Samaritan's Purse: Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child comes to Boca del Rio!!
I am not sure how many of you have read my Mom’s blog, but if you have then you have probably also seen the post about this. We weren’t sure at first if we were going to be able to get all the boxes (there was a 60 cent fee for every box to cover shipping fees to get the boxes out here) but through prayer and the support of many of our brothers and sisters in the States we reached our goal and were able to give gifts not only in our own village but in several of the neighboring villages. Isn’t God good!! So, the day after our friends left we hosted a party (well, sort of a party) for all of the children of the community. This was a great way to get everyone from our church and the American team involved. We played several games and sang a number of songs. When all the kids were settled down Christina (the pastor’s wife) shared the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. It was very touching to see all the kids listening attentively to everything that she was saying and seeming to understand. After that we did one more song and then began to hand out the gifts. I know if I can do justice to the scene with words so, rather than trying and failing, I’ll just show you pictures.

Since the boxes don't actually come to the village, we had to go and collect them in a nearby city by the name of Guamuchil. This is a picture of Karen unloading boxes from the van.

Meet the team of people who went to pick up all of the boxes. Smile for the camera!

This was a very interesting game. If you'll notice in the picture, they are holding a stick down for the person with the blindfold on to go under. So, why's the stick in the guy's hand and not above the person on the floor?? You watch the person drag himself along with painstaking slowness. Hmmm, what's going on?
That's when you realize that this game is one big practical joke! After realizing what was going on I laughed so hard that I cried! They would let the person drag himself for a minute or two and then they (the person with the stick) would reach down and tap the person lightly.
"Oh, shoot! You touched the stick. Should we give him another chance?" Of course the kids watching would yell their assent.
HILARIOUS!!!!

"I'VE GOT JOY, JOY, JOY, JOY DOWN IN MY HEART, WHERE?? DOWN IN MY HEART, WHERE?? DOWN IN MY HEART... "
This song really got all of the kids involved and got quite a few of the more reserved girls on the American team to get involved.

Time to hand out the gifts!

It was precious to watch the little kids so enthralled by the gifts that they received. I can’t really even explain the way I felt. After having been on the other end for so many years in the States, I was finally the one to help hand the gifts out. It struck me as interesting that, in all the years that I had done the boxes, I had never really considered the fact that the children who would receive the boxes would not speak English. I mean, if you would have asked me I would have realized, but on my own I did not.
Well, that’s just my unique look on that, but then again, from what I saw in the looks on the faces of the Americans, I think that they might have been equally struck!