WEBVTT 00:02.315 --> 00:04.877 [SPEAKER_00]: Hey friends, welcome back to the Christian parenting podcast. 00:04.957 --> 00:09.200 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Steph Thirling, and today I have such a special conversation to share with you. 00:09.700 --> 00:15.064 [SPEAKER_00]: If you've listened for a while, you know that Operation Christmas Child is a ministry that is really near and dear to my heart. 00:15.464 --> 00:20.208 [SPEAKER_00]: My family has been packing shoe boxes for so many years, and it's one of our favorite ways to serve together. 00:20.888 --> 00:23.451 [SPEAKER_00]: Today, we get to hear the other side of that story. 00:23.811 --> 00:29.977 [SPEAKER_00]: My guest is Donia and Dreyos, who grew up in the Middle East where her family faced intense persecution for their Christian faith. 00:30.558 --> 00:38.346 [SPEAKER_00]: And as a little girl, she experienced poverty, rejection, and loneliness, but one day she received an operation Christmas child shoebox gift. 00:38.706 --> 00:43.108 [SPEAKER_00]: that reminded her that God saw her loved her and was listening to her prayers. 00:43.689 --> 00:53.213 [SPEAKER_00]: You're going to have to listen to the entire show to hear the incredible story of what was inside of that shoebox because it is such an amazing example of how faithful God is. 00:53.894 --> 00:57.155 [SPEAKER_00]: Today, Donia shares how that simple gift impacted her family. 00:57.696 --> 01:04.419 [SPEAKER_00]: Open doors for the gospel in her community to be shared and eventually led her to serve with a very ministry that had blessed her as a child. 01:04.859 --> 01:14.346 [SPEAKER_00]: We also talk about some practical ways to get your own kids involved in serving others and why something as simple as packing a shoe box can be such a meaningful discipleship opportunity for our families. 01:14.726 --> 01:15.847 [SPEAKER_00]: So I really hope you enjoy. 01:22.452 --> 01:23.072 [SPEAKER_00]: Hi, Thanya. 01:23.132 --> 01:24.813 [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the Christian parenting podcast. 01:25.033 --> 01:25.913 [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for having me. 01:26.173 --> 01:28.014 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I'm very excited to have you here today. 01:28.054 --> 01:31.314 [SPEAKER_00]: We're going to jump right in to your story and getting to know you. 01:31.374 --> 01:33.435 [SPEAKER_00]: But tell us a little bit about yourself. 01:33.775 --> 01:40.477 [SPEAKER_00]: Now, because we'll cover, we'll start with your childhood, but tell us what about yourself now, what you do, where you live, about your family, all those good things. 01:40.897 --> 01:47.441 [SPEAKER_01]: Again, my name is Daniel and I live in Wisconsin, Salem, North Carolina, with my husband and three children. 01:47.601 --> 01:53.926 [SPEAKER_01]: I have a four-year-old, two-year-old, and a five-cent-old, so you're busy and tired. 01:53.946 --> 01:56.487 [SPEAKER_01]: So, very busy, and then, Andreas household. 01:57.288 --> 01:59.789 [SPEAKER_01]: Currently, I'm staying home to care for my children. 01:59.809 --> 02:04.793 [SPEAKER_01]: I'm very involved with my church as well, so we definitely are very busy, but 02:05.653 --> 02:06.954 [SPEAKER_01]: full-time mom. 02:07.395 --> 02:08.776 [SPEAKER_01]: The best job there could be. 02:09.137 --> 02:12.520 [SPEAKER_00]: The hardest job in the best job in the best job. 02:12.540 --> 02:13.981 [SPEAKER_01]: That's the best way to put it in it, right? 02:14.161 --> 02:14.422 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 02:14.742 --> 02:14.962 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 02:15.383 --> 02:23.771 [SPEAKER_00]: And you are also very involved with Operation Christmas Child, which is an organization that is just so near and dear to my heart, my family. 02:23.871 --> 02:24.972 [SPEAKER_00]: We love to pet boxes. 02:25.012 --> 02:25.653 [SPEAKER_00]: We do it every year. 02:26.153 --> 02:27.454 [SPEAKER_00]: My kids are very into it. 02:27.514 --> 02:32.136 [SPEAKER_00]: They've been they've been packing boxes since they were babies and they're all pre teams and teams now. 02:32.217 --> 02:33.497 [SPEAKER_00]: So they love it. 02:33.777 --> 02:45.244 [SPEAKER_00]: But I think a lot of families around the country pack boxes, whether it's through church or on their own, and it's very rare to be able to hear about the impact that a box is actually had on the child. 02:45.284 --> 02:47.765 [SPEAKER_00]: It's a here personal story is so special. 02:47.845 --> 02:52.868 [SPEAKER_00]: So I'm really happy that we get to do that today and kind of show listeners. 02:52.908 --> 02:53.969 [SPEAKER_00]: You know, what does it look like? 02:54.289 --> 03:00.590 [SPEAKER_00]: for Operation Christmas trial to give a child a box and a family a box and a whole community a box. 03:00.610 --> 03:04.211 [SPEAKER_00]: So you received a shoe box when you were living in the Middle East. 03:04.271 --> 03:08.652 [SPEAKER_00]: So tell us a little bit, let's start with like what was your life like as a kid? 03:08.772 --> 03:15.073 [SPEAKER_01]: So I grew up in the Middle East in a country where by 98% of the population there were not Christians. 03:15.414 --> 03:21.315 [SPEAKER_01]: So my whole life, the world outside of my own home, as I knew it was that a lot of them did not 03:22.435 --> 03:26.438 [SPEAKER_01]: My parents, after they got married and I was born, my brother was born. 03:26.778 --> 03:31.862 [SPEAKER_01]: They actually didn't know Jesus at that time when it comes to having relationship with him. 03:31.922 --> 03:36.265 [SPEAKER_01]: So they had to leave our country, which is again, 98% non-Christians. 03:37.025 --> 03:41.567 [SPEAKER_01]: go to a different country in the Middle East and they're someone with the pastor shared with them the gospel. 03:42.208 --> 03:45.169 [SPEAKER_01]: And they gave their life to Christ and they knew that was just so good. 03:45.429 --> 03:53.173 [SPEAKER_01]: They just couldn't keep it to themselves so they decided to go back to my home country and tell people they're about Jesus including their own family. 03:53.513 --> 04:00.216 [SPEAKER_01]: So I remember my dad just sharing the gospel in my mom, sharing the gospel with her parents, with the people of the village. 04:00.376 --> 04:02.718 [SPEAKER_01]: And we had, we have helped them. 04:02.738 --> 04:03.498 [SPEAKER_01]: They would receive it. 04:04.515 --> 04:10.676 [SPEAKER_01]: very well and they would give their lives to Jesus, but sadly that was in the case for my family. 04:10.696 --> 04:19.698 [SPEAKER_01]: A lot of even our own family members were against us because they thought we came back with this different kind of beliefs and what they were used to. 04:20.218 --> 04:30.560 [SPEAKER_01]: So they started asking us to subbelieving about Jesus and even to the extent of they would not associate with us as being our family members or even 04:32.020 --> 04:34.283 [SPEAKER_01]: just so that we wouldn't bring shame into their name. 04:34.323 --> 04:43.512 [SPEAKER_01]: So that's what I remember growing up in that part of the world, just the persecution that my family went through, and the rejection that we received from the people around us. 04:45.342 --> 04:48.024 [SPEAKER_01]: just to give you a little bit of an example of how that looked like. 04:48.364 --> 05:01.593 [SPEAKER_01]: My dad had a shop to fix and sell watches and one morning he woke up and he went to his shop and that's how he provided income for my family and he found out that the front door of his shop was filled with burnt oil. 05:03.254 --> 05:23.544 [SPEAKER_01]: along with the threatening letter that was posted in that door and the letter said that if we did not stop telling people about Jesus or leave the village and they would burn my dad's door and they would kill my family and so as you can imagine it was very hard a living in that part of the world and living up our faith it's so different than what we know we're here in the United States. 05:23.844 --> 05:29.709 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, tell me a little bit about what that was like for you spiritually and emotionally as a child. 05:29.729 --> 05:51.627 [SPEAKER_00]: Like I imagine that's it's such a foreign concept for probably most of my listeners because of majority of us are from the United States and we either grew up in a Christian home or maybe we didn't but becoming a Christian very rarely in America involves that level of persecution, you know, like maybe our family members don't like it but no one's threatening to murder us from it. 05:52.668 --> 06:03.593 [SPEAKER_00]: very rarely, in a very privileged life in America, you know, so as a kid who's trying to just emotionally develop and then spiritually develop, like, what was that like for you? 06:03.613 --> 06:05.694 [SPEAKER_01]: I felt lonely. 06:05.734 --> 06:07.355 [SPEAKER_01]: There's one word to describe it. 06:07.455 --> 06:12.538 [SPEAKER_01]: I was the only person in my whole school that actually believed in Jesus and there were times where 06:13.298 --> 06:21.922 [SPEAKER_01]: The teachers used to come and say, we're not going to have a class today, but instead we're going to talk about those evangelists in the village and how you shouldn't be their friend. 06:22.002 --> 06:25.003 [SPEAKER_01]: You shouldn't go to their house or even be seen with them. 06:25.624 --> 06:35.308 [SPEAKER_01]: And as a child sitting in that classroom, along with everyone else, I remember when they were talking just my heart were like sink deep within me. 06:36.048 --> 06:54.408 [SPEAKER_01]: Because I knew it was just talking about my family and I used to walk back and forth from school and just feeling alone And there were times where oh my walk because they're then the village I really walked We you asked you you go there with a car, but we walked everywhere and it was very really people on cars But I used to walk and 06:55.129 --> 07:03.394 [SPEAKER_01]: just pray and as a word to give me no emphasis of help because it was so hard to not even you know find someone that's your age that believes in Jesus. 07:03.414 --> 07:08.277 [SPEAKER_00]: It was very difficult to live in that especially since you know talking about walking back and forth. 07:08.617 --> 07:16.422 [SPEAKER_01]: The people of the village also had gone one day and spray painted the walls of the village with a lot of threatening phrases targeting my family. 07:17.102 --> 07:23.828 [SPEAKER_01]: And they were on the walls, what I used to walk back and forth, they would read all those threats against my family by name. 07:24.128 --> 07:28.351 [SPEAKER_01]: And that even made it worse when it comes to feeling rejected and feeling alone. 