Quick Update on Tally

After the first collection Sunday – which is traditionally our lowest turnout – we have committed 43 shoeboxes …  so still 957 to go   We are quite a bit away – but please pray for our total count everyone!

2008 Promotional Video @ SCAC

Hey everyone, the 2008 promotional video is now posted!

2008 SCAC Target

Alright everyone – here’s the challenge – 1000 shoeboxes this year … can we make it happen?

Morningstar Christian Fellowship

Went to pick up the official Operation Christmas Child (OCC) materials tonight at Morningstar Christian Fellowship – as far as I know, they’ve been an official collections centre for a number of years and have very dedicated helpers year over year.  These helpers are completely volunteers and praise the Lord that they help so much in providing for this ministry!

Some interesting facts about OCC that I picked up tonight:

• There were roughtly 17 Million 7.6 Million (see comment clarification – still a lot of shoeboxes!)shoeboxes delivered last year
• The group of 10-14 Boys were the most neglected group in the OCC ministry (hopefully, we can do a much better job this year in shoebox distribution) – a lot of them would like a Teddy Bear (surprisingly) based on surveys done
• OCC has an unofficial motto “One Shoebox, One Child, One Time” – this means that places receiving the shoxboxes are not repeated, and a child does not receive a shoebox year after year.  The main reason this is done is beacuse OCC does not want to detriment the local economy by providing goods normally sold locally.  And of course, the world is large and we want to spread the gospel more evenly around the globe.
• Despite instructions about what items CAN and CAN NOT be put in the shoebox, over the years, there have been some strage items such as “a piece of cooked chicken” and “unusual underwear” – thats pretty funny!

And now, some pictures to share!

Members from other churches listening to the presentation!

Very organized!

Dedicated volunteers for OCC

Future helper arrived =P

With blessings from our Lord, Joyce and Alex have become new parents last Monday!  Baby Cheung hopefully will help out with this ministry in a few years too ^_^  Congratulations!

Eric

2007 Promotional Video

For everyone’s interest – here is the link to last year’s shoebox promo video.

Walmart and Staples …

Thanks to the sharp eye of Fong Fong – we were able to get a bunch of supplies for a very good price!

• 250 Packs of HB2 Pencils (Pack of 10) @ $0.36 each at Staples
• 250 Packs of Crayons @ $1.67 each at Walmart

We got the supplies we needed – and just in time too (Sale ended shortly after).

Here is Anlian showing off Walmart’s limitations in their receipts – they have to enter each item, line-by-line!

When did we start using scrolls as receipts?

The little store that gave so much…

When we went to collect shoe boxes the last couple of weeks, I ran across some really mean and really nice people. 

One manager from a department store has lots of empty boxes, but she just doesn’t care and tell us that there’s no empty boxes available even after I explain to her that it’s used for preparing Christmas gifts for children in third world country.

The other person that we met was so nice, he saved up so many boxes for us and organize them into a big box and ask if we still need more next time.  When I left that store, I really hope that he would be blessed by our LORD.

Luckily I met the mean person first, so I feel much more encouraged later on when I met the nice person.

Eric

Poor man to VIP

There is another one for collecting the empty shoeboxes….
 
You ask for the empty box at the shoe store, they store worker looks at you like the poor man walking in the ancient restaurant in the TV show.  Once you explain the usage of the shoeboxes, they treat you like a VIP = (“2 big gold blocks putting on the table, the waiter quickly mopping the table and chairs….and say “have a sit SIR”).  They lead you to the back of the store, showing you all they have……
 

alex

Santa Claus

When I bought a big load of goods for the shoebox in the store; once you start loading you cart, people around you will get attracted to you.  They would grab whatever you grab even though they don’t know if they really need it or not.  Then they will also give you the “angry eyes”.  But once you bought them, walked out the store and started loading you truck, you felt like you are the Santa.  When you think about the kids who will get these gifts, you will feel good!!  The work you have done, priceless.
 
Hope you feel the same way I felt but not getting the “angry eyes”!
 
 
alex