
No fragile items Glass containers, mirrors.
No liquids including blow bubbles, shampoo, bubble bath, toiletry sets or aerosols.
No dangerous items Sharp objects, scissors or razors.
No novels.
Nothing of a political nature.
No hand-knitted stuffed toys without a CE mark.
Be sure to visit The Operation Christmas Child website for more information. And bring your shoeboxes into the BCEC before November 20th!