PROJECT LEADER GUIDE 1
PROJECT LEADER GUIDE Thank you for the role you play in Operation Christmas Child (OCC). Without Project Leaders, the participation of churches, schools, community groups and businesses that fill shoeboxes for OCC simply wouldn t happen! The information in this Guide will equip you to organise and motivate your group towards the best possible experience with OCC. You ll find: Who to contact if you need help or a question answered An outline of the role of a Project Leader How to order OCC resources such as brochures, posters and pre-printed shoeboxes The most important OCC information to be presented to the group Ideas for how your group can best participate in OCC. I hope you will find this Guide beneficial. The team of OCC staff and volunteers are passionate about supporting you as best we can! God bless, Rowan Armstrong National Manager Operation Christmas Child Australia/New Zealand 2
What Is Operation Christmas Child (OCC)? OCC is a project of Samaritan s Purse, a nondenominational evangelical Christian organisation whose mission is to provide spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1993, Samaritan s Purse has helped meet the needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine. OCC is a unique project that takes gift-filled shoeboxes to children in need in over 150 countries around the world. The mission of OCC is to demonstrate God s love in a tangible way, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. All of Samaritan s Purse s projects, including OCC, are given and provided with no strings attached and without regard to the race, creed, gender, religion or ethnicity of the beneficiaries. The Greatest Journey is a 12 lesson follow-up discipleship program that is offered to many children who receive shoebox gifts through Operation Christmas Child. More than 14.9 million children have participated in The Greatest Journey, since 2009. The Greatest Journey is implemented through a global church network to help children learn how to know and follow Jesus. THE GREATEST JOURNEY 3
PROJECT LEADER GUIDE Contact Information Call Donor Care on the numbers below and they will connect you to your local Field Ministry Leader or Regional Leader. Australia - 1300 884 468 New Zealand - 0800 726 274 Your local Field Ministry Leader or Regional Leader will put you in contact with your local OCC volunteer representative. They will be able to help you with what you need. Enter your volunteer representative s details here: Name Phone Email 4
The role of a Project Leader The role of Project Leader is easily summarised as: The point-person who organises OCC on behalf of the church/school/group The person who ensures the group is motivated and informed about OCC The person who ensures shoeboxes from the group are collected and handed in at an OCC collection point (known as drop-off points). Here is a sample timeline for the Project Leader to give you an idea of the tasks involved: PERIOD January - May TASK o Share and celebrate the previous year s results and shoebox numbers with your group o Contact your local OCC volunteer, Field Ministry Leader or Regional Leader to discuss participation and resources for the upcoming collection season o Consider whether or not the group could also act as a drop-off point June - September o Order resources online at: operationchristmaschild.org.au or operationchristmaschild.org.nz o Motivate group for participation in OCC o Fill shoeboxes / Run a packing party / Engage the community in OCC o Liaise with your local OCC volunteer, Field Ministry Leader or Regional Leader for support o Prepare shoeboxes for drop-off or collection in October o Show OCC videos to inspire and inform your group! October o Collection month! Check operationchristmaschild.org.au or operationchristmaschild.org.nz for your local drop-off point information and cut-off date. October - November o Opportunities for your group to be involved in your local processing centre. Please contact your local Field Ministry Leader or Regional Leader for details. 5
PROJECT LEADER GUIDE Resource Orders There are all kinds of resources that can motivate and assist your group in participating in OCC. Most of our resources come in both downloadable and hardcopy formats and are available via our website: operationchristmaschild.org.au for Australia operationchristmaschild.org.nz for New Zealand All resources are provided freely, with the exception of our pre-printed shoeboxes (PPSBs). We ask for a 50c donation per PPSB to help cover the significant cost associated with producing and distributing this item. Donations for PPSBs can be made online, or in person to your local OCC volunteer, Field Ministry Leader or Regional Leader. In most cases, we prefer to arrange a local pick-up or delivery of resources. This greatly assists us in keeping our postage and courier costs down, meaning more of our limited financial resources can be invested in the program. Wherever this is not possible, we will post/courier resources. Resources available: How to Pack a Shoebox brochure* Promotional poster* Prayer bookmark Church bulletin insert* Colouring-in pages* Shoebox 101 flyer* Appreciation certificate* Shoebox labels* OCC videos* School lesson plans* Pre-printed shoeboxes All items marked with an * are available online as downloadable resources. Please download the resources your group requires or order hard-copy resources via the website. 6