07:28.932 --> 07:42.242 [SPEAKER_01]: And so emotionally, I remember just feeling alone and prayed a lot, especially in that sense, prayed a lot of the Lord would encourage my heart and encourage my family as we are serving Him and sharing the gospel in that part of the world. 07:42.442 --> 07:46.826 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and I imagine that's partially where Operation Christmas child came in. 07:46.886 --> 07:51.230 [SPEAKER_00]: So tell us about the day that you, how did they end up where you were? 07:51.411 --> 07:53.633 [SPEAKER_00]: And then tell us about the day that you got your box. 07:53.773 --> 07:56.215 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so give you a little bit just more context. 07:56.275 --> 08:01.200 [SPEAKER_01]: Just so you can see the, to magnify that shoebox experience, to see why it was so impactful. 08:01.780 --> 08:05.384 [SPEAKER_01]: So along with that persecution that we went through, there was also an aspect of poverty. 08:06.144 --> 08:23.515 [SPEAKER_01]: And my dad, even as I mentioned, his shop was often targeted so it was very hard to have necessities being provided even though my dad was so hard, but it was just not enough to provide for his supplies or hygiene items, I remember growing up there were times when I had to share a toothbrush among my family members and that's never fun. 08:34.579 --> 08:48.667 [SPEAKER_01]: Anyway, again, it was in the most fun thing, but we were trying to make it work as much as we can in the midst of the poverty that we were living in, and because of this poverty, I did not enjoy the experience of receiving a gift, not on my birthday or even on Christmas. 08:48.687 --> 08:49.888 [SPEAKER_01]: It wasn't something that we did. 08:50.528 --> 08:57.772 [SPEAKER_01]: And so, I used to ask my mom a lot for so many things, including your clothes and beautiful dresses, 08:59.333 --> 09:07.341 [SPEAKER_01]: And even, you know, I remember, if now that I have my daughter, I tell my husband, she better be the princess princess, because I want to live myself through her. 09:07.421 --> 09:10.924 [SPEAKER_01]: I want to have all the sparkly princess of the glitter stuff. 09:11.606 --> 09:17.167 [SPEAKER_01]: But those are things that I remember not having, so I can ask my mom for all of those things, including the toys. 09:17.347 --> 09:27.070 [SPEAKER_01]: And one thing that my mom always taught me, and I really appreciate it now being a mom myself, is that then yeah, there are times where we are not able to provide even your daily food. 09:27.410 --> 09:36.872 [SPEAKER_01]: Leave alone the things that you want, but we know that God in his word has promised that He will provide our needs, and sometimes even our wants, ifly. 09:37.372 --> 10:02.460 [SPEAKER_01]: Trust him, and she used to reside Psalm 23 into my ears every single night until I ended up memorizing it when I was only five years old Because she trusted that God will truly provide for our family and so she taught me how to pray and how to bring Ministers Lord and prayer and even my wants and I remember one of the things I really wanted to have was my very own toys because I didn't get new ones just for me 10:03.140 --> 10:13.267 [SPEAKER_01]: But there was another thing that my family needed at that time that was very expensive and that was to have something as a radio so we can listen to a Christian radio station. 10:13.608 --> 10:27.477 [SPEAKER_01]: Now that was a very big deal for my family because Christian resources in the Middle East were very limited and so hearing sermons and Christian music in our own language for the radio it happened such a big deal but a problem was the cannot afford it. 10:28.118 --> 10:31.080 [SPEAKER_01]: So my family just trusted the Lord with all of our needs including that. 10:31.708 --> 10:39.030 [SPEAKER_01]: And then one very special day that I still remember, a tomb operation Christmas child came into the village. 10:39.651 --> 10:43.652 [SPEAKER_01]: And they heard about my family and they came and they didn't outreach again there. 10:43.872 --> 10:46.313 [SPEAKER_01]: And they asked my dad also if he can gather some people. 10:46.373 --> 10:48.774 [SPEAKER_01]: So they can check the gospel with the people of the village. 10:49.134 --> 10:49.754 [SPEAKER_01]: And we did that. 10:49.974 --> 10:52.475 [SPEAKER_01]: And a lot of people that were sitting there here in the gospel. 10:53.255 --> 10:59.200 [SPEAKER_01]: They had their kids with them, but the crazy thing is a lot of those parents had not like my family. 10:59.460 --> 11:03.203 [SPEAKER_01]: They were, those were pro persecution, or my family. 11:03.544 --> 11:06.506 [SPEAKER_01]: But they were still there because their kids were here in the gospel. 11:06.546 --> 11:13.912 [SPEAKER_01]: So, they heard the gospel, and then they started giving shoe boxes, and I received one of those beautifully wrapped shoe boxes. 11:14.152 --> 11:17.974 [SPEAKER_01]: And I remember how excited I was to put my hand to this box. 11:18.054 --> 11:19.895 [SPEAKER_01]: It failed with so many things. 11:19.975 --> 11:22.057 [SPEAKER_01]: And my that was wrapped. 