Between April 9 and 12, 2010, we went with 13 volunteers to Guang’an in Sichuan to give out gift boxes. The first stop was Guang’an Church of Christ. This parish has a population of over 2500 believers meeting regularly at 16 church gathering points in and around Guang’an District, under the pastoral care of only 5 ministers. Many areas in the district had been undergoing reconstruction and consolidation works after the earthquake in 2008. The Daishi Church, which was about 1.5 hours’ driving distance from Guang’an City centre, had temporarily rented two shop units for gathering functions due to unstable building structure.
The villages there were poverty-stricken and contacts with the outside world were limited. The kids there lived a simpler way of life. They might need to walk for an hour to get to the church. They all felt extremely excited to have people coming such a long way just to bring them gifts. The church ministers explained to them that it was all out of God’s love that these volunteers came to give them presents so as to share love and hope with them. When the kids opened their gift boxes and found those cool toys inside, they jumped for joy. The elder children even felt interested to ask questions regarding the gospel and many of them expressed that they would like to know more. After our team had returned Hong Kong, we received many hand-written thank-you letters from those kids expressing that they could feel our love and they were willing to know more about this Jesus Christ in whose name we went. We pray that God would keep these pure hearts in His hands and that the seeds of the gospel can grow exuberantly. OCC gift boxes do not only bring joy to children, but also serve as a tool in sharing God’s love and hope with them, their parents, and even the whole community.
We are looking forward to your participation in this year’s Operation Christmas Child. We hope that we can collect more gift boxes for children in need in 2010. Gift collection will start from November 28 till December 8. Further information will be posted on our website shortly.
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