How to Present OCC to your Group Operation Christmas Child is an incredibly simple and fun way for people to be involved in bringing hope and love to children in great need. There are, however, a few key points that must be understood by participants so that the project can be effective. Please use the following points as a guide to framing your presentation/s to your group: 1. Follow the gift suggestions and prohibited items instructions in the brochure Include both fun and practical items variety makes a great shoebox gift! Prohibited items are listed for the child s safety, customs regulations or other important reasons. 2. Please encourage people to give shoeboxes that are comfortably full Encourage the group to minimise air space or items rattling around within their shoeboxes We want all the children to receive a shoebox that is full. 3. Encourage people to include the $10 donation per shoebox Donations can be made online or by using the How to Pack a Shoebox brochure The donation covers all project costs including shipping, shoebox distribution, local warehousing, training distribution teams, staffing and administration, etc. Shoeboxes given without the donation will make it incredibly difficult for us to continue to facilitate the program. Remember that it s always more important to inspire and motivate people, rather than listing the guidelines. You can do this by showing plenty of videos or telling stories you ve heard or read about. While practical direction and the above points are important, it s more important to get people excited first, before telling them all the finer details! We have included in this document guides for a shoebox celebration, youth and launch events and other helpful suggestions. Your local OCC volunteer, Field Ministry Leader or Regional Leader may be able to assist you by making a presentation to your group, or sharing a sample presentation with you. Please contact them to discuss these options. 7
PROJECT LEADER GUIDE Frequently Asked Questions 1. What countries are shoeboxes sent to? Globally, over 150 countries receive OCC shoeboxes. Australia and New Zealand s shoeboxes are regularly sent to South East Asia and the Pacific. These include; Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji. 2. Which country will my shoebox go to? We don t know where each shoebox will be shipped until they are processed and a sea container is booked. This is due to timing, targets and export/import schedules to our receiving countries. The best way for people to find out where their shoebox/es are shipped is to make their $10 donation per shoebox via Follow Your Box and to attach the barcoded labels to their shoebox/es. 3. What age/gender category is most needed? We plan our distributions based on historical data, so please encourage people to give as they are led. Highlighting a gender/age category isn t necessary and can throw our distribution projections out. 4. What is the cut-off date? October is our national collection month. Please see the drop-off point page on the website for accurate information on your nearest drop-off point s starting and closing dates. 5. Do I have to use a pre-printed OCC shoebox? Not at all in fact we prefer people to use their own empty shoeboxes. The pre-printed shoeboxes are available to assist people and groups with their participation if required. Please follow the size guidelines on the brochure as closely as possible when using your own shoebox or shoebox-sized plastic container. 6. How can the $10 donation be made? The best method is online, as it is the most secure form of giving to OCC and requires the least handling and administration. You can give a general donation online or donate via the Follow Your Box method. If you aren t comfortable giving online, please use the donation form on the OCC brochure and include it with your cash, cheque or credit card donation and place in an envelope inside your shoebox/es. Please try to place the envelope on top of the shoebox contents so it is easily located by our processing team. If you re giving multiple shoeboxes, you can make a combined donation for all your shoeboxes and place it in one of the shoeboxes. 8
