[00:00:02] Speaker A: The journey hometown journal.
[00:00:09] Speaker B: The joy of seeing a child open the boxes for the first time is just.
[00:00:13] Speaker C: It's incredible.
[00:00:15] Speaker D: We are so excited.
[00:00:16] Speaker B: Many of the children receive the shoeboxes
[00:00:18] Speaker E: for the first time in their life.
[00:00:20] Speaker F: We pray that these boxes will be used, bring a lot of happiness and joy, but more importantly, the gospel to each heart. All these little children around the world,
[00:00:30] Speaker G: no greater need and no greater time than right now for us to go out and serve boldly.
[00:00:34] Speaker E: Oh my goodness.
[00:00:36] Speaker G: This is what these shoeboxes are all about. To go out and bring a hope of Jesus Christ around the world.
[00:00:43] Speaker F: I'm just so amazed at what God does each and every year. This is an opportunity to impact the lives of millions of children, just like you've seen. But we need more boxes for next year. Every box is an opportunity for us to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. So thank you and God bless each and every one.
[00:01:02] Speaker E: Welcome to the Hometown Journal. I'm Mark Edwards. As we begin thinking about the holiday season, the Journey is once again giving you an opportunity to be involved with Operation Christmas child. Since 1993, Samaritan's Purse has been sending shoeboxes packed with gifts to children around the world. The shoeboxes are available at the Journey studios during business hours and information about Operation Christmas Child is at MyJourney FM.
Today we're sharing with you how your gift can brighten a child's Christmas.
[00:01:36] Speaker B: Receiving the Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift is the best memory from my childhood.
Twenty years later, I still have the box that I received as a child. Not all the items, but I have some that I've treasured.
When we were kids, we had a very modest living. We didn't have a lot of, but we had everything that we needed. I was around six to seven years old when I received my shoebox. And I remember when we were going into the church, I could see the boxes with the Samaritan's Purse logo on it. And I wondered, what are these boxes?
We were so excited and we opened the boxes. We could see so many different toys that we've never seen in our life. Our Sunday school teacher, she told us that these boxes were sent from afar, off a car country packed by people who want to share the love of God with the children who don't have gifts for Christmas.
It was one way of God showing me that he really loved me and he really loved everybody.
Now me and my husband live in Milton Keynes.
When I came to the uk, I had no idea that the people in UK pack shoeboxes. But this one Sunday when I went to the church, I could see a stack of shoeboxes at the entrance. The first thing I thought was, how can I be a part of it? I went to Coventry and did the processing for the shoeboxes. That day at the processing center was unreal and it felt like I always had some connection with the people who do shoeboxes and with Operation Christmas Child. Even though it was just a small shoebox that I got years ago, but it still feels like somehow all of us are together in it. The people who receive shoeboxes, the people who pack shoeboxes. We are a family and I just was in tears.
Now I go around the UK and share my story of how a simple shoebox impacted my life and I get to pack shoeboxes. And this year me and my husband have decided that we're going to pack two boxes a month. So that will be 24 children a year receiving shoeboxes and the Gospel from our side.
I thank God for Operation Christmas Child. To be on the giving side of the box is a privilege for me. This shoebox will take the gospel of Jesus to every corner of the world. I know that I am making a lasting impact on a church child's life and I encourage everybody to pack shoeboxes for children around the world.
[00:04:36] Speaker E: That is just one of the stories of Operation Christmas Child. You can be involved and a partner with the Journey by picking up a box here at the Journey studios during business hours. We have all of the information
[email protected] here's more on how your involvement is helping to share hope this Christmas.
[00:04:56] Speaker H: Hey, this is Siante Kofi. I got my Operation Christmas Child shoebox at the age of 12 which was so beautiful and I love how God put all the pieces together today to make a beautiful story out of my life. I grew up from a very poor home. When I look back how God brought me so far, it amazes me because there's so much impact that these little shoe bosses are making around the world. These pairs of shoes were a huge blessing from God to me back then because they fit me perfectly. And not just fitting me. It was what I needed at that very moment and it's a huge blessing from God.
