Operation Christmas Child

Yesterday we had a sweet time of community and serving the Lord. We got together with our group to work on filling shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. We turned it into a little mission project for our group, to make it more personal for us.

Don't know what Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is?

It's a fantastic opportunity for us, who've been blessed beyond what we deserve, to give a little Christmas cheer to children who otherwise won't be getting anything for Christmas. What's more? They get to hear the life-altering message of the Gospel. 

Their Mission? From their website:

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God's love in a tangible way to needy children around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

We have not done this in the past, but my heart is in it now. I absolutely believe this is something we will do for years to come, and involve our children in the giving process. 

Last night, we met our group at a dollar store and shopped for our boxes. My husband and I decided to do two boxes, one for a 2-4 year old boy (think: Cohen's age) and a 10-14 year old girl.

Here is our little boy's box:

contents:

2 simple board books, doctor play kit, toothbrush, toddler toothpaste, 4 pairs of socks, bouncy ball, small car, 2 note pads, jumbo crayons, fish bath sponge, bar of soap, Q-tips, bag of suckers and small blue t-shirt (the plush baseball did not end up fitting)

About $16.00

All packed in! (minus the baseball!)

It's like a fun game of Tetris to make it all fit. I just imagine his sweet face opening this box around Christmastime. Has he ever had a Dum-Dum before? Does he have clean shirts? Has he ever held a new crayon in his hand? I get teary eyed, because it's so easy for me to imagine my sweet Cohen opening this box. There would be certain joy on his face, and he has most of these things. It thrills my heart that we are able to do this. 

For our young girl (10-14 years old):

contents:

colored pencils, pencil sharpener, pens, crayons, note pad, tooth brush, tooth paste, bag of ring pops, purple comb, hair ties, watch, Q-tips, bath sponge, bar of soap, 3 pairs of socks

About $15.00

Stuffed in the box!

We had a great time of fellowship shopping for and putting together these boxes. We are so thankful to have the means to give to this great cause.

Best friends. These two wanted to play with the toys, of course. :)

If you are interested in contributing to this project, please, please visit their website. Our church, Watermark, will be collecting the packed boxes until November 18th, I believe. 

Please remember to think of others this Christmas season. If you're able to give, give. If not, offer your time somewhere. Help share the love of Jesus Christ (the reason for this season) to children and families all around the world.

bloggers for birth kits

photo from: themommyhoodmemos

Did you know that 1 in 7 women die  from childbirth in rural Papua New Guinea?

These women don't have money or resources to get good (even acceptable) prenatal care or birthing services. But that doesn't change the fact that they are still giving birth to precious babies every day.

I'm partnering up with Adriel from themommyhoodmemos to help spread awareness and ask for support for the women of PNG.

It is critical that these women have the ability to birth their babies on a clean surface with clean utensils. Women die from infections entering the birth canal during unclean births, excessive blood loss, and other adverse reasons. Babies can become desperately ill by infections picked up from an unclean birthing process.

It is unacceptable.

Adriel works in missions with YWAM medical ships. They sail around Papua New Guinea providing medical services to the rural areas, where otherwise, there would be no medical care.

"We provide dental services, eyeglasses, cataract surgeries, vaccines, primary health care, education, and other crucial services to those who most need it." -from Adriel's blog, linked above 'themommyhoodmemos'

Making a birth kit is as simple as gathering a few inexpensive items and putting them in a standard size zip-loc bag:
1. 1 plastic sheet (1 yard x 1 yard) - for a clean surface (think: painters drop cloth)
2. 1 bar of soap (1/8 of a regular bar of soap or a hotel sized bar) - for clean hands
3. 1 pair of plastic gloves - for clean hands (I would try to avoid latex, some babies are allergic and since it's preventable...why not?)
4. 1 sterile scalpel blade - for cutting the umbilical cord
5. 3 cords/pieces of strong string (10 inches long each) - to tie off the cord after it's cut
6. 5 guaze squares - to wipe secretions from baby's eyes, nose, mouth and to wipe mother's perineum

The idea is for it to be small and lightweight so it can be carried into the villages.

Send completed kits to:

Bloggers for Birth Kits c/o Adriel Booker
YWAM Ships
PO Box 6221
Townsville, QLD 4810
Australia

Please, please, go to Adriel's blog and read for yourself. She offers a video on how to assemble the kits if you want more details. She tells of other ways to help by donating, etc. themommyhoodmemos

I have a new passion for the YWAM Medical Ship and what they're making possible in remote areas of the world. We are so blessed here in the states and I feel like it is our duty to share what we have with those who have nothing. Even in America, you can have zero dollars to your name and no home and go and deliver in a perfectly sterile hospital with certified doctors and nurses there to aid you and your baby.

Now, can't you spare $3.10 to make a birth kit for a woman in Papua New Guinea, to help give her and her baby a fighting chance?

Leave a comment or email me with any questions.
emfen21@gmail.com

"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19