7. Do shoeboxes go to the same children every year? OCC has a one shoebox for one child policy. We do this to ensure as many children as possible can be reached and impacted by the program. 8. What are the reasons for prohibited/inappropriate items? There are a variety of reasons behind the guidelines. Some are due to customs regulations, but most are to do with the safety and wellbeing of the child. Please encourage your group to follow the guidelines as closely as possible without too much speculation regarding what the reason may be for each guideline. 9. Can I donate items, or shoeboxes without the donation? We encourage people to donate shoeboxes with the accompanying donation as our first preference gift-filled shoeboxes and donated funds are the two things that fuel our ministry. 10. Why can t I put a Bible or Christian Literature in my shoebox? There are two practical reasons for this. Firstly, many of the shoeboxes go to countries where the children cannot read or speak English. Secondly, OCC works with the local church to invite children to a follow-up discipleship course called The Greatest Journey. They receive teaching, discipleship material and get a Bible in their own language. If you have any other questions, please discuss with your local OCC volunteer or your nearest Field Ministry Leader or Regional Leader. Year-Round Volunteering Volunteer Area Teams are growing and being supported by our Field Ministry Leaders and Regional Leaders across Australia and New Zealand. These Area Teams exist to promote and manage the Operation Christmas Child project in their local area. There are a range of volunteer opportunities in these teams, and a timeline of activities that our volunteers perform year-round in order for the ministry of OCC to be strong and healthy in their area. We d love you or members of your church/group to consider becoming a year round volunteer with OCC. This will enable us to reach as many children as we can with a gift-filled shoebox, representing the message of Christmas God s love and hope toward all people. If you are interested in finding out more, please visit our website and complete an expression of interest on our volunteering page, or contact your local OCC volunteer, Field Ministry Leader or Regional Leader. 9
PROJECT LAUNCH EVENT/PRESENTATION Recommended size: Entire congregation Event objective: Use Project Launch Sunday to cast the vision for Operation Christmas Child to your church and start the collection season off strong. Ideas: Set up: Sharing the Story Read the attached Welcome script and show a video. Choose a video on our website: operationchristmaschild.org.au or operationchristmaschild.org.nz. Your Part of the Story Share the shoebox goal for your church this year using the attached Goal Reveal script. How to Participate Give clear action steps for getting involved, such as Stop by the table in the lobby or pick up a How to Pack a Shoebox brochure on your way out. Read the attached Wrap-Up script. Print the Welcome, Goal Reveal, and Wrap-Up scripts. Have video and audio technology available and ready to play videos. Decorations: Display pre-printed shoeboxes in your lobby. Set up a table where people can receive more information and resources. Take out your Christmas decorations early, and set up an Operation Christmas Child-themed tree. Hang up a world map or country flags. Optional Ideas: Ask your pastor to consider preaching a missions-related sermon. Ask your worship leader to plan music that centres around missions or God s love for the nations. 10
Welcome Script: When you turn on the news it is easy to get discouraged with all of the hard things that are happening in the world. But God is still good, and He is still at work! Take a look at this video to see how a simple shoebox gift is changing the lives of so many children. Where there once was darkness, there is now Good News and Great Joy! Impact Script: Last year alone, Samaritan s Purse delivered more than 11 million Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to children around the world. God used these simple gifts to change the lives of many boys and girls and their families. After the outreach events where children received their shoeboxes, 2.7 million went on to enrol in The Greatest Journey discipleship program. These children were discipled by trained local teachers, and they are now enthusiastically sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with others. Simple shoebox gifts, packed with love and prayer, are tools for evangelism and discipleship in over 100 countries. Local pastors across the globe are thankful for the opportunity these shoeboxes provide to multiply the impact of the Gospel in their communities. We are so excited to share with you that after much prayer and in great faith, we set our shoebox goal at shoebox gifts for this year. We believe that God wants to use us to send Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to children all over the world. We need you to join us as we pray, pack, and ship these gifts. Wrap-Up Script: You can see why we re so excited about Operation Christmas Child! Stop by the [table/ display] in [location] to get more information on our goal, learn how to pack a shoebox with your family and discover other ways to get involved. This is a great chance for us to grow in our faith and in our relationships as we work together, pray together, and pack together to reach our goal. I believe that as a group, God wants us to be a small part of sharing His love with children in need around the world. So, go pack a shoebox! 11
