ALTHOUGH IT’S SUMMER, our thoughts are well and truly focussed on this year’s Shoebox Appeals – our Family Shoebox Appeal (containing a gift for everyone) and our Elderly Shoebox Appeal (a box specifically for an older person living on their own). The sheer joy of opening a shoebox full of gifts is an amazing sight to see and people are often reduced to tears of happiness.
We meet some amazing people out in Eastern Europe. People who try to do good works amongst marginalised people in Eastern Europe are often viewed suspiciously, and if they are doing it through a Christian organisation then they are often viewed as a cult. When they try to set up schools, kindergarten and canteens in villages, the doors are often closed in their faces.
However, shoeboxes seem to transform themselves into keys and door wedges, as time after time the people who have turned our contacts away realised that they are ‘The Shoebox People’. People in authority view the shoeboxes as really important and know how gratefully they are received. A relationship is established, shoeboxes go in and more often than not, within a few years those kindergartens, schools and soup kitchens are thriving as trust has been established through the simple giving of a shoebox.
Please take this opportunity to register yourself or your group for this year’s Shoebox Appeal. We realise that in this time of recession people are cutting back and perhaps getting weary of being asked to contribute each year. We can only tell you of the transformed lives that we see again and again when we return with your shoeboxes and this has only happened through the continued commitment of people like yourselves supporting the Shoebox Appeal.
We also need help with the following:
- Groups/businesses/churches/organisations which would like to take part in the Shoebox Appeals
- People to volunteer to drive in the UK picking up shoeboxes
- Loading and unloading volunteers who live near Worthing
- Shoebox volunteers who can work in our warehouse in Worthing
- Anyone who owns an HGV (tractor and trailer) that we can rent/hire from 8– 30November.
Please contact us on 01903 529333 or e-mail us at shoebox@linktohope.co.uk or look on our website at www.linktohope.co.uk for more information. All images courtesy of Maria Scard www.mariascard.com