Mission Boxes 2010 and 2011

This past year, I promised to give 20 mission boxes for children to a church that my friend is a member of. We decided to do this in lieu of gifts to each other at Christmas. I started collecting things to fill my mission boxes (plastic shoe boxes) last January.

At first, I thought, "what was I thinking to dedicate myself to filling 20 mission boxes?". As each month went by, I bought things for the kids and stored the items in my closet. I filled 10 boxes for girls and 10 boxes for boys. I had so much fun! Some items were for fun and some items were for hygiene. The real fun came the first of December when I started putting the items in the boxes. The boxes were crammed full of things for the kids! I labeled each box whether it was for a boy or a girl and then topped each box with a green box of candy (Mike and Ikes candy) and taped them shut. I hope it made a difference in a child's life since the boxes were going to an orphange in Acuna Mexico. Believe it or not, I have already started buying items for mission boxes for next Christmas.

If you have never done anything like this, try making boxes for veterans or soldiers. There are websites where you can select a name. "Shoeboxes for Soldiers" is one helpful website or make mission boxes for nursing home residents in your area. The feeling of giving comes right back to you! Please post your stories and keep this idea going!