Living YES!: The Filler Factory — Operation Christmas Child

Oh, the joy of a child's face opening a Christmas present.

Anticipation and pure joy. In your community and/or church, you have probably seen the green-and-red shoeboxes and have been asked to fill one for a child somewhere in this big world.

Operation Christmas Child (through Samaritan's Purse) is such an amazing outreach. Our friends, Chris and Kathleen Holck, planted Live Oaks Community Church fourteen years ago in The Villages in central Florida. Early on, Tom and Dana Stark approached their new pastor Chris and asked if they could host an Operation Christmas Child packing party in their home. They got a thumbs-up. (Chris shares more of this story in our Finishing Strong Video Series.)

Tom and Dana knew their retirement community was bursting with talented retirees who had discretionary time and hearts to serve. They had a vision for personalizing the gift boxes with hand-crafted items.

Living YES!

From a humble, single-garage beginning, their shoebox ministry grew steadily to a year-round 'Filler Factory' operation.

Weekly, 200+ residents from The Villages now gather to make items to help fill the boxes. Tom and Dana built a solid leadership team at the church level before becoming OCC regional coordinators in Florida.

By phone I was privileged to meet Mary Graham, who now serves as the central drop off Filler Factory team leader at Live Oaks, alongside two other recently retired women. She shared stories of a wide swath of volunteers giving generously of their time.

Susan Walters (retired Navy captain), Suzy Erb (retired music teacher) and Mary Graham (PhD, retired research chemist)

With their strong educational backgrounds and analytical/organizational skills, this small team, along with very involved and supportive husbands, continued building on the foundation the Starks had established. They are on target to soon hit their goal of filling a quarter million shoeboxes! (Remember, the church was recently planted, in 2012.)

The Filler Factory is in full gear year-round with a woodshop, sewing room and craft area where 200+ volunteers gather to make toys, pencil bags, arts + crafts and fishing kits. They also refurbish items (e.g. cleaning and freshening up gently used stuffies). There is no limit to this dedicated group's creativity.

Ten years ago, I also had an Operation Christmas Child dream come true. Along with an amazing team (including Pastor Chris from the Villages), Samaritan's Purse invited us to go on a vision trip to Guyana to help distribute shoebox gifts. From Georgetown, we got on rickety speedboats and traveled for over an hour through lush rainforests, laced with heartbreaking poverty. When we arrived at the schoolhouses, the joy of seeing the children's huge smiles and hearing their songs was indescribable.

Before opening their gifts, they listened to the story of Jesus - the greatest gift ever. (These were public schools, by the way.) It was amazing. Then, on the count of three, the children opened their boxes. It may have been February, but it was Christmas morning at its best! After visiting a couple of schools, the team I was with visited a residence where the host opened her home (carport) to a twelve-week VBS-type, after-school teaching of The Greatest Journey…an invitation that comes with every shoebox in their native language, the central reason why Operation Christmas Child exists.

As children are introduced to the teachings of Jesus, many give their hearts to Him and begin their own Greatest Journey. Many go home and share the love of Jesus with their families. Often, parents and siblings accept Jesus, too. Churches grow. Some new churches are planted. The ripple effect is palpable.

A brief, heartbreaking backstory to the house we visited: The lady hosting had tragically lost her husband and two children during a neighborhood massacre a couple of years earlier. Though completely devastated and brokenhearted, she knew she needed to do something to reach her neighbor kids for Jesus. She wanted them to turn to HIM and not to gangs. Hearing her precious little neighborhood friends quote Bible verses and sing their hearts out to Jesus was almost more than this momma's heart could take in.

So, to the older man with dementia who shows up faithfully at the Filler Factory to put rubber bands on the ends of rope so that some children will get jump ropes…please keep doing your one job! It matters. YOU matter. And the adorable child who opens the gift that includes your jump rope matters! Maybe that's a child who will hear about The Greatest Journey and whose life will be changed forever.

-Judy

For information on being a year-round volunteer with Operation Christmas Child:

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/volunteer-year-round/

Reflection from Shani

What a delight it is to read about how a single small idea has given rise to a thriving ministry for Operation Christmas Child. This story is just one of many examples of shoebox packing initiatives. Can you imagine how incredible it would be to see a live map illustrating the countless hands involved in purchasing, preparing, packing, shipping, and delivering these shoeboxes?

In my own zip code, there are 27 designated shoebox drop-off locations, and I'm certain there are many more local churches collecting boxes that aren't even listed. It's inspiring to see so many individuals contributing in small ways to create a significant impact for the Kingdom of God.

When you think about it, this ministry transforms us all into modern-day elves. However, we're not just sending toys and stuffed animals; we are sharing a much more profound gift—the story of Jesus—reaching the hearts and minds of children around the globe.

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of Peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! — Romans 10:15

Merry Christmas!

Do you know someone in the second half of life who is making a meaningful impact for the Kingdom? We’d love to hear their story as we continue gathering inspiring examples. Please send to info@yestoserve.org.