If you don't know, OCC is a part of Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse organization. Through OCC, families in developed countries can pack a shoebox full of toys, school supplies, and hygiene items which is then sent to a child in a 3rd world country. Upon receiving the gift, they have the opportunity to go through a discipleship program and receive a Bible in their own language.
Each box has the opportunity to reach 10 people with the gospel of Christ, and the content of the box can benefit the whole family.
This season we were able to pack boxes and go to the processing center.
Packing
My family chose to pack 6 boxes for 10-14 year old boys, which was quite the adventure. We hit up the dollar store for almost everything in the boxes. Shopping at the dollar store allows us to be frugal and pack more boxes.In the past we've used all clear, reusable bins but this year we were only able to buy 2, so we used conventional shoe boxes as well.
- Various kinds of hard candy to split, mix, and bag
- 6 different plastic musical instruments
- A small roll of electrical tape for each
- A rubber ball big enough to play catch with but small enough to bounce
- A small composition book for each
- An individual pack of tissues for each
- A large rubber eraser for each
- A pair of socks for each
- Blue and black pens to divide between boxes
- 4 combs for each
- A toothbrush and toothpaste for each
- A bar of soap and a washcloth for each
- A 101 piece puzzle for each
- A bungee cord for each
Here's everything thus far, split, and unpackaged.
Then we placed a hat and a stuffed animal in each box. We already had these.
Here they are all packed, labeled and rubber banded.
If you need further guidance or need to see the list of prohibited items, go check out OCC's site.
Processing
My parents have been packing boxes all my life and they were eagerly awaiting for me to turn 13 years old, so we could help process boxes in the Southern California location, and when we moved we were pleased to discover that there is a processing center in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. This weekend we ventured to Carrollton, a suburb of Dallas, where the processing center was located. During our 5 hour shift 16,00 boxes were processed before heading to Panama and the Ukraine.
Processing is so much fun. You meet people from all over, given that there are only 9 processing centers in the US.
The processing centers are extremely organized and the operations carried out run very smoothly.
Boxes come in one end of the warehouse in the cartons (large, cardboard boxes) they came from the church in, with boys and girls of all ages together in a carton. When they leave the warehouse they are in cartons sorted by age category and gender, and are loaded into shipping containers bound for other countries.
What happens in between those two cartons is where the volunteer roles come in.
The pre-inspector pulls the shoe box out of the carton from the church, removes any donations included, and places it on the wire rack on the tabletop.
The box is then inspected by an inspector for any inappropriate items and filler items may be added if the box is looking under filled or limp. The box is then placed back onto the wire rack and passed to a taper who tapes it shut.
They then hand it off to a sorter who makes sure the box goes into the correct age/gender box.
At this point in the process if any of the boxes have a barcode it is scanned.
The warehouses we've worked in typically have around 20 individual table groups who carry out this process.
My personal favorite roles to fill are the inspector and the pre-inspector, because it's like a recurring Christmas, opening the boxes and seeing what the families and churches are giving to the children and imagining the joy the gifts will bring the children.
Shout out to table 9 of the 5-10pm shift on 11/27/15 for being the most upbeat, friendly, efficient,and energetic, people to work with. With every finished carton we let out the loudest, most excited shout and made all the other tables jealous of our awesomeness.
Processing is so much fun. You meet people from all over, given that there are only 9 processing centers in the US.
The processing centers are extremely organized and the operations carried out run very smoothly.
Boxes come in one end of the warehouse in the cartons (large, cardboard boxes) they came from the church in, with boys and girls of all ages together in a carton. When they leave the warehouse they are in cartons sorted by age category and gender, and are loaded into shipping containers bound for other countries.
What happens in between those two cartons is where the volunteer roles come in.
The pre-inspector pulls the shoe box out of the carton from the church, removes any donations included, and places it on the wire rack on the tabletop.
The box is then inspected by an inspector for any inappropriate items and filler items may be added if the box is looking under filled or limp. The box is then placed back onto the wire rack and passed to a taper who tapes it shut.
They then hand it off to a sorter who makes sure the box goes into the correct age/gender box.
At this point in the process if any of the boxes have a barcode it is scanned.
The warehouses we've worked in typically have around 20 individual table groups who carry out this process.
My personal favorite roles to fill are the inspector and the pre-inspector, because it's like a recurring Christmas, opening the boxes and seeing what the families and churches are giving to the children and imagining the joy the gifts will bring the children.
Shout out to table 9 of the 5-10pm shift on 11/27/15 for being the most upbeat, friendly, efficient,and energetic, people to work with. With every finished carton we let out the loudest, most excited shout and made all the other tables jealous of our awesomeness.
Processing and packing OCC shoe boxes are always one of my Christmas season highlights. Packing the boxes is a great way to give back in the midst of a season which often glamorizes consumerism, and packing just instantly puts me into the spirit, with all the presents, the Christmas music, and the gigantic tree decorated around the shoe box theme.
Friends, I strongly urge you to be involved with Operation Christmas Child in the coming year. I think you'll agree with me that it's a win win situation for disadvantaged children around the globe, and yourself and your family.
Merry Christmas!
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