And this letter was what made the whole difference in my life. Alex said, hi friend, my name is Alex Watkin. I'm eight years old and we live in New Jersey.
I have a sister, Stephanie Watkin, and my dad, Keith Watkin. Donna Watkin, my mom. I'm glad to package your shoebox and would love to hear from you.
And with this letter I wrote back to Alice and I came to the United States and I reunited with the Watkins family. We had a beautiful time and I was so overwhelmed when I came and I gave them a hug. It was the best time of my life and I'm so grateful to God for them and participating in the Operation Christmas Child shoebox parking process.
[00:06:22] Speaker E: Today on the Hometown Journal, we are sharing how your involvement in Operation Christmas Child is impacting lives around the world. And if you'd like to be involved this year, the Journey has shoeboxes remaining at our studios in Lynchburg. All of the details
[email protected] we'll have more of the Hometown Journal in a minute.
[00:06:41] Speaker A: MyJourney FM is now on Alexa, so you don't even need to lift a finger to turn on your favorite encouraging music.
[00:06:49] Speaker I: Simply say, hey, Alexa, play MyJourney FM
[00:06:52] Speaker A: and Alexa will do the rest. Download the MyJourney FM connection on Amazon or go to myjourneyfm.com Life Hope Music the Journey now back to more of the Journey Hometown Journal.
[00:07:06] Speaker D: Are you a child? A grandma in college, a teacher, a sister, a whole family? Whoever you are, the good news is that you can spread great joy through Operation Christmas Child Shoebox.
Every shoebox that reaches a child reaches a friend, a family, a community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus loves you and it all starts with you. Whoever you are, will you take the gospel to the ends of the earth and pack a shoebox gift today?
[00:07:36] Speaker E: That is how you can be involved with Operation Christmas Child this year. Mark Edwards with you on the Hometown Journal. You can stop by the Journey studios in Lynchburg and pick up a shoebox and then fill it with gifts for a boy or girl. All the Information is at myjourneyfm.com here's more on the impact of Operation Christmas Child.
[00:08:02] Speaker J: I always really love flowers because they're God's wonderful masterpiece created in Christ Jesus for a purpose.
I like being in the garden because God's first home for us was in a garden.
When I was younger, I had a heart condition and only 75% of my blood was actually circling through my body.
[00:08:32] Speaker I: They said that she had a hole in her heart and it was. It wasn't until a week before her surgery that I remember just breaking down and just giving her to the Lord and just trusting.
It really was real. Like you created her, you let me have her and if I just get her for three years, thank you and I trust you and your will be done I remember saying, your will be done no matter what. And she went through her surgery beautifully.
Eight hours or something. We got her to smile, and that was. It's my favorite picture I've ever taken.
Very much. I knew the Lord was going to use her heart as a testimony. She loves very deeply and she has a heart for people.
[00:09:36] Speaker J: You are a daughter of a king who is not moved by this world. He had a purpose for me. Since the people help me, I want to help other people.
We are the Flower Sisters. We make money by selling bouquets to raise money for Operation Christmas Child and Children's Heart Projects.
[00:10:05] Speaker K: We introduced Operation Christmas Child to Brooke's family and her kids because God in his word tells us to go take it to all nations. Well, how do I do that? How can I help my kids see that they can be a part of that? And so this is such an easy, fun, exciting thing to help them see how we can send Jesus to the nations.
[00:10:27] Speaker I: Didn't have a lot of money at that time, and we wanted to pack more than one box. And J.C. and I started brainstorming, what could we do? What could we do? And felt the Holy Spirit just saying, just start a garden.
[00:10:41] Speaker J: We plant seeds in the ground, and it's only God working the miracle of the seeds.
Well, Operation Christmas Child boxes are like seeds that he's working the miracles.
We are just providing seeds.
[00:10:58] Speaker K: I think children are so important to Jesus, and God works through children.
