Operation Christmas Child

Postby **Pastor Gary** » October 16th, 2010, 1:17 pm

This weekend is our launch for the 2010 Operation Christmas Child effort. We will have a table display and show a promo video clip. Any of your churches participating this year?

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/

jinjer · Postby **jinjer** » October 16th, 2010, 1:22 pm

Our church participates.

Jinjer

paul · Postby **paul** » October 16th, 2010, 5:37 pm

Great organization.

We started our own drive to help us faciliate the hundreds of children we minister to directly in the Philippines, and other countries. No where on the scale of Samaratan's but God is good. We just shipped several hundred to the philippines yesterday.

I really encourage churches and individuals to particate with samaratians.

justsam · Postby **justsam** » October 16th, 2010, 6:03 pm

Paul- I would like to discuss your ministry with you sometime soon and if there are any opportunity to get involved in fund raising. You can emais me @ pastorsamsmith@hotmail.com if you would like to talk to me.

God Bless You- Sam Smith

Postby **Pastor Gary** » October 16th, 2010, 6:14 pm

paul wrote:Great organization.

We started our own drive to help us faciliate the hundreds of children we minister to directly in the Philippines, and other countries. No where on the scale of Samaratan's but God is good. We just shipped several hundred to the philippines yesterday.

I really encourage churches and individuals to particate with samaratians.

Paul - I often hear things similar to what you have just said, about this ministry or that starting their own drive like OCC or Compassion... I guess I wonder why the need to replicate an existing program instead of trying to connect with one in existence and work with them?

Too much red tap? Control? Incompatible vision? No interest or opening on their part? Just curious.

Billy n NC · Postby **Billy n NC** » October 16th, 2010, 7:52 pm

For those of you involved in this do you get to specify what country etc
that your gifts go to???

Postby **Pastor Gary** » October 16th, 2010, 8:52 pm

Billy n NC wrote:For those of you involved in this do you get to specify what country etc
that your gifts go to???

No, Bill - you mark the box with gender and one of 3 or 4 age brackets, and the boxes get routed according to point of origin (logistics) and need.

Postby **Shellie** » October 17th, 2010, 1:59 am

Our school participates and this year I am incorporating it at our church. I love it and enjoy doing it!

paul · Postby **paul** » October 17th, 2010, 12:49 pm

Pastor Gary wrote:
paul wrote:Great organization.

We started our own drive to help us faciliate the hundreds of children we minister to directly in the Philippines, and other countries. No where on the scale of Samaratan's but God is good. We just shipped several hundred to the philippines yesterday.

I really encourage churches and individuals to particate with samaratians.

Paul - I often hear things similar to what you have just said, about this ministry or that starting their own drive like OCC or Compassion... I guess I wonder why the need to replicate an existing program instead of trying to connect with one in existence and work with them?

Too much red tap? Control? Incompatible vision? No interest or opening on their part? Just curious.

As our ministry grew we found ourselves more and more involved with children from the streets, we opened several orphanages in various countries. some of our directors ( India for one) had been on a waiting llist for samaritans purse. So one year we decided to just collect boxes for these orphanages so the children we worked with and ministered to all year would have gifts for christmas. It just grew from there. Our gifts are distributed to children we work with and had not yet been a part of receiving anyting from other organizations.

With our childrens sponsorship program again we target children of ur pastors. they have a very meager income. so if we can help sponsor their childrens education, and help with medical and rice, it allows our pastors the ability to spend more time in the work of the ministry. This also has now grown to other vchildren in need that come to the local churches.

For me, it is simply the church being the church.

I still refer many to these other organizations because of their great work and integrity.

Rascal · Postby **Rascal** » October 17th, 2010, 4:06 pm

I headed this project up at our local church the first year it was in operation. We had over 150 boxes and it was a great success I thought. However, not being a minister, I guess my leadership was misdirected. The pastor and the youth director (decided the next year) to focus this effort on a local level. They collected the boxes and then tried to find needy families here in town. They could not find any organizations that said they needed them. It was a bust. To my knowledge, they have not collected any boxes for any group..........

Samaritans Purse is a great project worthy of the cause. I have prepared boxes with my family every year and I find it a great blessing to do this. I have three boxes in my office to fill now.

Postby **Pastor Gary** » October 17th, 2010, 5:39 pm

paul wrote:As our ministry grew we found ourselves more and more involved with children from the streets, we opened several orphanages in various countries. some of our directors ( India for one) had been on a waiting llist for samaritans purse. So one year ...
For me, it is simply the church being the church.

I still refer many to these other organizations because of their great work and integrity.

Paul, that makes perfect sense. You are simply filling needs not being met otherwise. I appreciate the answer.

Jude 2