Inspire, Fall/Winter 2009

CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY 13 here’s something magical about Christmas. In celebration of the One who gave His greatest gift to us in the birth of His Son, we shop and wrap, ribbon and bake for the people we love. In that same spirit, the ministry of Samaritan’s Purse has taken generosity to another level since 1993 with Operation Christmas Child (OCC). You’re probably familiar with OCC. You, your family, your church, even your workplace may have made a tradition of putting together shoeboxes filled with toys, candy, toiletries, and school supplies for needy kids around the world. For many of us, these items seem simple and ordinary, a far cry from “the stuff dreams are made of.” But for the kids who receive these gifts, the boxes represent hope, joy, and generosity. Singer and songwriter Matthew West, who is this year’s OCC spokesperson, captured this idea when he penned, “What if I told you you had the power to give someone hope beyond their wildest dreams?” He developed these lyrics for the song Give This Christmas Away , which he recorded with Amy Grant. With the goal of giving this hope to kids around the world, each year thousands of individuals and families collect items to fill shoeboxes. You may have wondered, like many others, where the box goes once it’s out of your hands. And now you can have a behind-the-scenes look! Although you can’t know much about the child who ends up with your shoebox, you can learn a little bit about the journey the package takes to get there — thanks to Joey Turner ’09. Following the Box Joey got his own sneak peek at OCC in 2006. His story begins when he went on a Samaritan’s Purse international relief effort to Poipet, Cambodia. The three-week missions trip consisted of educating people on hygiene and installing bathrooms in villages, among other tasks. Not only did the work lead Joey to change his major from youth ministries to international studies, but that was also when he met Shannon Kozee, community relations manager for OCC. When he returned to the States, he received a surprise call from Shannon, who wondered if he would be willing to host a video series called “Follow the Box.” The videos would chronicle how a shoebox gets from your home into the hands of a happy child. Joey was more than willing to accept. Excited to learn for himself how OCC changes the lives of children around the world, he began a two-week journey that took him from Beavercreek, Ohio, to Quito, Ecuador. As he shadowed a shoebox, Joey had a firsthand look at each point of its trek. T