Dropped Off My Boxes! #ipackedashoebox 2016

Hello Packers!

     Ah, yes, the wonderful time of the year right before Thanksgiving break has come where all packers across the nation are sending their boxes to the drop off locations that will soon be sent to processing then to the hands of a blessed child. This time of year is always a fun and happy one so I hope you all had a great time dropping off your shoe boxes. I dropped off my boxes at Bayside Church again this year and at times of dropping off your boxes, we need to remember that although the volunteers might be a bit dismissive, this does not deter from the main focus of the ministry: to get those boxes to children in unfortunate circumstances.

     These children out there are going to be so thankful that you took the time, energy and who knows how much money into putting their box together. Truly, this is an amazing ministry and your work is being recognized. 

     This year, I surpassed my OCC goal of 50 boxes and ended up with 159 boxes. This is one of the most exciting moments for my OCC career as I have never packed up these many boxes before.

2014 - 9 boxes

2015 - 20 boxes

Packing these shoe boxes has been a great experience on both my heart and my connection with the Lord. With every box, I can feel God telling me to include certain items that each child might like or really need. These shoe boxes might not look like a lot but each one represents a child that is going to be exposed to the gospel and might be saved. That is something that any packer or Christian can really hope for. 

I don't know the child that any of these boxes are going to nor do I know what their life is like but God does. God knows their struggles, their problems, their position in faith and He knows that with every box there is a specific child for each one. This year, especially with everything going on, I am so grateful that the Lord inspired Franklin Graham to create this ministry so that Christians all over the world can come together and make a child's day with a box filled with goodies, hygiene products and extra school supplies. I love this ministry.

DROP OFF:

The drop off happened right after I got out of my SFG at school. I had to wait for the flat bed as many people had brought large amounts of boxes too. I had arrived at about 12:00 and didn't get out of there until 1:00. This is my first cart of shoe boxes and my goodness, it was hard to decide if I should drop off the plastic or the cardboard boxes first. It was also so heavy that a member of the staff had to come out and help direct me to the drop off building.

The team was a bit different compared to the team last year as they didn't really show much enthusiasm for the boxes I was dropping off like they did last year. They looked rather frustrated that I was bringing in so many boxes. I understand that they need to put them into larger boxes and send them to the processing area but it was a bit discouraging the way that they were treating me like an unwanted customer. Nonetheless, I ended up cheering on other people that were bringing in shoe boxes in place of the volunteer workers. I remember the way I was treated last year and the year before that but today I didn't feel like we were part of a ministry but part of some business and that is something I hope you guys didn't experience when you were/are dropping off your boxes.

I might not have had the best experience at Bayside but I will say that it is the reminder that I am doing this not for the volunteers or the likes on Facebook/Instagram but I am doing this so children that are less fortunate than I can have a Christmas and maybe come to know Jesus through it. 

Shoe Box Gender Breakdown:

BOYS:

10-14: 59 Boxes

5-9: 3 Boxes

2-4: 34 Boxes

GIRLS:

10-14: 37 Boxes

5-9: 4 Boxes

2-4: 22 Boxes

2016 has been an amazing year for us at Shoe Box Loving and we hope to spread more cheer and excitement for the cause next year as well. We are blessed and thankful that we have come across so many resources for our shoe boxes and that next year will be prosperous as well. 

God Bless and Happy Packing!

9/29 2-4 Girl Box

Hello Packers!

     I have been on a young child box kick as of late and I just couldn't do a box for a boy and not do one for a girl. I have a space in my heart for those young babies. Even in the US I feel for the children that are unable to be fed, to wear appropriate clothing or to be able to play with educational toys. The economy of the world, the ongoing war going on in the Middle East and just all of the chaos going on in the world...I believe that these boxes are little rays of sunshine in a world of grey. I feel that these boxes can possibly give a child a chance to realize that they are worth more than their situations and know that there are still good people in the world that want nothing but the best for them and for them to come to Christ.

     

ITEMS:

As you have probably noticed from my previous articles: School Supplies, regardless of age, is always an important inclusion. So, I included in her box:

- 2 Coloring Books -2 Notebooks

-Pencil Sharpener - Crayons

- 10 Pencils - 5 Pens

-Heart Puffy Stickers

Just like the previous box, I am so incredibly happy with the educational items that were on clearance at Target. I love the items and they're also fun so it's a win-win.

