December Update from the Adams County Area Team

Operation Christmas Child outreach events are a lot of fun with games, music and shoebox gifts—but even more importantly, they offer children a chance to learn about Jesus’ love for them! As we prepare for Christmas and what it means to celebrate with Joy the birth of our Savior, we are often reminded through the simple things what it means to celebrate the depth of His gifts: His Love, His Sacrifice, His Justification and His Righteousness.

Maybe you sent cards to friends and loved ones… God sent His Angels to announce Jesus’ Birth.

Maybe you decorated a tree with bright lights… God sent a star to guide the Wise Men to worship Jesus.

Maybe you wrapped gifts with love… God wrapped His Child Jesus in cloth.

As we ponder the Beautiful Gift given to us, this light in the darkness, we can rejoice even though the days may be dark. In Adams County, we can rejoice over the 8,435 plus 86 Build a Shoebox Online (BASBO) Shoeboxes!! If you did a Follow Your Box, you can track where your shoeboxes went. So far, ours have gone to the Philippines and Hard to Reach Areas. How exciting it is to know that your shoebox gifts bring Good News and great joy to children around the world—even the most difficult-to-reach areas.

Please continue to pray:

• Please don’t stop praying for the boy or girl who will receive your shoebox gift. Continue to ask God to soften his or her heart to the Gospel and give them the courage to follow Christ even if others around them do not—yet!
• Pray that communities in these hard-to-reach areas will be transformed by light of the Gospel they experience through shoebox gifts.
• Ask God to guide, guard, and protect the local believers who distribute them and make them effective ambassadors for Him.