YOUTH EVENT WORLD CAFE Recommended size: 5 25 people Recommended age: Teens and adults Event objective: The World Cafe event is specifically for small groups or audiences. It is less of a formal event and more of a gathering at a coffee shop or home. While its informal nature makes preparation extremely simple, this event is still a powerful way to inspire, equip, and connect with people interested in Operation Christmas Child. Agenda: 40 50 minutes 10 minutes: Guests gather and order/serve coffee. 10 minutes: Icebreaker. Have everyone introduce themselves and answer one of the following questions: How long have you been packing shoeboxes? What is your favourite shoebox item to pack? 10 minutes: Distribute Spiritual Impact Stories, have guests read them aloud and discuss. 10 minutes: Wrap up. Share plan for packing and collecting boxes with your group and have a time of idea sharing or brainstorming. Make sure all points have been covered from your Wrap-Up Speaking Points and close in prayer. Location Suggestions: Set up: Local café. Living room/dining room. Smaller room in church or community centre. Print Spiritual Impact Stories Bring OCC Kit and OCC Presentation Kit with materials to share. Print Wrap-Up script Place photos of children on tables. Food and Decorations: Buy or serve guests coffee or tea and provide something to eat. 12
Sample Invitation Text: Have you ever thought about the spiritual impact one shoebox can have on the life of a child? Come to a night of coffee and fellowship as we share stories and celebrate what God has done in the lives of children around the world. Join us at the World Café (date) (location) For more Information (contact info) Welcome Speaking Points: Welcome to the World Café. Tonight is going to be pretty simple. We are going to chat, read some stories, and discuss what we have read and heard while enjoying some good coffee and snacks. Let s pray to get started and then I have a few questions for you. (Pray) First, does everyone know everyone? (Have everyone introduce themselves and answer one of the following questions). How long have you been packing shoeboxes? What is your favourite shoebox item to pack? I am so glad that you all could join us! Wrap-Up Speaking Points: Emphasise that shoebox gifts are so simple yet so impactful. Discuss your group s shoebox goal and plan. Provide information on how to pack a shoebox. Discuss how to involve others in your efforts. End with prayer, committing everything to the Lord. 13
YOUTH EVENT WORLD CAFE Spiritual Impact Stories Opening Hearts to God An Operation Christmas Child volunteer in Uganda writes, There is a woman with two children who has been visiting our small groups at church for almost two years. Her husband was never interested in joining us. Just before the shoebox distribution, they realised that they needed new boots for their daughter. When their daughter opened her gift, she found a beautiful pair of boots that were exactly the size she needed. Her father was shocked. He assumed that his wife had told us about their need and that we had added them to the box. When he learned we hadn t added anything, he was touched to find out that God takes care of us in very specific ways! A Gift for a Son and a Mother A mother in Belarus writes, From all of my heart, I thank you for such good presents. I bring up six children alone; my husband left me a couple of years ago. One of my children is an invalid. I do not have enough money to buy everything that they want. My son has wanted a car for a long time, and he found one in the shoebox. Thank you for your help. I am praising God. Thank you for your kindness. Answered Prayer in a Shoebox In Zimbabwe, an 8-year-old girl named Laroto received her shoebox gift on Christmas Day. The man who handed her the box explained that Jesus had a present for her. The girl proceeded to open the box and pick out and examine each individual item. First, she pulled out a comb, lifted it toward the sky, and said, Thank You, Jesus, I didn t think You were going to get me that one. Next, she pulled out butterflies for her hair and said, Thank You Jesus, I really didn t think You were going to get me this one. This went on and on. Everything she pulled out of that box from the butterflies to stickers to a necklace were all things she had specifically prayed and asked Jesus for as a Christmas gift. There was no shock, no surprise, just matter-of-factness about making a request to Jesus and having Him answer it. 14
