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Packing Christmas into shoeboxes
The ministry’s project shows children around the world that someone cares about them.
NEW WATERFORD — Life isn’t a spectator sport for Vivian Bonsall-Carvender, who is Operation Christmas Child relay center coordinator at Abundant Life Fellowship, 46469 state Route 46.
“I’m not one to sit back and watch. I’m a giver. This project hit me close to home,” she said.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization that provides spiritual and physical aid to people in need worldwide. The holiday effort involves Christmas gifts packed in shoeboxes that are distributed to children around the globe.
“The idea of reaching children is dear to my heart,” she said.
Bonsall-Carvender has been involved with the project at the church since 1995 and been a member of Abundant Life since 1985. She suggested the church as a relay station, which means it’s a designated drop-off location in the Columbiana County area. For the churches, groups and individuals in that area, it means a convenient site to drop off shoeboxes. This is the second year as a such a site for Abundant Life.
“I started off doing two or three boxes,” Bonsall-Carvender said. “Now I have no idea how many I’ve done ... maybe 100. I go shopping to do five boxes and have enough stuff to do 10.
“I think helping children is a priority. Children need to know they are loved and cared about ... even if it’s from someone they don’t know and far away. It shows them someone cares and that matters.”
Bonsall-Carvender doesn’t do it alone.
Her assistant, Margaret Kandel, said the church members viewed a DVD of past distributions of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. “It’s just wonderful to see the kids opening the boxes,” she said. “It shows them someone cares.”
Both women pointed out that for some children, mired in poverty and living in countries in turmoil, these shoeboxes filled with small toys, school supplies and hygiene items are often the first Christmas gifts they have ever received.
“It’s like sharing Christmas with them,” Bonsall-Carvender said of watching the DVD. “I just know one of the boxes I saw opened had the long-legged teddy bear that I sent.”
This week, the shoebox crew was getting organized in preparation for the drop-off period, which begins Monday. As the shoeboxes come in, the crew at Abundant Life will pack them in larger boxes.
Laura York, area coordinator in Northeast Ohio, which covers drop-off locations in Ashtabula, Columbiana, Geauga, Mahoning and Trumbull counties, met with Bonsall-Carvender and Kandel at Abundant Life. “Last year, we collected 10,111 shoeboxes. This year our goal is 12,000,” she said. “We expect a good response.”
York said about 300 red and green shoeboxes were given out to people at Eastwood Mall in Niles. She said this is the first year that the project has provided shoeboxes.
Pastor Jeff Schoch of Abundant Life called the effort a “wonderful project for the family.”
He noted that the shoebox gifts are relatively inexpensive items and that makes it possible for families to participate.
“I call them the joy and hope boxes,” York said. “It’s life-changing for the recipients,” she said, noting that also applies to those giving.
“I know one family who collects the toys from Happy Meals from McDonald’s just for this purpose.”
York also said the project can be a teaching tool in that it helps children understand the concept of “it’s better to give than receive” and that some children don’t have toys or the basic necessities.
“Their hearts get big,” she said.
Schoch said that Abundant Life is involved because “we’re big on outreach. Anything we can do as church to help outside these walls is important.
“This project meets a need,” he said, and it also brings joy.
The Rev. Ron Laughlin of Harvest Baptist Church in Salem had made arrangements for an early drop-off and brought 61 shoeboxes from his church.
“We do it as [a] church body to help children around the world who don’t have anything. It’s a wonderful way for us to help,” he said.
York said Operation Christmas Child is the world’s largest Christmas program. This year the overall goal is to deliver to 8 million children in 100 countries, including the United States.
Since 1993, some 61 million shoeboxes have been distributed in 130 countries. “We also pray over the boxes before they are shipped out,” York said.