11:22.337 --> 11:27.020 [SPEAKER_01]: And as I opened lid of my shoe box and looked inside, everything was colorful. 11:27.060 --> 11:28.600 [SPEAKER_01]: It was brand new. 11:28.620 --> 11:30.882 [SPEAKER_01]: And what has used that stood out to me. 11:31.542 --> 11:33.443 [SPEAKER_01]: And they were a school supplies bear. 11:33.643 --> 11:35.965 [SPEAKER_01]: I love the pencils that were decorated. 11:35.985 --> 11:40.067 [SPEAKER_01]: And it was the very first time I see pencils that were actually decorated. 11:40.427 --> 11:41.288 [SPEAKER_01]: That stood out to me. 11:41.888 --> 12:11.027 [SPEAKER_01]: And there were hygiene items, I got my own toothbrush, washcloth, dental floss, things that we again were not used to, but it was just so awesome to find there, and then many beautiful toys, my favorite was a slinky, because I had not seen one before, and I remember thinking it was a bracelet at first when I received it, and so I just put it in my hand, it was too heavy, and so I showed my brother and I realized that, wait, it can actually go down this stairs on its own, and that was, 12:11.807 --> 12:13.407 [SPEAKER_01]: very cool for us to realize. 12:13.627 --> 12:16.328 [SPEAKER_01]: And another toy that I love was a daily baby. 12:16.348 --> 12:18.989 [SPEAKER_01]: And it was so special to have something new. 12:19.089 --> 12:20.089 [SPEAKER_01]: And I could cuddle with it. 12:20.189 --> 12:23.610 [SPEAKER_01]: I used to sleep with it so many nights and play pretend with it. 12:23.630 --> 12:25.790 [SPEAKER_01]: Like I was a teacher and it was a student. 12:25.810 --> 12:28.491 [SPEAKER_01]: So so many beautiful memories out of that. 12:29.051 --> 12:30.751 [SPEAKER_01]: And kept pulling item after item. 12:30.791 --> 12:32.532 [SPEAKER_01]: And so many things that stood out to me. 12:32.552 --> 12:32.772 [SPEAKER_01]: They were 12:34.552 --> 12:52.209 [SPEAKER_01]: But the biggest surprise for my family was pulling another box from inside the shoe box and as we opened it We found an item inside that shocked my family Because inside that small box it was a mini radio just a different one right here This is an exact truck. 12:52.229 --> 12:58.015 [SPEAKER_01]: We could have had that right your look like and you know I was sitting there and I just remember holding my items in 12:58.773 --> 13:05.302 [SPEAKER_01]: Everything was a shock, having my shoebox, having the I&Ms, it was so many things that I had to process at that time. 13:05.502 --> 13:09.808 [SPEAKER_01]: But one distinct thing that stood out to me was that I felt seen. 13:11.791 --> 13:12.212 [SPEAKER_01]: At this 13:13.427 --> 13:20.232 [SPEAKER_01]: I thought I was alone, that village I didn't think anyone would know that we even exist and this struggles that we are facing. 13:20.832 --> 13:35.002 [SPEAKER_01]: And yet the shoebox somehow made us way too us there and not only that, but inside they were items that I had longed for I had prayed for and then to have that radio out of all the boxes. 13:35.463 --> 13:40.386 [SPEAKER_01]: I just remember thinking wow, like God truly sees me and he cares for me and for my needs. 13:42.848 --> 13:50.978 [SPEAKER_00]: I feel like there are so many stories just like that because God is so faithful here is our specific prayers and it can show up. 13:51.519 --> 13:58.948 [SPEAKER_00]: In a way that sounds as simple as somebody packing a shoe box for a little kid in that kid getting the exact right box that he wanted them to have. 13:59.068 --> 13:59.589 [SPEAKER_01]: And I just think, 14:00.109 --> 14:01.250 [SPEAKER_00]: that's so, so incredible. 14:01.690 --> 14:12.875 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm curious about the people, the other people who got boxes, like, because they weren't supposed to play with you, you know, that you're being persecuted, and then operation Christmas child comes, and people want to meet their kids' needs. 14:12.895 --> 14:19.298 [SPEAKER_00]: So they're going to come for the box, because they know they're going to get stuff, people will do anything for their kids, but how is the community changed? 14:19.338 --> 14:23.300 [SPEAKER_00]: Because then there's an evangelist program, like, it doesn't just stop with the boxes. 14:23.340 --> 14:25.841 [SPEAKER_00]: Like, there's more after the boxes are received. 14:26.001 --> 14:40.623 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so they came, they did hear the gospel at that time and then one thing that I remember was my parents praying for a while to have the opportunity to also share the gospel not just in our village, but in the neighboring villages. 14:41.083 --> 15:05.847 [SPEAKER_01]: So they had that vision of reaching the other villages with the gospel as well and so I mean we wanted those seeds that some people later came to Christ even after we came to the U.S. they used to call my dad and say do you remember that I was one of the people that was persecuting you but I gave my life to you this there are a lot of things that we have not heard yet because we don't know over a story that came but there were other people 15:06.407 --> 15:15.934 [SPEAKER_01]: After we arrived to the US, they used to call us and say, hey, I gave my life to Jesus, which was so incredible to see those seats that were being planted later, got used to them and grew them. 15:16.315 --> 15:20.898 [SPEAKER_01]: But then the prayer of my parents was not just to stop when our village, but also to go to neighboring villages. 