Video: Girl Shares Story of Hope Through Operation Christmas Child

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MACON, Miss. (WCBI) — One small shoebox can have a big impact. Franklin Graham’s ministry through Samaritan’s Purse, is proof of that.

More than 100 million hurting children overseas have received a box, as part of Operation Christmas Child.

For most, this will be the only gift they receive for Christmas. Filled with toys and other items, what goes into the box is fun but what comes out of it is even more rewarding.

As a young girl, living in Russia, Elena Hagemeier and her younger sister were abandoned by their alcoholic parents.

She became her sister’s main caregiver as they moved from orphanage to orphanage.

“That was kind of like Heaven to me. Just because there was someone 24/7 helping me out with my sister and someone there to give us food, 3 meals a day. It was a wonderful couple of years. After those two years, we were moved to our second orphanage,” said Elena Hagemeier.

It was at the second orphanage that the Samaritan’s Purse ministry cane into Elena’s life.

She vividly remembers receiving her shoebox at 8 years old.

“Just holding a shoebox that was wrapped in Christmas paper was amazing just because until that point, everything in my life was dark colors, there wasn’t a lot of brightness because there wasn’t much joy or hope, ” said Hagemeier.

Describing herself as a “girlie girl”, Elena was thrilled to open her box and see it filled with all things her favorite color… Pink.

“It had a pink teddy bear, pink socks and everything like that. So there was this pink pen that caught my eye. I tried to write with the pen to see if the ink was pink and so when I pressed down on the pen, there was a heart that was on top of the pen and it lit up when I pressed down to write and so I thought it signified my heart lighting up for the first time,” said Hagemeier.

She says this was the first time she ever felt loved by someone, a stranger who packed the box.

Inside the box also came a book that shares the story of hope though Jesus.

“Reading that booklet and it says something like ‘a King loved you and he came and died for you’, that was like ‘wow, maybe there is somebody out there who is looking out for me,'” said Hagemeier.

She began praying for a family and in 2004 those prayers were answered when Elena and her sister were adopted out of a Russia orphanage into an American family.

Now, she travels the United States sharing her story of hope that came through a simple shoebox.

“It’s more about the greater gift that comes with the box and its kind of like life to their world,” said Hagemeier.

As a college student, Elena studies missions and plans to serve in Asia.

Elena has packed hundreds of boxes to send overseas. She hosts packing parties at her college in Missouri. If you would like to pack a shoebox for a child overseas, follow these simple instructions.

  • Shoebox

    Use an empty cardboard or plastic shoebox (average size). You can wrap the box, lid separately, but wrapping is not required.

  • Boy or Girl

    Decide whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Download and print the appropriate boy/girl label. Mark the correct age category and tape the label to the top of your box.

  • Fill With Gifts

    Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child (see Gift Suggestions below).

  • Include $7 Donation Per Box

    Help cover shipping and other costs related to delivering your shoeboxes to children overseas by donating $7 for each gift you prepare. You can give online to discover the destination of your box. Or, you can write a check to Samaritan’s Purse (note “OCC” on the memo line) and place it in an envelope on top of the items inside your shoebox. If you are preparing multiple gifts, please make one combined donation. Note: Follow Your Box is only available through online giving.

    Remember to Pray for the children who will receive your shoebox gifts.
  • Drop Off

    Place a rubber band around each closed shoebox and bring it to the drop-off location nearest you during National Collection Week, November 17–24, 2014. Visit our Drop-off Locations page to find the closest collection site. Or, call 1-800-353-5949.

For more information on the shoeboxes, visit http://www.samaritanspurse.org

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