The Christmas shoebox appeal letters have been issued. Who is dodgy? Who is ok?

[Tinker]

We've had one re 21st Century Child. Will have to check but think isn't one of the prosletysing ones.

I think many of us spread our good deeds throughout the year, but it's only at this time of year the Op Christmas Child types some begging in our schools.

I'm heavily opposed to them, firstly i think Christmas is about givinga nd it's incredibly poor form to ask anything of the recipeient; secondly I think AID shuld be freely given when it is needed and available, not restricted on ANY basis.

I have a box of aid, that child there needs a box of aid. Do I:

1. give it and hope they benefit.
2. Require them to undertake to fulfil a set of criteria fiorst and deny them aid if they do not?

Which is the more Christian of the two, do you think?

This is CHILDREN fgs!

If anyone is looking for alternatives, the MN link to the save the children site does a scheme similar to the Oxfam one.

I hope nobody minds if I bump this. A thread on Operation Christmas Child has been started and I thought we could do with a thread that listed alternatives.

Link Romania sound good, has anyone heard of them? And what about Blythswood Care?

Or does anyone know of an organisation that collects for refugees in this country?

Smile International is a Baptist charity which undertakes not to add any literature to the boxes. It also works locally with relief agency partners in Africa, the Balkans and Asia and distributes the boxes according to need rather than religious affiliation etc

we were going to do an operation christmas child one, but i'm now wondering if my useless plastic tatt in a shoebox is really what these kids need?

ok they need fun stuff in their lives as well as the basics,like all kids, but still

Rhubard thanks forAs a Christian myself I am STILL going to send a shoebox but having spent the last half an hour reading I too feel a little bit unsettled now about Samaritans Purse.

The Link Romania one looks good to me.

I did Operation Christmas Child and this weekend was just about to pack up 2 boxes for this year but I have to say I won't be doing it though them. I thought these were being given out as they are not with religious literature stuffed in. I am off to investigate the other links.

Thanks to the OP for highlighting this.

Sadly 21st Century Child appear to be 'taking a break' from shoeboxes this year

Read here

bump

bump

As it is my dd1's first year in school i had no idea what these shoeboxes were. We began shopping for them and were going to do several of them as it seemed like the right thing to do. Unfortunately its Operation Christmas Child, and due its racist and evangelical nature we simply cannot go ahead and give them to the school. It is very sad that the Samaritans Purse would prey on vulnerable members of society like this. Very sad for the children.

ds is doing one through Boys brigade, it's the Rotary Club ones. they have to take 1 item in next week to make the boxes. I've just turfed out my loft full of things collated over the year and have 12 packs of crayons and small colouring books given away with kiddies meals in places like M & S - didn't realise we'd eaten out so often Ds will choose a small toy at the weekend to take.

Even though I'll miss doing the box this year, I think it's good for the boys to make up the boxes.

balls, i thought i was doing a good thing. I never questioned it. Well I hope the children enjoy what we put in there, and do hope the literature isn't shoved at them.

I'm a bit pissed off now. Shall reassess next year.

Our school have just done them for Samaritans purse - I bought lot sof stuff then read a previous thread and have decided not to hand them in. Makes me quite sad

Schools in our area have stopped entirely after all the who ha, which I think is a real shame. I don't agree with the methods but I think it is great to encourage children about doing something for others at christmas time. I am thinking of approaching the local schools about raising funds to get things from the save the children wish list instead.

As a parent how would you feel about it? I was thinking of suggesting that children are encouraged to do jobs to raise money or something like that, so they are really involved (rather than just parents sending in a pound or two). Perhaps doing a bring and buy sale or something?

All thoughts gratefully accepted!

I've done some too - and, from what I remember, they specifically ask you NOT to put in anything of a religious nature.

And they say they don't put anything else in the box - just have 'literature available' when they distribute them.

Assuming that's all true, I have no problem with them

Maybe I should start a thread? I am quite serious about getting this going for next year (if it is too late for this year). It would be helpful to see how you would all feel about it!

The reason they ask you not to put in anything of a religous nature is so that they can put in their own. Its unfair for parents to be doing these boxes without knowing exactly what they are giving a box/cheque to !! It really makes me angry and sad.

Do you really think that young children are going to care about the religious 'literature'? They'll open the boxes and play with the toys and discard the written bits. Well, that's what mine would do: politely take the brochures or whatever and then get on with the serious business of having fun.

Why deprive them of that?

Our school's boxes are going to an eastern European country, which is Christian anyway, perhaps ask those organising the scheme where your boxes are going.

The point is that they have been known to refuse to give the presents unless the children do certain things, eg listen to anti muslim lectures, agree to attend sunday schools (regardless of their actual religon).

If it were just a leaflet then most people (I think) would say hmm.. not happy but is not massive.

OldenGoldie, how do you know that is what they do? They don't say they do that on the leaflet and they do say they are sensitive to the culture in which the boxes are given?

Are you saying that they lied?

a poster here a few years ago said her husband was an aid worker and their children went along with the others (her children were not in need) they had to sit through lectures about god before they got their boxes.

Opened this thread then realised it was mine! Our school is doing Link Romania this year. Will look into links, thanks