You will need:

1. A standard-size shoe box filled with gifts for a girl or boy aged 5 to 9 years old
2. An Operation Christmas Child leaflet

· See suggested list of items for a shoe box
· Note the date when the shoe box needs to be ready
· Explain how the £2.00 donation is used, i.e. promotion, collection, processing and distribution

Introduction:

1. Ask the children what they think a 5-9 year old girl or boy would like for Christmas that would fit in a shoe box.

2. Show the children what you have put in your shoe box and why.

Story:

Read from Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6: 32-44, Luke 9:10-17 or John 6:1-13

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

Following the death of John the Baptist Jesus planned to go to a quiet place with His disciples. But the crowds heard where He was and followed Him. When Jesus saw the people He felt sorry for them and spent the day teaching them about God’s love. All day long the people listened to Him and when evening came they felt tired and hungry. The disciples suggested that they should go to the villages and get some food but Jesus said, “You give them something to eat”. The disciples said, “We have no food”. Andrew then said, “There is a boy here with five small loaves of bread and two small fishes, but what use is that among so many?”

Jesus said, “Bring them to me”. He then told the crowd to sit on the grass. Jesus prayed, thanking God for the food and shared the loaves and fishes between the people. The more bread and fishes Jesus gave away, the more there was. Soon everyone had enough to eat and there were even crumbs left over, which were collected into baskets.

Comment:

The boy probably thought he could do very little to help when everybody was hungry, but Jesus took what he had and used it. Christians believe that this is still true.

In 1990, in response to the needs of children in Romania, a group of people in North Wales had the idea of taking gift-filled shoe boxes to these needy children at Christmastime. Over 30,000 boxes were collected that year and so Operation Christmas Child began. In 2004 over 1,141,000 were collected in the United Kingdom , and 7,400,000 were collected world-wide and delivered to children in over 100 countries.

Remember Jesus does not ask us to give what we haven’t got, He only asks us to share what we have with others in need. This is a unique project - children helping children around the world.

Making a gift-filled shoe box is exciting for everyone taking part, young or old, but for those who receive them, it is like a MIRACLE.

Think about it

When we see or read about needy children overseas, we often think that we cannot do anything to help them. But we can. Giving a child a gift at Christmastime, not only brings joy to them and their parents, it also demonstrates God’s love in sending Jesus Christ as a baby, born in Bethlehem.

Prayer

Lord, teach us to share what we have with others and use our gifts to bring hope and joy to the children who receive them.

In Jesus name, Amen.