Operation Christmas Child: The Experience

This morning we dropped off our "shoebox" at our hometown church and concluded our first experience with Operation Christmas Child with Garrison. Our first year having a child old enough to participate and pick out toys and understand what it means to buy Christmas presents for someone else. I decided to write about it because I want to remember the shopping, the questions, the excitement and joy of giving, the prayers, and the way he made it so much more personal for his mama than ever before.

You see, I've filled shoeboxes in the past. I'm familar with Operation Christmas Child. I've bought the gifts. I've filled the boxes. I've prayed for the children who'd receive them. I've done it all multiple times. But this time was different. This time, my own child made it personal in a very real way. He made me think about that precious child we'll never meet and imagine him with his gifts. He made me think about the person who would hand this child our box. He made me think about what this little boy's name might be... not some random little boy but the little boy who would receive our box. He made me think about the exact age of this little boy. He made me question and wonder about this child's likes and interests. He made me love this child who'll receive our box. Whoa. I could tear up just thinking about it. Seeing and experiencing this shoebox filling process through my firstborn's eyes opened my eyes. And boy was I blessed.

The day we went shopping I tried to explain to Garrison that we were going Christmas shopping for another little boy who lived really far away. I also told him we didn't know the little boy but he was probably about the same age as him. Then, I explained (or tried to) that his family couldn't buy any Christmas presents for him so we were going to send him some presents and that most of all we wanted him to know that Jesus loves him. Immediately he had questions.

Where does he live? Why can't he have any presents? How old is he? Do you think he is 3 like me or 4? What is his name? Do you think it is Garrison? But we don't know where he lives so how will we give him his presents? What do you think he likes? Who is giving him the presents?

I answered them the best I could and we talked about him living very far away and his family maybe not having money or stores nearby with toys and how people at our church would make sure he got the present because they knew where he lived and how he might be almost 3 or almost 4. Garrison decided he was probably 3 just like him and he might have a birthday after Christmas just like him and he could possibly be named Garrison, just like him. =) Things I never would've thought about mattered to him. Things I just would have assumed or taken for granted, he genuinely cared about. Whereas in the past I'd prepared a shoebox for a little boy or a little girl in a certain age range, this year we were preparing a box for the little boy who would receive it. Because God had already decided and knew who would receive our box.

And then we shopped and shopped. And little man was just as indecisive as his mama. After much contemplation and discussion over what he would like best we picked out a small stuffed animal, a small baseball, a small basketball, crayons, markers, a coloring book, 2 small pictures books, 2 hotwheels, a small toy jeep, a toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, plus a flashlight I'd already purchased... I think that's everything. Some things were "automatics" that I picked out because I knew I wanted them included, but the toys were very important gifts to Garrison. As we shopped, he was really concerned about what the little boy liked. Do you think he will like this mama? I think he likes cars like me. I think he will like the baseball. Let's get him these markers cause they are big. I think he will like to color the animals. Every little comment made me want to grab him up and give him a hug and tell him how much I loved him and how much this little boy was going to enjoy all his goodies. Until we took forever at the store and I had wrap things up fast so we could get home to daddy and Austin. Ha!

Later that night we talked more about our box and the little boy who would get it. He asked more of the same questions but seemed to understand a little more too. He was starting to get it... the purpose of the box and giving to someone who didn't have a lot. And he started to get excited about it. And I thought my heart would explode.

For the next week we packed the box and talked more about the little boy and prayed for the little boy. We prayed for the little boy to know that Jesus loves him and that Jesus is God. Garrison always wanted me to include the part about Jesus being God. I'm not sure why because mid-prayer I didn't want to stop and question him, but we prayed that he would know that Jesus is God and that He loves him and will take care of him and that he would have fun playing with his presents.

And today was the day we turned it in and dropped it off so it will eventually make it into the hands of a special little boy. Garrison wasn't as into it as I thought he'd be but we were in a hurry getting to church and he was slightly distracted by grandparents. Still, I know he'll bring up the box and the presents and the little boy again in the future. And we'll keep praying for him and thinking about him. And next year we're definitely tracking our box. We were too late this year but have decided to do it next year for sure.

I loved experiencing this new tradition with my big boy and I'm grateful he made it personal for me and taught me to think about the little things. The little boy who receives our box is so special and important to us because of Garrison's thoughtfulness and curiosity and concern. His faith and innocence was priceless. And his mama was blessed. Thank you sweet boy.

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And just because we haven't been taking a whole lot of pictures lately with me being sick... here's one of both boys... Rub a dub dub, 2 Selph's in a Tub!