15:20.978 --> 15:27.443 [SPEAKER_01]: And so when those boxes came, my parents took them and they went to those villages where there was no one to share the gospel there. 15:28.183 --> 15:37.630 [SPEAKER_01]: And as they went and they asked a parent so they can give shoe boxes their children, they agreed and that also opened the door, the doors for my parents to share the gospel and those villages. 15:38.250 --> 15:48.998 [SPEAKER_01]: And so it was just incredible to see how something, as you said, a simple shoe box gift to become a tool in the hands of the people on the ground to use them to share the gospel and, you know, 15:49.798 --> 16:14.806 [SPEAKER_01]: God only is the one who will grow their seeds all our job is just to plant and that's exactly what my family did Yeah, and then how did you guys end up in the US so often living in the middle east of 17 years of my own life the government was very corrupt And you know, we had the the personal persecution against my family because of our faith and there was the The overall government situation and terrorist attacks that was happening. 16:14.886 --> 16:16.847 [SPEAKER_01]: So it was becoming very unsafe 16:17.747 --> 16:24.430 [SPEAKER_01]: to live there and after much prayer, my family decided to leave our country and go apply as refugees. 16:24.450 --> 16:26.030 [SPEAKER_01]: We didn't know what we were going to go. 16:26.190 --> 16:31.632 [SPEAKER_01]: It wasn't our plan to be in the U.S., or any other country, we just wanted to leave because it was very dangerous. 16:32.232 --> 16:36.494 [SPEAKER_01]: At that time, even before I had to love the country, there were car bombs that had 16:40.635 --> 16:42.497 [SPEAKER_01]: You didn't guarantee the next day. 16:42.557 --> 16:44.038 [SPEAKER_01]: It was very dangerous to say. 16:44.379 --> 16:59.272 [SPEAKER_01]: But after a much prior week left, and we went to another country, or applied as refugees, and then we got that phone call from the U.S. saying that we got accepted, and they accepted my family too, come to United States, and make this place our home. 17:01.034 --> 17:06.519 [SPEAKER_01]: That was one of the happiest days of my life because it felt like, wow, now we can finally be settled. 17:06.559 --> 17:11.924 [SPEAKER_01]: And we can finally, you know, have a new home instead of having to be moving from one place to the other. 17:11.984 --> 17:14.587 [SPEAKER_01]: So we came here and we decided our life here. 17:14.627 --> 17:17.489 [SPEAKER_01]: And the United States is specific when we're still sailing back in the morning. 17:17.890 --> 17:20.152 [SPEAKER_00]: And then did you bring all of your stuff with you? 17:20.352 --> 17:22.154 [SPEAKER_01]: I wish I did. 17:22.214 --> 17:23.896 [SPEAKER_01]: So when we left, we had to... 17:24.616 --> 17:26.838 [SPEAKER_01]: leave it as little as possible. 17:27.358 --> 17:41.968 [SPEAKER_01]: So we had to leave everything behind, including the radio and all the items that we received because we treasured them, but you know, God knew how much I loved that experience and this ministry that he brought me to the country for Shabak's come from. 17:42.428 --> 17:48.312 [SPEAKER_01]: I remember when he first came to the US, which we didn't know where the Shabak was came from, we just called it the special place. 17:49.630 --> 18:05.060 [SPEAKER_01]: Because our box was special and so we came to United States at first time and then obviously we had to figure out why we went to That was so we went to well, you know, we went to all the stores so we can get familiar and then we walked into the dollar store And we found all of the shoe box items there. 18:05.080 --> 18:08.122 [SPEAKER_01]: I remember looking at what I think can wait This is so familiar. 18:08.142 --> 18:11.064 [SPEAKER_01]: It was like a big magnified shoe box in here 18:12.585 --> 18:13.185 [SPEAKER_00]: totally. 18:13.646 --> 18:24.192 [SPEAKER_01]: They were a few hands here and there, but it wasn't until one time when my church group wanted to go to the operation because the child were house and Charlotte. 18:24.572 --> 18:29.735 [SPEAKER_01]: I know where all the shoe boxes that are packed are being inspected and then they're shipped to the countries. 18:30.255 --> 18:40.399 [SPEAKER_01]: So I really then still not in the wind with that specifically meant because my English was so very limited at that time and so we went to that warehouse and we walked in and I remember thinking, what is this place? 18:40.499 --> 18:48.442 [SPEAKER_01]: It was so big with so many lines and gifts and Christmas trees and you know people wearing fan hats and ugly sweaters. 18:49.083 --> 18:56.826 [SPEAKER_01]: Like for somebody coming from a different country who were not familiar with these things, it was a lot to process and think about what all of this was. 18:57.685 --> 19:00.468 [SPEAKER_00]: And then in ugly sweaters, a lot to process itself. 19:00.808 --> 19:01.769 [SPEAKER_00]: They like so. 19:01.929 --> 19:02.650 [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, yeah. 19:02.730 --> 19:06.174 [SPEAKER_01]: Like in our culture, we get away from those things, right? 19:06.234 --> 19:08.756 [SPEAKER_01]: He is like, oh, we're a tough bunch, you know. 19:08.776 --> 19:12.360 [SPEAKER_01]: So just the right, cultural shock was real. 19:12.400 --> 19:14.442 [SPEAKER_01]: Let just say that when I first came here. 19:15.369 --> 19:22.895 [SPEAKER_01]: and I remember seeing all those people just so happy and so excited, it truly felt like a Santa factory of that when I saw it. 19:23.256 --> 19:28.240 [SPEAKER_01]: And they were vendors hanging from the top and I just tried to figure out what this was. 19:28.460 --> 19:36.427 [SPEAKER_01]: And I remember seeing those huge vendors hanging from the tower the ceiling and there was a logo on the banner and that logo there was 19:36.847 --> 19:39.129 [SPEAKER_01]: a shoe box with the links coming out of it. 19:40.450 --> 19:44.233 [SPEAKER_01]: And that's what I remember in a hit me this is opera, super special. 19:44.273 --> 19:46.695 [SPEAKER_01]: This is the ministry that sent me the shoe box gift. 19:46.895 --> 19:46.995 [SPEAKER_01]: And 19:47.743 --> 19:48.624 [SPEAKER_01]: It was a whole different experience. 19:48.644 --> 19:58.712 [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to be so shocked, but the flashbacks came back to me and I don't have words for it except that, wow, look, I am in the place, I found the place where my shoebacks came from. 19:59.253 --> 20:11.263 [SPEAKER_01]: And so it was just so exciting to be on this side and to finally see how it all happens and how the answers of how I got the shoebox and the process behind it, it was truly a humbling experience. 20:11.483 --> 20:14.567 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, and did you connect with the ministry right then and there? 20:14.587 --> 20:16.309 [SPEAKER_00]: Hi, I was a shoebox recipient. 20:16.549 --> 20:17.490 [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I did. 20:17.510 --> 20:23.357 [SPEAKER_01]: I remember, I might wish was very limited, but I try to describe it with my hands. 20:23.377 --> 20:26.921 [SPEAKER_01]: I remember one thing I used to tell them was I used to sleep with my shoebox, you know. 20:27.583 --> 20:32.787 [SPEAKER_01]: And I was also excited and they came and they were trying to get that experience out of me. 20:33.368 --> 20:35.610 [SPEAKER_01]: But that was in 2010. 20:35.990 --> 20:39.653 [SPEAKER_01]: And it wasn't until about 20, end of 2015 or 2016. 20:39.673 --> 20:45.218 [SPEAKER_01]: And in the beginning of 2016 is when I reconnected with a ministry again at that time, I was in college. 20:45.258 --> 20:46.159 [SPEAKER_01]: My English was better. 20:46.879 --> 21:10.853 [SPEAKER_01]: but I connected with them again during a good national collection week and I was at one of the churches and then that one connected me with a team from Opera's team and the father's and Christmas child who got in touch with my story and at this time I can actually tell it with words and that's when I was able to share my story in a full capacity and also at the opportunity to later present at the Opera's and Christmas child. 21:10.993 --> 21:11.253 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 21:11.533 --> 21:12.573 [SPEAKER_00]: That's so incredible. 21:12.894 --> 21:17.035 [SPEAKER_00]: I, there are so many ways that people can be involved with this organization. 21:17.135 --> 21:22.758 [SPEAKER_00]: So can you tell us a little bit about what are our options for people who are listening or like, I love this so much. 21:22.798 --> 21:25.159 [SPEAKER_00]: I want to get myself a move and my kids evolve too. 21:25.319 --> 21:28.060 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so anyone can pack a shoebox give. 21:28.100 --> 21:29.501 [SPEAKER_01]: That's the easiest startup. 21:29.561 --> 21:33.062 [SPEAKER_01]: You can, it doesn't have to be the shoebox that's provided by the ministry. 21:33.082 --> 21:34.963 [SPEAKER_01]: You can just take your kids. 21:35.463 --> 21:36.343 [SPEAKER_01]: your boxes, you know. 21:36.523 --> 21:46.526 [SPEAKER_01]: And if you're in a robin, you can't if you don't, then again, I know you're busy mom, I'm busy mom sometimes, as much as I would love to make it so, you know, extra again, but any shoebox work. 21:46.867 --> 21:52.728 [SPEAKER_01]: And then fill it up with school supplies, hygiene items, toys, and we call it a wall item. 21:52.748 --> 22:01.951 [SPEAKER_01]: Now, you don't have to put a regular shoebox, that's not a must, but we want something that when the child opens the box, they say, wow, like this is stands out to them, and that could be an 22:05.115 --> 22:07.796 [SPEAKER_01]: the things that maybe stands up to you and your children. 22:08.456 --> 22:15.197 [SPEAKER_01]: And we have an other list of what you can pack and don't pack on our website to metonspurs.org slash OCC. 22:15.537 --> 22:17.377 [SPEAKER_01]: It can tell you the things that you can. 22:17.397 --> 22:22.838 [SPEAKER_01]: It cannot put just to be, if you wanted to be, to put all the items that can go in the shoe box there. 22:22.858 --> 22:24.158 [SPEAKER_01]: So that's one way to do that. 22:25.059 --> 22:32.680 [SPEAKER_01]: And then you, after you pack the shoe box to drop it off at a drop off location, which also you can find that what is the closest drop off location to you. 22:33.589 --> 22:37.211 [SPEAKER_00]: that's close to you during a national collection week, also on our website. 22:38.231 --> 22:42.493 [SPEAKER_01]: Now, speaking of national collection week, that would be the third week of November. 22:42.513 --> 22:46.495 [SPEAKER_01]: And so, we have over 5,000 drop-off locations. 22:46.515 --> 22:54.038 [SPEAKER_01]: So, you go to our website, put yours at code, and it's going to tell you what is a closest drop-off location, pack it in your car, drop it off, and then your job is done. 22:54.619 --> 22:56.199 [SPEAKER_01]: Pray over it, as I was always saying. 22:56.419 --> 22:57.240 [SPEAKER_01]: And then your job is done. 22:57.640 --> 23:04.422 [SPEAKER_01]: And then if for some reason, if you like drop application order, I'm sorry, the National Collection Week is over. 23:04.682 --> 23:06.143 [SPEAKER_01]: Is it too late to pack a shoebox this? 23:06.203 --> 23:11.284 [SPEAKER_01]: Well, one of the things that occurs with the child has is packing a shoebox online. 23:11.304 --> 23:15.265 [SPEAKER_01]: So even if that has passed, you can pack a shoebox online, you go to our website as well. 23:15.845 --> 23:17.666 [SPEAKER_01]: And you can build a shoebox online. 23:17.686 --> 23:20.187 [SPEAKER_01]: It's so fun to can drag the item to put it inside. 23:20.267 --> 23:23.468 [SPEAKER_01]: And these shoeboxes will be packed in person by 23:25.268 --> 23:30.211 [SPEAKER_01]: at some point in a year and so these are some of the ways that you can be part of then. 23:30.271 --> 23:42.478 [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, prior to the big one and then if you want to even get involved in a deeper way by being a volunteer at Apportion Kiss Michelle, there's also that opportunity that you can do or also if you live close by a passing center. 23:42.878 --> 23:55.281 [SPEAKER_01]: You can take your family or even your church group and then sign up for one of the days of their processing and go experience that, Santa Facts We Experience and process the Shabbat's together and all that could be found at our website as well. 23:55.321 --> 23:57.381 [SPEAKER_01]: So my concerns got all of splash OCC. 23:57.481 --> 24:03.783 [SPEAKER_00]: We used to have a processing center near us and so we went every year for a while in the Processing Center is so fun. 24:04.683 --> 24:10.564 [SPEAKER_00]: Because you go through and you basically essentially what you do is you're in a factory line. 24:10.604 --> 24:11.405 [SPEAKER_00]: This is what it is. 24:11.425 --> 24:15.585 [SPEAKER_00]: And you open the box and make sure that you take out any items that aren't allowed on the list. 24:15.605 --> 24:19.666 [SPEAKER_00]: You add in, if then the box looks will empty, you add in items, and then you go. 24:19.846 --> 24:20.607 [SPEAKER_00]: Be in to round it. 24:20.807 --> 24:25.408 [SPEAKER_00]: It is so fun to be around that much energy and just looking at how people pack boxes. 24:25.548 --> 24:29.308 [SPEAKER_00]: If you can get to a processing center, you should get to a processing center. 24:29.449 --> 24:31.629 [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's a must do experience with the 24:35.183 --> 24:38.206 [SPEAKER_01]: to do, to take them and have them experience that. 24:38.486 --> 24:40.828 [SPEAKER_01]: Just a whole environment makes you live that Christmas. 24:41.308 --> 24:42.969 [SPEAKER_01]: It brings in that Christmas spirit, right? 24:43.029 --> 24:43.870 [SPEAKER_01]: It's just so fun. 24:44.350 --> 24:46.032 [SPEAKER_01]: Do you be part of it if you're able to? 24:46.272 --> 24:48.634 [SPEAKER_00]: What are your favorite things to put in about? 24:48.674 --> 24:49.014 [SPEAKER_00]: Slinky? 24:50.835 --> 24:57.480 [SPEAKER_01]: I have to put a flinky, uh, a stuffed animal, and I have to really putting soccer balls for the older kids that tend to 25:01.423 --> 25:06.065 [SPEAKER_01]: Regardless, it was something that I had hoped to have as well when I was growing up. 25:07.105 --> 25:09.926 [SPEAKER_01]: I have a ST activity book, so it was also one of my favorite. 25:10.046 --> 25:16.108 [SPEAKER_01]: I love doing the activity books that with all activities I still have pencils, so I can erase it and do it all one over again. 25:16.248 --> 25:17.648 [SPEAKER_01]: And I didn't, that was my first one. 25:17.788 --> 25:18.448 [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't have any. 25:18.468 --> 25:20.889 [SPEAKER_01]: I was going to surprise, having pencils. 25:21.369 --> 25:25.290 [SPEAKER_01]: There were, there were a few years where I used to put ideas as well. 25:25.310 --> 25:29.412 [SPEAKER_01]: The ones that you crank them up, not the batch upgrade, but the one that's like a 25:30.383 --> 25:30.883 [SPEAKER_01]: operated. 25:31.223 --> 25:33.324 [SPEAKER_01]: So those are some of my favorite things to pack. 25:33.484 --> 25:33.684 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 25:34.004 --> 25:35.105 [SPEAKER_01]: And do you write a note? 25:35.305 --> 25:35.965 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I didn't know. 25:35.985 --> 25:36.405 [SPEAKER_01]: That's right. 25:36.585 --> 25:37.566 [SPEAKER_01]: I do write a note. 25:37.606 --> 25:39.586 [SPEAKER_01]: I put a picture of my family and I write a note. 25:39.646 --> 25:45.629 [SPEAKER_01]: And I put in the note that I had to see the shoe box when I'd pray that this will impact you just as much as it did for me. 25:46.369 --> 25:47.549 [SPEAKER_00]: I love that so much. 25:47.589 --> 25:48.950 [SPEAKER_00]: My kids always write notes. 25:49.290 --> 25:49.850 [SPEAKER_00]: They love this. 25:49.870 --> 25:51.411 [SPEAKER_00]: They're a favorite part of packing a shoe box. 25:51.831 --> 25:57.453 [SPEAKER_00]: And they also are very specific to pray over their boxes that because they like my kids at this point. 25:57.473 --> 25:57.693 [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, 25:58.393 --> 25:59.594 [SPEAKER_00]: We have been doing this for someone. 25:59.614 --> 26:01.436 [SPEAKER_00]: My kids like to theme their boxes out. 26:01.456 --> 26:06.180 [SPEAKER_00]: So they'll be like, this is a blue box or this is like a specific character or something. 26:06.560 --> 26:12.105 [SPEAKER_00]: And so then it's so sweet to watch them pray and say like, Lord, I hope this child loves blue. 26:12.345 --> 26:14.927 [SPEAKER_00]: Like, I hope this child wants something blue when they get it. 26:14.987 --> 26:23.114 [SPEAKER_00]: And it's just, it's a really tangible way to be serving others and the Lord for kids who are of all ages and can grow with them. 26:23.154 --> 26:25.617 [SPEAKER_00]: And I just think it's just the sweetest organization. 26:26.277 --> 26:28.780 [SPEAKER_00]: would encourage package boxes this year. 26:29.140 --> 26:32.705 [SPEAKER_01]: My kids are despite a man right now, so we're trying to steam it up a little. 26:33.466 --> 26:34.867 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's fun. 26:34.927 --> 26:39.733 [SPEAKER_01]: And before them, like, like, I think they can make, oh, if I like it so much, someone else may like it as well. 26:39.853 --> 26:44.118 [SPEAKER_01]: So we're trying to get into their world a little bit of their packing. 26:44.318 --> 26:44.559 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 26:44.879 --> 26:54.941 [SPEAKER_00]: And I thought when my kids were your kids ages two, it was so great to have a ministry that they knew and cared about, that we could talk about when they're at Target and asking for one million things. 26:55.582 --> 27:02.223 [SPEAKER_00]: And I was like, no, you don't need this, but do you think that we should buy this for shoe boxes that we can put them in a shoe box later? 27:02.263 --> 27:05.564 [SPEAKER_00]: And so they got to buy the item, but knowing it's not for them. 27:06.064 --> 27:08.325 [SPEAKER_00]: I think there's something really valuable about that too. 27:08.345 --> 27:12.265 [SPEAKER_00]: Because you can shop here around when you find sales, like we have a bin at home, just filled with 27:15.347 --> 27:16.047 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I agree. 27:16.188 --> 27:30.704 [SPEAKER_01]: It is definitely a good teaching experience even here as I would say definitely a lot of their needs are covered for sure Yeah, a lot of more with the things that they want so to experience that this is not for me in the stage What I am and something I'm trying to teach my kids. 27:31.345 --> 27:31.685 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. 27:32.045 --> 27:33.747 [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so this is definitely a great way to do that. 27:33.948 --> 27:34.168 [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah 27:34.468 --> 27:41.033 [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I am so grateful that you joined me the day to tell us more about your story and share about this ministry. 27:41.053 --> 27:49.420 [SPEAKER_00]: I help link everything and show notes that people can really easily find how to pack a box, how to do it online, where to drop them off, all of those really important things. 27:49.500 --> 27:51.041 [SPEAKER_00]: So thank you again for being here. 27:51.181 --> 27:52.823 [SPEAKER_01]: So much for having me Mr. Much fun. 27:54.597 --> 27:57.258 [SPEAKER_00]: I just think that is such a beautiful reminder that God sees us. 27:57.758 --> 28:03.621 [SPEAKER_00]: Here's our prayers, and can use even the simplest acts of obedience in ways that we may never fully understand. 28:04.061 --> 28:14.005 [SPEAKER_00]: When we pack a shoebox with our kids, we might just see some school supplies, our toys, and a toothbrush, but on the other side of the world, that box might be a very specific answer to a child's prayer. 28:14.425 --> 28:22.288 [SPEAKER_00]: It might open a door for someone to hear the fastball, it will open a door for someone to hear the fastball, and it might remind a kid who feels completely alone that they are seeing him left. 28:22.648 --> 28:30.274 [SPEAKER_00]: So if you want to pack a shoebox with your family this year, I've linked everything you need in the show notes including how to pack box, where to drop it off, and how to build one online. 28:30.955 --> 28:36.499 [SPEAKER_00]: And please don't forget if this conversation encouraged you, please share it with another family and leave us a rating or a review. 28:37.040 --> 28:39.121 [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for being here and may God bless you this week. 28:39.422 --> 28:43.745 [SPEAKER_00]: May you open your family's eyes to the knees of others and give you hearts that are eager to serve. 28:44.265 --> 28:48.709 [SPEAKER_00]: May your kids discover the joy of generosity, the power of prayer in the beauty of sharing the