OCC Shoe Box Impact Stories: Philippines

By Ginny (MAD21)

Philippines: John, age 12: "Before the gift distribution, we were asked to pray to God for things that we wanted to receive. I prayed hard that God will give me a watch. When I opened my gift I was so happy to find a watch inside, I cannot afford to buy a watch, and God gave me one. Jesus loves me so much, Jesus loves our barangay, we are very far from the city, but Jesus loves me, he gave me a special box in spite of the many children who received a shoebox, Jesus gave the watch to me. He is so good. I am also very happy to have received four pairs of socks because my sock is old. When I received my gift I remembered my attitude towards my parents, I have not always been a good boy, but now I will respect my parents and ask for forgiveness to Jesus and be good boy."

Philippines: "Michael, receiving a well packed shoebox, was very happy.  His mother is a laundry woman and his father is janitor and is partially paralyzed.  He supported his grade III schooling by driving a wooden trolley along a railroad track.  He lived in a house two meters away from the railroad track and an active member of a pioneering Presbyterian Church along a railroad track. He was very happy unpacking the gift. As with other gifts making it personalized from the giver to the receiver:  letters, cut-outs and posters were with it. His was amazing!  It came from a retired Union Pacific railroad track worker named Mr. Dale S. Allen received by a boy who supports himself by transporting people using handmade trolley in a Philippine National railroad track.  Amazing!!! God connects people by a railroad track. "He's got the whole world in His hand" I told them."

This post is part of our Not Just a Shoe Box series. Come back over the next few weeks to see more letters and videos from kids who have been impacted by OCC Shoe Boxes.

 These are letters from some of the kids who received shoe boxes from Operation Christmas Child. My friend Stacey Wilson from OCC was kind enough to send them to me. Many groups around the country are collecting boxes now (official collection week is November 14th-18th). However, OCC collects and delivers them all year long. I  encourage you to keep Samaritan's Purse, as well as all the children who receive these boxes in your prayers. That children all around the world will be led to the feet of Christ, one shoe box at a time.