Operation Christmas Child sends smiles around the world

The spirit of Christmas is already moving in Sisters. As part of the world's largest Christmas project, Operation Christmas Child, volunteers at Sisters Community Church (SCC) are busy collecting hundreds of shoe boxes filled with toys and treats for needy children around the globe.

And a group of Sisters kids is demonstrating that taking part in this community effort is child's play.

Operation Christmas Child, a ministry arm of the world relief organization Samaritan's Purse, expects to distribute shoe box gifts to over eight million young victims of natural disasters, war, famine and poverty again this holiday season. More than 77 million boxes have brought smiles to children's faces in 130 countries since 1993.

Last year Sisters residents contributed 554 boxes to the project; this year's goal is 600.

"Our job is to collect the boxes, pack them into cartons and take them to the collection center," said Jami Lyn Weber. Weber has partnered with daughter Rylee for the past four years to coordinate the local Relay Center at SCC.

But Team Weber actually does more than that. Last week they enlisted helpers young and old, for an assembly-line-style "packing party" and completed 230 boxes.

Thanks to the energy of a core group of elementary-aged kids, a lot of the prep-work was done ahead of time. Rylee Weber, 11, and her brother Nathan, 7, received a donation of 50 pounds of candy from Ray's Food Place manager Jeff McDonald.

Says mom Jami Lyn: "Nathan practiced how to ask; it was a great public speaking exercise. We really appreciate that we can further our dollars and purchase that many more toys."

Then, along with friends Sydney Rawlins and Tate Ricker, both 9, and Hayden Sharp, 8, the kids filled 400 Ziploc baggies with the candy (in case it melts while the boxes sit in customs), opened toy packages and helped set up the assembly line.

Volunteers had enough donated boxes and school supplies to complete 120 more boxes but "ran out of toys and time," according to Weber.

"It was organized chaos," said Jami Lyn, "but it was fun."

A second packing party was scheduled for Wednesday, November 10 at 5 p.m., and more helpers would be appreciated.

Donations of small toys - no bigger than a beanie baby - would help, too.

Guidelines for packing your own box are simple: pack a shoebox, download a label from the Operation Christmas Child Web site and then drop off the box at SCC. The Web site gives tips for packing the box and allows you to select the age and sex of the child it will go to. If you don't have computer access, the church can provide a label.

Some donors add a card, a letter or photo of themselves.

"Put what's on your heart to give," suggests Jami Lyn.

There are countless stories of children who receive just the right gift at the right time.

"It just shows the sovereignty of God, in my book," she says.

The organization won't change or redistribute items.

"What's in there is what stays in there," Jami Lyn said. They only inspect to make sure there is no money or chocolate.

Many parents and grandparents find it's a great project to do with young children.

"It's a great way to make tangible to our kids that they have a lot," she said.

Collection week runs from November 15-21, and then the boxes move to a collection site in Bend. The shoe box gifts will be hand-delivered using whatever means necessary to reach suffering children around the world: trucks, trains, airplanes, boats, camels and even dog sleds.

A new feature allows you to track your gift box's journey. To register shoe box gifts and find out what country they are delivered to, use the EZ-Give donation form found at http://www.samaritanspurse.org.

Boxes may be dropped off now through November 21 at Sisters Community Church, 15220 McKenzie Hwy., Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon or Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon. Or drop by for the packing party on Wednesday at 5 p.m. For more information call 541-549-1201.