Shoebox Email a Long Time Coming

We recently checked our email and saw an email from a name we didn't recognize with the subject line "A message from an old friend!"  Now, normally that might look like spam, but since we send our email address in our shoeboxes, so thought I might should give it a look, then noticed that it had two photos attached and the preview showed they were a photo card we'd sent in shoeboxes and my mom's handwriting.  It turns out the email was from a child who received a shoebox we sent...in 2011!  They are now 15 years old.  They live in Ecuador.  I won't share the whole email here, as it is personal communication, and I feel funny about that, but will share a few snippets below.  As often with shoebox replies he apologized for his English not being very good, but it's better than any of my languages outside English-haha!

"I want you to know that I enjoyed the gifts that with so much love sent me 8 years ago and I want to tell you that God bless you always and have a good and long life to continue worshiping the Lord"

The fact that they not only remembered the box and had a desire to thank us after 7 years, but had held on to the photo shows the impact it had, and how important being sure to include a photo, note, and/or letter can be

October Item of the Month for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes ~ Personal communication

Samaritan's Purse has suggested items of the month for packing Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, and for October that is personal communication.  This can be various things, a long handwritten letter, a signed Christmas card, a printed letter, a photo, etc.  Or some combination of those things.  Personally this year I think I'm going to include a typed letter and photo, and sign a card, maybe with a short note related to what is in that specific box.  Like "I hope you like butterflies, I packed this box with lots because my Aunt C likes them", etc.

I've heard that often one of the first thing a child looks for is to see who the box is from.  Some of these children may live in orphanages, and while some orphanages are great, not all are, or there may just be too many kids!  You may be the only person who has done something personal to make that child feel special!  I want them to have a face and a name to feel loved!

A simple start would be to just include the photo Christmas Card you're sending to friends & family, but a letter is great, too!  If you'd like some ideas of how to get started/what to write, check out my post: Tips on Writing a Letter to Include in Your Operation Christmas Child Shoebox.  If you're packing with your kids, Samaritan's Purse, offers this Coloring Page/Letter combo that they might enjoy doing!  There is also a chance you may hear back if you include your contact info, I've heard back via post and email, others have been contacted via Facebook.  Sometimes they know someone through school, church, or their parents work with internet access and can contact you, which is cheaper for them then international mail.  My understanding is some sending countries discourage sending postal addresses for security reasons, but here in the USA we can do so.  Now for some inspiration to get working on those notes!

• Yuri -and- A Photo
• Anabel -and- A Personal Note
• Azima -and- A Handwritten Note
• Emelissa -and- A Letter

Photos Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse.

Joining A Month of Letters: Operation Christmas Child Style

My daughter, Sarah, is participating in "A Month of Letters,"  also known as LetterMo.  A challenge set by a blogger to send a piece of snail mail each day the USPS delivers mail throughout the month of February.  This is the third year she has participated I think.  It got me thinking about the letters I want to put in each Operation Christmas Child shoebox I pack.

So I have decided to join LetterMo OCC style!  Each day this month I plan to write one letter for my shoe boxes. I want to make them more personal and try to note something in the box.  Since I won't have all of my boxes planned I'll have

Tips on Writing a Letter to Include in Your Operation Christmas Child Shoebox

An important part of packing an Operation Christmas Child shoebox is a letter to the child.  It helps make the gift more than just "things" but a reminder that they are cared about.  Some recipients are in orphanages and may have no one who "belongs" to them.  We all want to feel special and that we "belong" to someone.  So, this is a great thing to include.  And if at all possible, please include a photo.  It gives them a real connection to you, helps them picture you/know you are a real

An Email Received from a Shoe Box Kid!

If you have a been a reader of Simply Shoe Boxes for long you will remember last fall we put on a spur of the moment packing party with our AWANA kids at church.   We had them fill out these Operation Christmas Child forms as letters to put in their boxes.  Each form has sections to tell a little about yourself.

We included the church's address and an email address in case a child could write back.  This week we received the following email (apparently he was answering the questions that were on the form about himself just like the child who sent it did):

Goodmorning brandon.my name is erick m......I am 25 years.I live in

the Burundi in Afrika.I live in the Bujumbura city.in the city of

buyenzi commune.my favorite:thing to drink is sprint.when I have free

time I like to play football.I love jesus because he takes bad things

a way.I my family,I have:1 brother,5 sisters and 2 pets.GOd bless you

He says he is 25 years old, we are not sure if that is a mistake, if he is writing in response to a sibling's box or if he did get a box.  But we were thrilled to receive a reply to one of our boxes and can't wait to share it with the kids at church.

We've shared in this link Tips on Writing a Letter to Include in Your Operation Christmas Child Shoebox.

Packing Tip ~ Include a Letter & Your Mailing or Email Address in OCC Shoe Box Gifts

When sending an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift be sure to include a personal letter with your return address or email address inside.  Many times a child receiving a shoe box will write those who sent it.


We have gotten several over the years.  Some were children in hospitals and orphanages and like this one I received from Latvia, the young girl and her mother lived with her grandparents. We actually corresponded for a short while.  I can remember that she loved stickers and was learning English in school so corresponding was good practice for her.  Sarah received an email from an older sibling of a recipient of one of her boxes this year.  It included a picture of the girl with her box--that was fun because Sarah could tell just which box this girl received.

Also include a photo of yourself or family.  Those who hand out the shoe boxes say this is often the child's favorite item in the shoe box.  I remember seeing in a video, a young Spanish speaking boy waving the photo from his box and shouting "amigo, amigo."

If you could like some tips on writing a letter check out this post:  Tips on Writing a Letter for an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox.