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Tigard pastor to speak at Quaker Heritage Week
Pastoral Pondering: Give thanks to God for the
saints in your life, those who've taught you life's lessons
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A shoebox full of hope in the form of gifts to those in need |
Local organizers of Operation Christmas Child hope
to top last year's efforts of 800 boxes |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
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In places like Kosovo and parts
of Mexico, children live in dismal, colorless areas. They eat
garbage and can only go to school if they have their own school
supplies.
Tamara Brand and others are trying to change that.
The Newberg branch of Operation Christmas Child has partnered with
Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief mission, to provide gift
boxes that were sent to more than 6.6 million children in 95
countries last year.
Last year Brand accepted donations of more than 800 boxes,
the most taken in during the four years she’s been gathering the
colorful boxes. She hopes to gather more boxes every year as people
come to know about the project.
“Wrapped with Christmas wrap, it looks like a normal present,”
Brand said. “Inside mine are simple wooden toys, a stuffed dog or
lamb, a T-shirt, washcloth, toothbrush, toothpaste, pencils,
crayons, lollipops, socks and underwear. I’m amazed at how much I
can get in there.”
Samaritan’s Purse asks that people include $5, either cash or
check, to process the box.
“They recommend toys, something to snuggle with, school supplies –
in a lot of countries they can’t go to school without own supplies –
hygiene items such as soap, toothbrushes and washcloths, hard candy
(no chocolates because it could melt), whatever it takes to fill up
a box,” she said.
Family photos of the people who put the boxes together, as well as
an address, are also suggested. That way the child receiving the
gift can see who provided the box and can write back to the family.
Although not required, Brand asked that anyone who donates to wrap
the boxes, top and bottom separately, in brightly-colored wrapping
paper. “When the children get something bright and cheerful, they
think the box is the present,” she said.
The boxes are sent to California, where volunteers go through each
one to ensure that no liquids, war-type toys, breakable items or
medicines are inside.
Brand’s family puts together six boxes every year, one for each
member of the family and one in honor of her mother, who began the
tradition and who died four years ago.
After Brand’s mother was diagnosed with cancer Brand and her sister
hoped to gather 56 boxes in honor of her mother’s age. They raised
more than 400.
“It was meaningful for her,” she said. Now Brand and her family
have taken on the tradition.
“The kids love it,” she said. They often help choose what will be
placed in each box.
The project is so popular that a few years ago it was Brand’s
daughter Erica’s game around the house. “She pretended I was the
shoebox kid and brought me things like Barbie dolls, as presents,”
she said.
“(The project) gets Christmas started off right. It shows kids that
Christmas is not just all about getting stuff. It’s nice to do a
giving family project before you think about getting. It’s kind of a
reminder.”
Brand will accept boxes until Nov. 21. After that anyone who wants
to donate to the program may call Samaritan’s Purse at
1-800-353-5949.
For more information or to drop off a box call Brand at
503-538-5585. Information about Samaritan’s Purse can be found on
its Web site at www.samaritanspurse.org. |
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From
Nov. 13, 2004,
Newberg Graphic
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