-Numbers Book -Doc McStuffins Puzzle

-Alphabet Puzzle -Matching Set

-Water Color Paint Set -Eraser

-Lacing Shapes

Some other great items are hygiene items as well as clothing items. 

-Socks -Comb Brush

-Tooth Brush -Tooth Brush Holder

-Soap -Cookie Cup

Those magnetic yo-yo's are the coolest things I've ever found and I'm super excited for the little girl who gets to play with them. I also wanted these boxes to have large stuffed characters so she gets a relatively large Disney Pirate Girl. 

PACKING:

Step One: So, like all the boxes, put the flattest items on the bottom of the shoe box and most of the items I put in this box are relatively close to the same size so they stacked perfectly on top of each other.

Step Two: There was a space behind the notebooks and other square items so I put the pencils and the tooth brush items there.

Step 3: I had to rearrange a few items as the fillers went in but thankfully they all fit in perfectly. The doll's head is unfortunately really big and not that squishable so the box closed at an angle but still it looks quite nice with the brown polka dot lid and the floral box. 

I hope you guys are having as much fun packing your boxes as I am packing mine. Love and prayers, everyone.

Happy Packing!

9/28 Just Couldn't Help It: Here's Another Box

Hello Packers!

     So, I have been on a box packing/researching hiatus for the last month or so but something truly pulled at my heartstrings when I found a lot of toddler educational items in the Target Clearance section a few weeks ago. I was planning for my 2-4 year old boxes for next year but as I put the items away, I just couldn't help it. Something inside me told me that I needed to pack this box. I fell in love with this child, although I have no idea who or where he is, but I could feel myself knowing who this child was and how helpful these items would be to him. I hope you enjoy the photos and have fun packing!

ITEMS:

So for this box, it is mainly education and creativity based so this child gets:

-Two coloring books

-A Shapes book

-Two Notebooks

-Pencil Case

-Crayons

-Flash Cards

-Eraser

-10 Pencils

-5 Pens

-Lacing Shapes

-Alphabet Puzzle

-Soft hacky Sack

-Water Color Paint set

Something that inspired this box was the large stuffed green teddy bear. My mother had tons of these during my soccer years and we still had one left over. So, this child also gets:

-Green Teddy Bear

-Lion Puzzle

-Tooth Brush

-Tooth Brush Case

-Comb

-Soap

-Jesus Necklace

-Pencil Sharpener

-Magnetic YOYO

PACKING:

Step 1: When filling the shoe box, try to put the flattest stuff on the bottom just because it keeps them from bending/getting wrinkled, it won't take up much space and you get to feel like your box is organized which is a plus for those of us that hate putting items together haphazardly. 

Step 2: Other items that don't take up much space or can take up the length of the box are a good item to put in next. I placed the pencils length wise and then the toothbrush. I decided that I won't put the toothbrush in the container anymore. I understand that it is better to keep them together to save on space of the box but I also remember how it is whenever I get something new, I love to take off the paper and enjoy the fresh new item. I don't want to strip the child of that too much.

Step 3: Then go in the other items that you haven't put in yet. Remember to use the volume of the water bottle when you pack so you can get as much as possible in the box. The Magnetic yoyo was in a large container that took up too much space so we took that out. By the way, we should be careful with how much packaging we send overseas. A lot of the communities that these boxes show up in don't have a great waste system so their garbage piles up. It is unfair of us to add to their garbage in that way. 

Step 4: I had to redo the coloring books because having them curved really bugged me. But the stuffed animal went in last as it is the one thing that will be able to be crushed down and still come out normal-looking. 

Step 5: Always put the rubber bands on the box even if it is perfectly secure. In the process of transporting our boxes from the drop off site to the processing center, some lids can become unhinged and some plastic lids can fall off. Then the crew would be stuck trying to figure out which items belonged where and I believe many of us pack our boxes to be one of a kind, so it would suck if those items were lost. Also, place the label at one end of the box. Some put it in the middle but it is not a great idea as the tape that they put on to secure the boxes for international travel tends to go right over the middle of the boxes.

Alright, I hope you all are having a fabulous time packing. 

