Samaritan Purse organizes children in America to fill shoe boxes with gifts, collect them, and send them to various parts of the world, which are distributed among poor children during Christmas celebrations. However, that has been stopped for various reasons in several countries including India. In a good initiative in the South of India, one organization mobilized churches to motivate families to fill a shoe box with gifts for children. The boxes would be according to age groups and for girls and boys. Families are encouraged to place dresses, toys, stationeries, story books, geometry boxes, atlas, dictionaries…etc. These boxes are collected and given as gifts at Christmas outreach events in smaller or rural churches. About 5000 children benefited from this initiative in 2021. It is a good way to teach children to share and care for others who are more underprivileged than them.
1) An Inspiring boy: A small boy was cheerfully willing to share his lunch, five loaves of barley bread and two fish, that was accepted and used by the Lord to feed a mass of five thousand men, more women, and children. (Matthew 14:13-21) All our children should grow to be like this sharing and caring for others in the community. This initiative of filling boxes with gifts is training children to share with strangers.
2) A Helpful girl: Miriam was vigilant, concerned, and worried about her three-month-old baby brother. Will he die? When she saw Pharaoh’s daughter seeing Moses, rushed to speak to her. She was not permitted to speak as a slave to royals. Yet, her love and concern for her brother compelled her to speak wisely and smartly. Caring for brothers and sisters should be taught by parents. (Exodus 2)
3) A Wise slave girl: A slave girl became a missionary in Naaman’s house and shared about her faith, living God, and how he could be healed. (II Kings 5)
It is more blessed to give than receive. (Acts 20:35) Giving is not about an abundance of material, but the abundance of love, compassion, generosity, and kindness in the hearts.
Do I experience the joy of giving?