Christmas at LCP is always a special time and everyone receives one gift shipped in the boxes from the U.S. In answer to many prayers and the efforts of one volunteer, Jennifer Peloquin, in September LCP was the recipient of Samaritan Purses Shoe Box Ministry. The LCP open air chapel was filled with excitement as over two hundred children from preschool, School on Wheels, Wee Women, Hanson, and Consuelo Residential Dorms came for this much anticipated day. Imagine today each of these children would receive a shoe box full of presents. What a dream come true. Never have they had so many gifts at one time, each one representing the love of God. The children were separated into groups of twenty.

Each child looked with amazement as they reached into the large shipping boxes to pick a shoebox. The leader then read and showed the pictures of the Bible story of creation and God’s love for mankind. The Pastor in charge also shared how the greatest gift anyone could receive was not the shoebox, but the gift of Salvation, through Jesus Christ. Once the tape was cut on each box the children had to wait to open their box until the countdown. One little boy was praying he would get a doll. Having a boy box his leader was not too sure. But once the 1-2-3 was counted and he opened his box guess what was on top? Isn’t God good – this little boy was shouting “thank you Jesus for my doll.” A little girl opened her box and a book was on top. She was so thrilled she started to rub the pages and read the book. Another little boy got down on the floor to start coloring in his new coloring book. Some boys received girl boxes and we were so afraid they would be disappointed but once they opened it and saw they had a doll, or frilly socks they said “my little sister will love this gift” or “I will give this doll to my cousin.”

No one had any desire to trade anything. They were just so thankful for their gifts. Thanks a million to Samaritan’s Purse for giving 784 of the LCP children a chance to have this wonderful gift of a shoebox, bringing such joy into their poverty stricken lives. They were distributed in four sessions for children from Preschool to Grade eight. LCP will continue for twelve weeks to teach the children Bible Story Lessons “The Greatest Journey” to help them develop a deeper relationship with Jesus.

Thank you “Operation Christmas Child” and all the people who pack shoe boxes, for bringing this unbelievable experience of a shoebox gift and the love of Jesus to so many children who often feel helpless and hopeless.