Happy Packing!

Why is School Supplies so Important for our Boxes?

Hello Packers!

     I have stopped packing my boxes as I have reached a heaping haul of 140 or so boxes and have to focus on school. However, that isn't stopping me from letting you all know some other great things that we can use to advance our boxes and to get a stronger desire for the things we pack in them. With that being said, I want to talk about the importance of school supplies in our shoe boxes. 

     I was watching a youtube video and something struck me as the person was packing their box. They had included all these great toys and goodies but they only included some pretty gel pens and nothing to write on. That struck me a bit as odd but realized that a lot of other packers didn't include even pens in their boxes, they would include a strip of stickers and that's it or they would include a notebook but nothing to write with. I found that to be a bit concerning as you wouldn't send your student to school with a notebook and hope for the best, right? So, that made me want to spread the word of just how important school supplies are.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE SUPPLIES: DON'T COME.

     In many countries, like certain parts of Ecuador and Africa, if you don't have any school supplies, and I mean the basics of paper and pencil, then you can't go to school to write down what you learned or to do your homework. Believe it or not but children actually want to go to school and educate themselves. I know that in the United States our children are at an 80/20 of children that hate school to those that like it, but even without school supplies, our children can go to school and a teacher or a friend can provide a piece of paper and pen. 

     There are certain areas of the Philippines where children will go through the garbage to find school supplies along with stuff to sell with their parents: it's really sad. Children deserve the rights to a basic education and unfortunately, with poverty-struck children, getting school supplies just so they can go to school is difficult. That's why it is up to us, the packers, to make sure that the children that receive these boxes will also get a good notebook, pencils, pens (optional), erasers, calculator (optional), and pencil sharpener. August is the best time to stock up on these items since the back to school shopping season is upon us. 

GIRLS DON'T GO TO SCHOOL

     In certain countries, girls are forbidden from going to school because of religious reasons or fear of boys/rapists. A woman's blog I follow on Facebook posted about two girls she had met that happened to be of the Muslim religion. They were not allowed to go to school and just hearing that broke my heart. It sucks knowing that there is a school right down the road full of knowledge and being told you can't go. Because of that, I believe in giving school supplies out the wazoo for these boxes. We don't always know if the boxes will be sent to girls in those situations but just imagine if we could get a girl so many pencils and pens, notebooks and crayons that they are able to teach themselves how to do things? 

     Women have been self-taught for years now and girls are no different. They can learn on their own and teach their siblings if they need to. School Supplies are a huge impact on these children because we don't know if they go to school, can't go to school or can't afford to go to school but I know personally that a notebook can change your life and inspire you to do things that you wouldn't imagine possible. Girls deserve that chance even if they aren't allowed to get educated. 

LIST OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES

     Like I had said earlier, a lot of people will include items and then not include the rest. I understand that we can't afford to put everything in this list in the box, but if you are including pens, include a notebook. The two go together like Sandy and Danny. 

• Notebook
• Journal
• Memo Pad
• Ballpoint Pens
• Gel Pens
• High Lighters
• Erasers
• Pencil top Erasers
• Pencil Sharpener
• Solar Calculator
• Beginner Reader Books
• Ruler (Metric)
• Pencil Pouch
• Backpack
• Tote bag
• Folders
• Crayons
• Markers
• Glue Sticks
• Scissors
• Sticky Notes
• Pencils
• Mechanical Pencils
• Led for Mechanical Pencils

Well Packers, I hope that this opened up a nice highlight into the importance of school supplies in our boxes and that it inspires you to include more school supply items. Happy Packing!

OCC Plastic Box decorating w/Scripture

Hello Packers!

     So, unfortunately I have come to the inevitable end of my cardboard go boxes from OCC. I know! I went through an entire set of 100 boxes. I can't believe it either. But, because of that I have obtained some great Sterilite boxes at Walmart for $0.94. However, if I were you, go to Target because they are sold for $0.84 there so that saves you a good 10 cents. Anyway, I have decorated plastic boxes before with Sharpies and again, that is what I have done but I included scripture as a piece of the shoe box decoration as well. I have seen a few boxes include scripture or some "Jesus Loves You" sentiments so I took that inspiration to make these boxes.