The two Mongolian moms that are here right now, both of them have infants that have congenital heart defects that were fixed at Cleveland Clinic through Children's Heart Project. And both moms had no other options for surgery.
[00:11:18] Speaker I: I was always praying like, God, please work in their house. And then God is healing them. God is giving them strength.
[00:11:29] Speaker J: We'll cut first all our flowers. We need our foliage, our filler and focal flower.
And then we'll arrange the bouquets, then we'll cut the stems, and then we'll put them in water and then sell the bouquets.
We sell our flowers and at church and flower stands, and we also make deliveries.
I hope God's presence can be with people when I give them their bouquets. I hope they feel closer to God.
[00:12:02] Speaker I: Watching them work in this garden is very much.
They're walking in the will of God, and it becomes almost effortless as they grow. When the Lord asks, we need to do something to just say yes.
[00:12:16] Speaker J: There's a Bible verse that says, go to Judea, then Galilee, then go to the ends of the earth. The more money we raise, the More we can accomplish what he's saying there.
[00:12:30] Speaker I: These are.
[00:12:30] Speaker J: These two little boys are from Mongolia and they just had heart surgery. And what would you think if I told you that in September you and
[00:12:39] Speaker I: your whole family are going to Cleveland
[00:12:41] Speaker J: to meet those two boys?
[00:12:47] Speaker B: Hey, isn't that exciting?
[00:12:50] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:12:51] Speaker I: Look how cute they are. Are they precious?
[00:12:55] Speaker E: Look at them.
[00:12:57] Speaker I: Oh, it's gonna be so good.
[00:13:01] Speaker J: I've always wanted to meet once the heart searching Baby.
[00:13:08] Speaker I: We don't know what seeds are being planted through Operation Christmas Child or the heart project.
But we do know that we have a God that can bloom them in his time.
She knew the Lord saved her life.
So she she can offer his hope.
[00:13:35] Speaker J: If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, move from here to there and it will be done. Nothing is impossible for you.
It's a mustard seed necklace. Like me, we as the flower sisters plant seeds in the ground. But we also hope to plant seeds in hearts.
I love you.
[00:13:59] Speaker I: Those mothers hearts are fertile ground and seeds have been planted here.
[00:14:08] Speaker E: One of the incredible stories of Operation Christmas Child. And you can be a part of a child's story of receiving the gift of Christ's love when you pack a shoebox with gifts. And then through Operation Christmas Child, that box will go to a child somewhere around the world. The Journey House boxes still available at our studios in Lynchburg. For complete details plus a list of other pickup and drop off locations, visit myjourneyfm.com the Hometown Journal will continue in a minute.
[00:14:39] Speaker A: Love the journey. Check out myjourneyfm.com you can get to know the team as well as get connected to the MyJourney FM community this day and time.
[00:14:47] Speaker J: We surely surely need it.
[00:14:48] Speaker A: You can also see what events and giveaways are going on.
[00:14:51] Speaker J: The website is so easy to get around. It's so informative.
[00:14:55] Speaker I: So tell them to look at the website.
[00:14:57] Speaker A: Find all that and
[email protected] Life Hope Music the Journey now back to more of the journey Hometown Journal.
[00:15:13] Speaker F: We've been able to touch the lives of children all over the world to give them a gift and do it in Jesus name.
[00:15:19] Speaker H: After a child receives a gift they are to important invited to the greatest journey. The Greatest Journey is a 12 week
[00:15:26] Speaker D: program where the child gets an opportunity
[00:15:28] Speaker H: to learn more about Jesus. From the shoebox to the Greatest Journey. This is the Great Commission.
[00:15:36] Speaker E: Welcome back Mark Edwards. With you on the Hometown Journal today we are highlighting an annual event here at the Journey that is Operation Christmas Child. Our partnership with Samaritan's purse and there are a lot of moving parts when it comes to you picking up a box, filling it with gifts, and ultimately that box being delivered to a country, a village, a child around the world. Here are some of the Operation Christmas Child staff members at the processing facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, telling us more about the journey of a shoebox.
