La Habra Christian Church

What we do

Members of La Habra Christian Church fill shoe boxes with stuffed animals, coloring books, pens and pencils, toothbrushes and toothpaste, socks, t-shirts and small toys, among other things. They also make financial donations to Operation Christmas Child, and some volunteer at the Santa Ana processing center.

More than 50 boxes were donated by church members for the 2006 event.

What Operation Christmas Child Does

Operation Christmas Child, an awesome ministry of Samaritan's Purse, brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God's love.

This unique project provides an opportunity for people of all ages to be involved in a simple, hands-on missions outreach while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas – Jesus Christ, God's greatest gift.

Along with shoe box gifts, millions of children are given Gospel booklets in their own language. Last year, OCC delivered 7.6 million shoe boxes to children in 95 countries.

The shoe boxes that are donated in the Orange County area are delivered to the distribution center in Santa Ana. There, volunteers go through the boxes to ensure they are filled with appropriate items. The shoe boxes are then shipped around the world, spreading joy and the Word of God.

Inspirational Stories

In Zimbabwe, Tatenda, 11, was in his last year of school. His father died when he was four, and his mother had struggled for years to make ends meet for his school fees, clothing, and food. But his mother had taught him to trust God for all his needs and to continue to pray.

Two weeks before exam time, Tatenda mentioned to his mother once again the school supplies he needed for the tests – two pencils, an eraser, a ruler and two pens. "God is faithful" – that's all his mother could say.

The following Sunday at church, the pastor announced that visitors were coming from Operation Christmas Child. Tatenda received a gift box and a Gospel booklet. On the way home, he couldn't hold back the excitement of finding out what was in the box. He opened it and shouted with joy at the sight of a 12-pack of pencils, a 10-pack of pens, a calculator and socks. He and his mother sat by the roadside and carefully looked at the rest of the contents of the box. There were two t-shirts, a wristwatch, two toothbrushes, two tubes of toothpaste, soaps, towels and sweets.

His mother sang the "God is faithful" chorus all the way home. Just at the right time, God had answered their prayers. Everything Tatenda needed for the exams had been provided for, plus a lot more. The next morning Tatenda's mother went to their pastor and shared with him how God had touched the lives of her son and herself.

In the Dominican Republic, a pastor in El Seybo had completed a shoe box distribution in their church and decided to take a leftover box to her nephew. On the way there, the pastor saw a very sad-looking boy in the street. He was poor and barefoot. The pastor felt moved to give the box to the boy. Among the gifts inside was a pair of shoes. The shoes fit the boy perfectly.

In Zambia, Bupe began praying for a Bible of his own. He did this for a long time, believing that one day God would answer his prayers. During an Operation Christmas Child shoe box distribution, he received a box that contained a New Testament. He cried with joy, for God had answered his prayer.

In Liberia, the children took their gift boxes home to their parents with large smiles on their faces. Their parents were very happy because this was the first time their children had received such items. Upon hearing the Christmas message, the children received Christ immediately, hence turning their backs on idol worship. Through faith in Christ, their parents became saved, and today a local church has been planted in the town. The families that felt hatred for one another are now Christian families loving one another and worshiping God together. Glory be to God and many thanks to Operation Christmas Child.

In Chile, Miguel and his 4-year-old sister received shoe boxes at a distribution in a church. They invited their dad to go to the church with them the following week. He had not walked closely with the Lord for many years, but was persuaded to attend the service with his family. As a result, the man renewed his commitment to God. Today, he and all of his family attend church faithfully..

The Joys of Giving

Gulf Coast

From a family who participates in Operation Christmas Child: "Last year we started a tradition in which each family member fills a shoe box. This year we began our boxes in the spring, filling them gradually. All four of our boxes were complete by mid-August. I wrapped them in plastic bags and stored them in a cabinet to wait for our November church collection.

"On August 29, Hurricane Katrina ripped the roof from our rental trailer, blew out several windows, and shifted it partially off its foundation. The trailer was a total loss, along with the majority of our personal property.

"Because I had carefully stored our shoe boxes, we were able to salvage them. They had not been exposed to any of the destruction of Katrina. Our church is not collecting boxes this year because of the disaster; however, we wanted to make sure the boxes go to you. God bless your work!"

Oklahoma

The mother of a pre-school age child explained that the first step in packing a shoe box was to pray for the child who would receive it. Just as she was about to pray, she saw her daughter reach for the empty box in front of her. Slowly, the child raised the box to her face and carefully positioned it over her mouth. The little girl began to pray – filling the box with her words and the precious, literal breath of her prayer.

After she prayed, she filled the box with gifts and set it in a place of honor in her room. Over the next few weeks, she prayed every night for the child who would receive her box. The night before the mother planned to deliver their church's boxes to the collection center, she explained to her young daughter that the box would start its long journey to the unknown child the next day. That night, the child prayed her last prayer over the box, pulled it to her heart, and hugged it tightly to herself. "I hope she gets that hug," the little girl said.

Virginia

Pauline filled a staggering 1,100 shoe boxes on her own last year. And that doesn't include the 100 boxes she packed for victims of the December 2004 tsunami! The 75-year-old woman shops year round for items to place in the shoe boxes. For her, the shopping is therapeutic. It gives her an outlet from the daily challenges she and her husband face as they take care of their quadriplegic son. When she isn't shopping for shoe box gifts or attending to her son's needs, Pauline stays busy taking food to a local homeless shelter and to an adult day care center. She's always eager to lend a helping hand. Pauline's dedication to Operation Christmas Child has inspired friends to call her the "shoe box angel."