Renewed Commitment

For the past couple of years, Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child(OCC) has had a special conference called CONNECT to bring together the "hands and feet" of the ministry to strengthen and support the volunteer leaders.

Philippians 2:1-2 tells us:
" If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose."

That is what the CONNECT Conference was all about and it was AWESOME! Being with so many other "like-minded" individuals seeking to meet other servants, share insight, and praise God as one for this incredible ministry was an amazing experience.

There were incredible speakers, including a lovely lady who had received a shoe box as a child and is now giving back, the Regional International Representative who serves India (where Florida's boxes have gone for the past several years), one of the primary creators of the "Blue Series" which is the whole philosophy of the volunteer process for OCC, the Director of OCC, and the Vice President of Samaritan's Purse. Everyone was incredibly inspiring and with each passing hour my passion, commitment and desire to increase the efforts on the Space Coast area multiplied.

Jim Harrelson, (Samaritan's Purse VP) made a statement that clearly defines what Operation Christmas Child is all about: "Each box is important: one box, one child, one heart; one opportunity at a time to reach a child who can be blessed by the gift of forgiveness through acceptance of Christ."

One quarter of the boxes collected go to India. This year they received 1,000,000 boxes and it wasn't enough! The fields are white for harvest---it is time for true Christ-followers to get involved in fulfilling the Great Commission. We have ALL been called; not everyone has been called to leave their home, but TOGETHER we can make a significant impact around the world.

Volunteering with Operation Christmas Child year-round is a commitment to increasing "gospel opportunities" around the world through the simple gift of a show-box and the gospel message that goes with it. PLEASE, prayerfully consider being a part of changing the world..."one box, one child, one heart" at a time!