[00:16:08] Speaker L: Hi, my name is Forrest Quartoy and I'm a heavy lifter in the Operation Christmas Child Processing Center. During the processing season, my day can entail anything from stacking shoeboxes on pallets, working with the volunteers, loading trucks, unloading trucks, even just taping boxes or helping process that day. Just using the skills that I have is extremely fun and a great way to give back to God and everything he's done for me. It can be hard work, but at the end of the day kind of stop and take a step back and you see the impact that it's having for the glory of God and His kingdom. Just think about those kids that are receiving these shoeboxes. Just knowing the impact of that it's having on them is profound to me as a believer and knowing that I'm furthering the kingdom of God not through my efforts, but through the efforts of all these people coming together just to serve Christ.
[00:16:53] Speaker M: Hey, my name's Amy and I am a forklift driver for Operation Christmas Child Processing Center. The faith based environment at Operation Christmas Child is very important to me. The fact that we can pray with the spirit associates, just the impact that we get to make in children's lives is very powerful. My encouragement for anybody that is wanting to work for Samaritan's Purse is it doesn't matter if you are driving a forklift or if you're buying things from the grocery store just to pack a gift, everything matters.
[00:17:28] Speaker N: Hey, my name is prosperous. This is my third year and I usually unload and load trucks.
My favorite part of working at the processing center is the people. Like we work as a team. I like to be here like this is my spot where I find the most comfort and I'm able to be myself.
I'm 22 years old and what encourages me is when I see younger people my age working, passionate for the Lord. So when you come into this environment, you know that there's a task that needs to be done and that there's people willing to and get that done.
[00:18:01] Speaker F: Let the little children come to me.
Don't forbid them for such is the kingdom of God.
Assuredly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a Little child will by no means enter it.
Operation Christmas Child is a way for the little children to come to Almighty God.
[00:18:35] Speaker K: That is the best gift of all, is becoming part of God's family.
[00:18:41] Speaker C: The mission of Operation Christmas Child never changes. Children are coming to Jesus. Children are being discipled, and children are taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
[00:18:57] Speaker G: These children are brave and bold, not afraid, and they're not ashamed of the gospel.
They're trained and equipped to go out and share their faith with others. And many times in areas where it's an unreached people group, the Bible tells us the time is now.
[00:19:12] Speaker C: Let them come. Jesus said let them come.
And they're coming.
They're coming by the millions.
[00:19:23] Speaker B: Every single box represents the life of
[00:19:26] Speaker F: a young boy, a young girl who
[00:19:28] Speaker B: will be touched by the Gospel.
[00:19:31] Speaker K: Jesus has come to give them light that they do not need to be in the darkness, that they have hope, that they have joy. And it is our prayer that this glorious light of the Gospel will flow among the nations and will fill our land with the knowledge of the glory of God.
[00:19:49] Speaker C: The Lord God Almighty desires to fulfill his redemptive plan for mankind in and through each of us and all of us, all of us are children of God.
We share this incredible opportunity to take the gospel truly to the ends of the earth by gathering children to Jesus.
[00:20:09] Speaker F: I believe this year for Operation Christmas, Michelle, this may be the most important year, most important opportunity that we'll ever have to reach children. In the name of Jesus Christ, pray that God will use these shoebox gifts to make a difference in the children's life for eternity.
[00:20:29] Speaker E: That is Franklin Graham with Samaritan's Purse and some of the workers and volunteers with Operation Christmas Child. You can be involved by stopping by the Journey in Lynchburg and picking up a shoebox and then filling it with gifts from for a child. All of the details
[email protected] I'm Mark Edwards. Thank you for joining us for the Hometown Journal.
[00:20:51] Speaker A: You've been listening to the Journey Hometown Journal. If you're a part of an organization or know of one in the communities we serve and would like to be considered as a guest, please make your
[email protected] email officeyjourneyfm.com or call 800-424-9594. The Hometown Journal is a presentation of the Journey.