Heaven Rejoices Eight-year-old Luciana from Paraguay received a shoebox gift from a family in the United States. The Holland family from Morganton, N.C., wrote: We made this box of gifts just for you because we want you to know that Jesus loves you! He has a special plan for your life. He will always love you. Our family cares for you. We are praying for you! This family loves me because Jesus loves me, Luciana responded. I want to receive Jesus into my heart. Though Luciana hasn t grown up going to church, she s heard about Jesus regularly at Heaven s Kingdom Christian School, locally referred to as Heaven. Luciana had been asking her teachers how to be with Jesus in heaven someday. When I heard them explain, I knew that s what I wanted to do, said Luciana about her teachers presentation of The Greatest Gift Gospel booklet during the outreach event. The presentation focused on Ephesians 2:8: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Christ to the Unreached Fulani A shoebox recipient in Senegal writes, My name is Aissatou Barry. I am the third daughter in our family. I am nine years old, and I do not go to school because my parents find that it is not important. We are cattle-breeding farmers and our staple food is the milk they produce. It is not a custom for my parents to give gifts to my brothers or sisters or me, because it costs them a fortune. Our shoebox gifts were not only special for us but also for the parents of this village because it had never been seen. This gesture of giving gifts of such value is unimaginable, even impossible. For the first time in the history of this village, the Fulani are looking at Christians differently instead of considering them enemies. Now throughout the village, people are only singing the goodness of Christ s disciples. The [Gospel] booklets are even welcomed by parents for all the children. They are willing to have their children participate in the discipleship programs. Nothing is impossible with God. The love of God was manifested in a tangible way, and a village was touched. Now they are continually thanking Him. 15
YOUTH EVENT WORLD CAFE Transforming Babylon God, take us out of Babylon! prayed Golden Turika, an alcoholic who lived in a Namibian neighbourhood named after the Biblical city. She was concerned about how their surroundings were affecting her children. Jessica, 13, was stealing from her, and Innocent, 12, was bullying others and getting involved with the wrong crowd. Her neighbour Willemine, grieved by the bad behaviour she saw on the street in front of her home, was also praying: Father God, I want to make a difference where I am. Willemine learned about Operation Christmas Child and helped deliver 200 shoebox gifts to the kids in her neighbourhood, including Jessica and Innocent. She also became trained to teach The Greatest Journey discipleship program and invited the children to attend the classes in her home. Through this, Jessica and Innocent not only both became believers, but their lives changed radically as a result. Their mother soon trusted Christ, too, and today Jessica and Innocent are evangelists in Babylon. Touching a Jail Cell Lucedel grew up in a rough part of a Philippine island known for its drug lords and illegal gambling. Her father, James, was a drug addict who often beat her mother. One day when Lucedel could stand the abuse no longer, she reported her father to the police. Her mother was safer because he was sent to jail, but she felt guilty about it. To her surprise, Lucedel was invited to a church where she received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox. It was the first gift she d ever received. She was also invited to attend The Greatest Journey discipleship classes. As she learned about Christ, she not only committed her life to Him, but also began going to the jail to tell her father what she was learning. He was so deeply moved by what he heard that he gave his life to Jesus too. Lucedel s mother has since died, but following her father s release, she attends church regularly with him and her brother. 16
Ministry Facts: Purpose: The world s largest Christmas project of its kind, Operation Christmas Child uses gift-filled shoeboxes to demonstrate God s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Since 1993, the Samaritan s Purse project, Operation Christmas Child, has collected and delivered more than 157 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 100 countries. For many of these children, the gift-filled shoebox is the first gift they have ever received. In 2018, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach another 11 million children. 2017 global collection total: more than 11.2 million shoeboxes 2017 Australia and New Zealand collection total: 327,451 Shoebox gifts are collected in the U.S., Australia, Finland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Spain, and the U.K. More than 500,000 volunteers worldwide with more than 6,000 of those in Australia and New Zealand are involved in collecting, shipping, and distributing shoebox gifts. Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organisation headed by Franklin Graham. Samaritan s Purse currently works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disease, or disasters. Since 2009 14.9 million children have enrolled in The Greatest Journey; more than 700,000 teachers have been trained, and there have been more than 6.9 million reported decisions for Christ. Every 24 hours; 30,136 children hear the Gospel, 10,734 children enrol in The Greatest Journey, 7,579 children graduate from The Greatest Journey and 5,249 children accept Jesus. Every 60 seconds; 21 children hear the Gospel, 7 children enrol in The Greatest Journey, 5 children graduate from The Greatest Journey and 4 children accept Jesus. Follow Operation Christmas Child on Facebook (facebook.com/occanz), Instagram (@OCC_anz), and Twitter (@OCC_anz). Share pictures from your event using the #OCCanz. 17
CELEBRATION SUNDAY/EVENT Recommended for: Entire congregation Event objective: Celebration Sunday is for your church family to join together and rejoice about what God has done through your shoebox-packing efforts, regardless of whether or not you reached your goal. Agenda: 15 20 minutes Set up: Rejoice 1 minute Welcome and Shoebox Number Reveal scripts. Reaffirm Pray 2-4 minute video (Choose one from our website at operationchristmaschild.org.au or operationchristmaschild.org.nz. 1 minute Impact script. 10 minutes Have children or church members bring shoeboxes up to the platform/ pulpit area. Invite the congregation to come up, lay hands on the boxes, and pray for them. Pray specifically for each of the upcoming stops a shoebox makes on its journey to its destination. Use Impact script as a reference. 1 minute Close with Wrap-Up script. Print off Welcome, Shoebox Number Reveal, Impact, and Wrap-Up scripts. Have video and audio technology available and ready to play videos. Decoration Ideas: Hang up Operation Christmas Child posters to decorate your church. Set up an Operation Christmas Child-themed Christmas tree. Hang up a world map or country flags. Blow up green and red balloons to decorate your church. Give one out to each child who packed a shoebox. Bonus Ideas: Decorate your church for Christmas that week. Have church members drive together to the drop-off location with their cars full of shoeboxes. Celebrate with a church lunch or dinner. Have children sing Jesus Loves Me in multiple languages to the congregation. Have teens read Spiritual Impact Stories provided in the Youth Event - World Café resource. 18
Welcome Script: Welcome everyone! Several weeks ago, we started our shoebox-packing season. Now after [shopping trips, crafting parties, packing parties, other events], we gather again to celebrate what we ve been able to achieve together with God s help. Shoebox Number Reveal Script: I am so excited to tell you that as of today we have packed [number of] shoeboxes. That is a lot of boxes! And I want to personally express my appreciation to each one of you who gave, packed, or prayed. OR We wanted to let you know in a fun way how many shoeboxes we received so, [enjoy this photo montage, or bring up the thermometer, or insert another fun idea here]. Impact Script: These shoeboxes are headed out from [your location] and many of them will be sent to places of unimaginable poverty and darkness. The enemy does not want these boxes filled with the love and joy of Jesus to reach their destination. He doesn t want us to pray for these children. But we have an opportunity to go before these shoeboxes in prayer, walking beside them every step of the way until they reach the hands of a child. We are going to take the next few minutes to pray over these shoeboxes. Join us in praying for them as they travel to the collection centre, continue on to the processing centres for inspection, head to the ports for shipping, go through customs, are transported in country, and finally, arrive in communities to share the love of Jesus. Pray as well for the heart of the child that will receive each shoebox, and the pastors or teachers that will be sharing the Gospel at each outreach event. Pray that the light of hope will shine and illuminate the darkness. Wrap-Up Script: We are so blessed to be a part of a simple project that has such a great impact. We are a small part of this huge effort, but we know that God cares individually about each child. God knows each child by name. He knows their heart s desires. He already knows which shoebox they will receive and the spiritual journey it will start. As we leave here today, please don t stop praying for these children. Pray that God will multiply our efforts and that one day, when we join the multitudes from every nation around the throne of God, some will be there because of our simple shoeboxes. Be sure to share pictures of your event with us at Operation Christmas Child using the hashtags #OCCanz #myoccshoebox. 19
GOOD NEWS. GREAT JOY. operationchristmaschild.org.au operationchristmaschild.org.nz 20