After seeing it on another blog {thank you!! for the idea and push!!}
I knew I wanted to volunteer to sort Christmas shoe boxes for Samaritans Purse
Operation Christmas Child is a charity giving Christmas Gifts to children all over the world.
It was so fun. I'm glad I went and plan to go again. Wanna come next time?
Production line where we unpack and inspect and fill boxes
20 minute training and I was off!!
On to the production line.
Most of the boxes we were sorting happened to be for 10-14 year old girls.
{but there are presents for each age group eg 2-4 years, 4-8 years, 8-10 years}
Each box needs to contain:
Something for school
Something to wear
Something to love
Something for personal hygiene
Something for fun
It was so great to open each box and see what things the givers had lovingly placed inside.
Each box has to be opened, inspected, non allowed items removed and all packaging removed.
Then all packed back in and on to the conveyor belt to be sealed up, boxed in big boxes and shipped.
While watching the training video I was perfectly fine and then it showed the part where we inspect any letters included in the box to make sure it is a kind/sweet/uplifting message.
All of a sudden I was so overcome and I started Bawl!
It was embarrassing. But I think I managed to keep my tears in check.
Not everyone includes a letter but at each letter I came across my heart soared and I could feel the love spanning the world. The love put in a box with carefully chosen items to be opened on the other side of the world, where I hope the recipient feels the love bounce out of the box
Samaritians Purse Warehouse at Yeronga (where I went) is open nearly every day and some evenings as they try to reach their target of 50 000 shoe boxes filled and shipped.
All packaging must be removed from every item {cardboard, shrink wrapping, plastic} because many towns don't have waste disposal and we don't want to add to the waste if there is no way to dispose of it. Since packaging must be removed toys/jewellery/hair accessories/ pencils were placed in small material drawstring bags. There are people who sew hundreds and hundreds of bags for this purpose. If sewing is your thing maybe you can donate that way. I smiled as I grabbed those homemade bags to hold hair bands and jewellery.
The work was easy, the company very kind. It was nice to hear some stories of the recipients.
I'm hoping to make it back there again hopefully even a date night packing with The Mr.
Service is such a blessing. As in I know it blesses me.
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