Materials Used:
-The good Book
-A 10 pack of Sharpies
-Creative Inspiration...and a bit of the internet.

This was an idea I got from a diy Christmas card and used the bottoms of cups and lotion lids to make the circles for the lids. If you want to include scripture, you can put it on one of the ornaments or make a magical looking ribbon at the bottom and put the scripture there. You're probably asking yourself, "But...how is the child going to know what 1 Peter 3:11 means?" Well, they will by just flipping over the lid!

On the inside, you can write the scripture and maybe even a sweet little sentiment from you or your children. I know that some people like to put their hand prints on the inside of the lid.

Another idea is to just surround the scripture with some floral designs.

If you have any basic paper or index card, you can create a perfect little section to put the scripture and then surround the border with whatever decor you prefer.

...or, if you want to include the scripture as a part of the pattern itself, you can do something like this with the polka dots. You can do this easily with hearts, stars, stripes and pretty much anything you can think of.

Alright packers, if you are looking to make the shoe box look even more like a gift from the outside, I recommend decorating it with whatever you have. I've seen people use glitter glue and even stickers to decorate the plastic shoe boxes to look really personal and give a more "Giver to receiver" feel when the boxes are done to be one of a kind.

It's almost half way through July, Happy Packing Everyone!

OCC Box decorating with School Promos

Hello Packers!

     I know it has been a crazy long time since I have last posted and I'm very happy to let you know I have tons to post! Anyway, have you been looking at your regular go boxes and been wondering how to decorate them? I was lucky the other day in finding some School Jesus promotional decorations at my Dollar Tree and found that they are the perfect width of the go boxes provided by OCC.

These come in a pack of 15 thin cardboard promotional cards. There were others that promoted good grades and doing good deeds in school but I found that these would make a bit more sense for this organization. 

Just like my previous post about decorating with programs, make sure that the decoration is within the lines of the shoe box folds. When you fold it, it will look like the decoration is over the lines but when folded entirely, it is just the view of perception that makes it look like it is over. They are also very sturdy so we know that it won't be too easy to destroy the decoration through transit.

For this decoration, I put tape on all four sides of the decoration piece because although the tape does overlap onto the box's lines, the tape doesn't ruin the look of the box nor ruin the function of folding.

     I know this post was a bit short but I do have more to follow. There isn't much, unfortunately, to say about taping a promo to a box but it makes for a cute box, right?

Happy Packing!

OCC IDEA: Decorating Shoe Boxes w/Progams

Hello Packers!

     More likely than not you go to a church, right? In that church, a lady or one of the seating escorts will hand you a planner that has something nice to say on the front and then the program of the church service, what's going on and whose birthday it is in the inside: right? Well, I have been going to my church for a while now and they include these beautiful programs that have flowers or nature scenes and scripture. They look like this:

I don't necessarily like to keep them as they take up a lot of space and after reading them, they are unfortunately just a piece of paper with scripture that will be kept away in my Bible. So, with that being said, I thought about this a few days ago: these could look really nice on a box.

     A lot of people tend to attach drawings, scripture calendar pages and stickers to the outside of the boxes to make them look attractive and appealing to the children. I saw these and knew these would be great additions to my boxes.

They do make a perfect fit and if you aren't too fond of the logo being on every one of your boxes, this can do the trick. These can go on any box, this is just all I had available. 

The process to put these program covers on your shoe box is quite simple. You can cut, fold and tear or glue both pages together so that you have one sheet for your program.

 Next, you can tape the backside with double sided tape, a flipped tape holder, glue dots, glue or just tape it on like I did for most of them. 

In the end, VOILA! I know that it doesn't look like the greatest thing but just one simple piece of paper could bring God's grace to that child and also it adds a bit of personality to your shoe boxes. Anyway, I hope you guys liked that idea and I'll be cranking out some in the future so look forward to that. 

Happy Packing!

Christmas Wrapped 2-4 Year Old Girl Box

Hello Packers!

     Alright, so I don't really like to wrap up boxes in Christmas paper. Why? Well, most of the time that paper will be destroyed in the carrying hold and in the transportation process from the States to another country. I didn't want to do this at first but something told me that wrapping this box for this little girl would be worth it in the end. It did make an incredibly cute box but I must say that I give props to the packers out there that will wrap every single one of their boxes. I don't think I have enough patience for that. 

