A Delaware girl shares her passion for Operation Christmas Child and encourages others to pack shoebox gifts for boys and girls around the world.
Nine-year-old Ava Smith loves to pack Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes! Why?
Ava’s mother, Danielle, and brother, Jack, pack the shoebox gifts together.
“Because shoeboxes provide hope for children who might not have any hope,” she said.
She became passionate about the Samaritan’s Purse project three years ago when she packed her first shoebox gift at her Christian school in Felton, Delaware. Ava then shared her enthusiasm with her parents, Justin and Danielle, and younger brother, Jack.
Her family quickly caught the vision for reaching children around the world in this way, not only with fun toys and practical items, but with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the fall of 2019, they packed five shoeboxes as a family.
But Ava had a heart to make an even greater impact in the lives of boys and girls in need across the globe. She set a goal for her family to pack 100 shoeboxes the following year. Together with some friends, Ava’s goal was surpassed, with 109 boxes prayerfully prepared. In 2021, the family again exceeded Ava’s target. They packed 106 shoebox gifts, and this made Ava very happy.
“It made me feel happy because we’re spreading God’s Word to people who have never heard of Jesus,” Ava said. “It’s important that they know that He loves them.”
Filling the Boxes with Quality Gifts
Earlier this year, Ava asked her mom if they could begin collecting gifts for shoeboxes all throughout the year and raise money to ensure that each box contains “quality items,” a concept she learned about through an Operation Christmas Child video.
She created T-shirts for sale to help purchase special “wow” items and other quality gifts for children.
Packers are encouraged to include a “wow” gift plus a good mix of both short-term and long-term treasures. Her parents readily approved of Ava’s idea and the family began praying about ways to make it happen.
To help buy quality items to fill shoeboxes, Ava started selling snacks at yard sales. Then she struck upon the idea of creating and selling T-shirts with some unique designs, such as a drawing of sheep inspired by Psalm 23:1 (“The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want”). Ava, who is an avid drawer, created the drawing after hearing the Psalm in a popular Christian song. A local artist at a print shop took Ava’s design, refined it a bit, and came up with the design. Other T-shirts soon followed. Since then, her T-shirt sales have raised over $300 for shoebox gifts.
With those funds she’s been able to purchase “wow” items, including plush stuffed animals and soccer balls with pumps, as well as toothbrushes, sunglasses, soap, washcloths, crayons, and coloring books. Alongside a photo of herself and her brother, Ava also has included a personal note in the boxes she helps pack:
Hi, I’m Ava and this is my brother Jack. We hope you like your gift and know that Jesus loves you!
After Ava’s family packs the shoeboxes, they pray over them. Ava’s prayer for the boxes she is preparing now is that “the children who receive the boxes will come to know God and know that He loves them.”
A Heart to Share Christ’s Love
Ava’s heart for reaching others with Christ’s love through shoeboxes has made a tremendous impact on her family, who previously hadn’t heard of Operation Christmas Child.
Ava loves packing shoeboxes with her mother Danielle.
“It’s definitely brought us closer together as a family,” Danielle said. “And it’s made us more aware of the ministry of Operation Christmas Child and how anyone can make an impact for Christ just by packing a shoebox.”
Ava said she plans to pack shoebox gifts for the rest of her life and hopes that her story will encourage others to do the same.
“It makes me feel good to know that Jesus loves me,” she said. “Everybody should know that, too.”
National Collection Week is Nov. 14-21. Find a drop-off location near you. If you haven’t yet packed a shoebox, it’s not too late. Not sure what to pack? No problem! Check out our How to Pack a Shoebox page for great gift ideas. You can also Build a Shoebox Online.
Ava Smith, left, has encouraged her family to pack shoeboxes for children in need all over the world.
