Is it all worth it? Answer: Yes

Hello Packers!

     Have you guys ever had that moment while packing your boxes or shopping for your boxes and thought, "Is this even worth it?", "How do I know that this box even reaches a child?", "Am I using my spiritual gift in the right way?"? Well, I had that moment last week when I was looking at my stockpile of Barbies for my older girl boxes. I had that moment of wondering if God even liked what I was doing with my life and if I was using my spiritual gift, surprisingly it is faith according to multiple devices, according to His will.

     Conflicted with this feeling I prayed to God and I went about my day at school. When I was at school, sitting in my English class, I went to my Facebook to message my mom that my phone had died. While doing so, I came across two message requests. I felt uneasy at first because I've gotten weird message requests before so I cautiously opened one of the messages that was sent to me three days prior. When I saw it: I cried.

From a mother in the Philippines, I received four photos from a distribution. This group might have received a few of my boxes or maybe they all received my boxes. I don't necessarily know due to the fact that there wasn't any context other than "tnk you" but regardless, it brought a huge smile to my face when I saw these children.

I was of course a bit shocked at first but then attached was a copy of one of the letters that I sent. I remember this letter because on the other side is a scrapbook angel with orange curly hair. When I saw this, my heart was racing because that means that my boxes actually went somewhere. They landed in the hands of actual children and they read the letters. Seriously, packers, I was crying with happiness in my classroom.

So, already my heart was racing because I not only got to see some of my items but I got to see this wonderful boy here. I have no idea what his name is but I know that this sweet boy received one of my shoe boxes. The group of children there really made my heart flutter but knowing that this boy specifically received one of my boxes really rehabilitated that dying desire to pack boxes. This year I will only be packing 30 boxes but I think that after this year, I will continuously pack boxes until I can no longer find supplies to pack them. This image alone...I mean, this was one of my 100 shoe boxes and because it has a photo on it, this is one of them that I packed after my 50 shoe box goal last year.

I totally regretted including that verse because it was a short paraphrase of the scripture's actual meaning but it got the message across for this child. I fell in love with this photo because this child, I know his face and I know that he benefited from this box. I don't know his full situation but I do know about the Philippines as I have many friends from that country. Man, packers, this was just one of the best feelings I've ever experienced and what was really shocking to me was the fact that I finally saw these pictures after praying to God.














     This was a completely wonderful experience and this set of pictures might just be a few basic photos, but they mean so much more.

     Along with these photos, I received another separate message from a boy's sister in Albay (a province in the Philippines).

"Hi Ate Marissa my brother have already received the gift from you by the OCC His name is *************, He is already 12 years Old. He's really thankful for the gift and of course to your letter He really appreciate everything you wrote like all the encouraging words and happy thoughts there. Thank you very much may God bless you always "

     Yeah, I was bawling. My face was red and a few people probably assumed I was going through a pre-final mental breakdown but this was one of the nicest things to open my Facebook messages to. So, although we think that we might not get the boxes to those that really deserve it or we feel like the boxes aren't appreciated: they are. They truly are and it is a great feeling knowing that we are taking care of God's children all over the world.

Happy Packing! (221 Days until Collection Week starts)