Now, isn't that just adorable?

     Now, I wasn't planning on packing a box today because I have work later on and a few errands to run but I just couldn't let this box go unpacked for another second. As you all know, I don't really like to do too many younger kid boxes. Why? Because in all truth, there will be more boxes donated to the younger/middle ages because they are a lot easier to pack. But, because of the things I saw the moment I walked in to my section of the garage for packing, I decided that this box will be going to the younger age of girls.

THE ITEMS:

     So, the items that I included were all based off the basic criteria of the shoe boxes according to the Operation Christmas Child packing video from their website. The categories include: TOYS, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, SOMETHING TO WEAR, HYGIENE ITEMS, SOMETHING TO LOVE (Wow item).

TOYS:

     So, I know that stacking cups are a bit young for a 2-4 year old but they can also be used to play with sand or with water depending on where they live and who doesn't love something they can put something else into? Then I included three items from my Valentine's Day haul: a heart clapper (noise, the parents will love me), a light up flashlight wand and a color in tote bag. I like to include the color in stuff for the younger age because although it will be covered in scribbles, it is still a bit too small for the older age groups.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES:

     Every child deserves a coloring book so a coloring book was a must. (Unfortunately, this coloring book was too thick and didn't fit into the box, I had to use two Watermelon themed ones instead.) Of course, crayons need to go with the coloring book and more writing sets so five notebooks went inside with two erasers, a pencil sharpener, five pencils and five pens. (Someone asked me what the point of including pens was and I will say that pencils are helpful and all but nothing beats the smooth writing sensation of a pen against paper. Also, most children are able to make a pencil last for over three or so months so already that is about fifteen months of pencils right there and then pens for the opportunity to go to school longer as all they need is a writing utensil and something to write on.)

SOMETHING TO WEAR:

     Having something new to wear might not seem all that great to kids in the United States but to a child who might not have anything, it is a great blessing. Unfortunately I don't have any youth shirts for girls or gender neutral colored shirts for the girls either so this little girl gets a knit hat, socks and a pair of mittens instead. When looking for clothing, you don't have to include a shirt specifically but if you want to include a skirt, dress, or just a pair of underwear, that would make a load of difference to that little girl.

HYGIENE:

     Alright, so technically a water bottle and silverware aren't hygiene items but to fit the categories, they don't really go any where else. So here this child will be getting a set of silverware that have little hearts on them, a pack of facial tissue, a bar of soap, a toothbrush, a comb and a sippy cup. 

SOMETHING TO LOVE:

     This is one of the larger stuffed animals and I know I'm a little ageist here but I like to include the larger stuffed animals for the youngest age. Along with the cute bunny, this girly will get a pack of sweet heart candies. This is the last year for us to include candy as well as toothpaste so if you guys are thinking of including them, pack as much as you can because this will be the last year to do so.

PACKING:

1. I didn't include this in the picture because I always forget about stickers but here is the box with the flattest of items: stickers. Again, just a reminder, always have the flat stuff on the bottom of the box. 

2. Then went in the notebooks, crayons and the coloring books. I feel terrible for not being able to fit that one coloring book because that would have made my day as a child but hopefully the two coloring books here will suffice.

3. I didn't realize how deep my box was until I started loading it with the goodies. As you can see, the candy and the soap are both bagged so that they don't melt, crack or spill out onto the rest of the gifts. 

4. Now doesn't that look like a happy bunny? Unfortunately because the sippy cup was smaller than the usual cups I fill, it took up all that space with nothing inside it. Thankfully the stacking cups held the socks, pencil sharpener and the erasers so that the bunny could fit in nice and snug at the top of the box's items. 

     Alright Packers, it is 6/20/2016 here in the States and that means that the first day of drop off, 11/14/2016 is 147 days away! Can you believe it? We're under the 200 day mark! I hope you all are running those brains of yours on what to include in those boxes and get your praying knees on full blast for these beautiful children.

(Box 79)

Happy Packing!

OCC FINDS: Bible-Related Items at Dollar Tree

Hello Packers!

     This came to me a few days ago as I was watching a video on youtube about a girl's packing experience (yes, that is what I do in my free time...) and she pulled out one of the Recycled Paper Bible Coloring books that I had gotten before for my boxes. I was so excited to see that but in the comments, some people were wondering where she got it and where they could order them. So that got me thinking about giving you guys a post of all the Bible-related items that I could find at Dollar Tree that could go in your boxes. I tend to buy those items because I like to include a good amount of the Holy Book as possible without overwhelming the child with too much English language, especially if it isn't their first language. With that, I hope you guys like what I found and think about using some of them for your boxes.

The first thing I saw, and have previously posted about before are these great Bible playing cards. They are mostly memory games or match games so the concept of having to know the rules is mute. I also recommend getting these because even if they don't know how to play or they don't want to play, they also have people of the Bible on there so if a girl doesn't want to play with the cards as cards, she could also use them as dolls. I know, I don't really think that is a great use of Moses and Noah as they go to the mall with Barbie and Ken but still, this could be a really nice gift for either age and gives a fun way to learn about the Bible.

Like I had said earlier about the Bible coloring book, I found one at the Dollar Tree today. These are almost always there and will hopefully be there as long as OCC continues. I like this for all ages as they get to color the characters and learn about the Bible and God along the way. I will say that the inside of this coloring book is a bit more advanced so it may be more along the lines for a 10-14 year old rather than a 2-4 year old. If you find the recycled paper brand, those coloring books are more age appropriate for any age on the spectrum. Another thing I like about this is that it includes little stories at the bottom of the pages so if the child doesn't finish the Greatest Journey or loses their Bible, there are still stories from the Bible down below that they can learn to interpret in their own language.

A teacher was filling a box and she included beginning reader books for children of the older age as they could be just learning the English language and this could be a way to help them. I love that these books come in levels 1 and 2 and they have 3 stories of the Bible in them. These are the only ones that were available but if you are packing for older boys, these would be great additions and they are thin enough to fit into the boxes.

This book is quite English language heavy so I don't recommend this entirely but it is also a nice little book full of prayers for another person in time of distress, happiness, loneliness etc. It has over 15 pages full of long prayers for another person and you know how most of us hear, "You're in our prayers" but you don't fully believe them? This could be another way to convince the children that they truly are in your prayers and these ones written down express a small part of how much you pray for them. It is a small book despite the picture and it can be a great addition for an older child, you never know, they might be really good at reading English.

Now, I don't do this but I know of some packers out there that do and they include magnets for the middle and older age groups so that they can use them at home if they have a refrigerator or use them as a decoration piece at their home. Whatever they use them for, magnets can be included in your boxes. I have collected some of these for my own home because they are true and of pretty nice quality. All of them have some form of scripture on them and could be a nice pocket reminder to the children of God's great love. 

I haven't included anything too text heavy in my boxes for the sole reason that these children might not know English or don't know how to read at all for that matter because of a possible lack of education. However, I also think that basic word searches, although they are text heavy, can help a student learn some basic words and possibly open up their world to the English language which would be quite beneficial if they move to the United States or another English speaking country. I saw that a few ladies have included word searches like this before so I think this would be a great addition and as they look up basic Bible words, they recognize the Bible words and stories along the way. 

I LOVE these! These are perfectly small books and they are some of the "My First Book of..." brand books so they are perfect for young readers and it isn't too text heavy. Not only that, the books are in the shape of praying hands and they are about prayers for thank you's, friendships, bedtimes and mealtimes. I absolutely love these and recommend them hands down for any 2-4 year old boxes. Seriously, what a great find.

This was the last thing that I was able to find and I haven't done this myself but I can see how it can benefit for the older age group or for those who want to possibly get a letter sent back. This is a note card set and some people will leave a note with an envelope, sometimes addressed to their own homes, in hopes that the child will respond to them and write a letter back. Not all children do this and after three years, I can tell you that not many do but still there is that opportunity. Also, this is a perfect little card that can fit into a frame or be propped up so that they see this message every day. If not for a letter to send back to you, it could be that poster in their room or the only reminder of God's graces and good that they have. This is a nice little idea and you can get 8 for a dollar, that isn't too bad.

     Well, Packers, this was all that I could find that would be OK to put into a shoe box gift. I hope you guys take these items into consideration and put a lot of prayer into your boxes.

Happy Packing!