Operation Christmas Child

I have found that independent shoe shops are quite happy to let you have empty shoeboxes even if you don't buy any shoes. You just need to be careful what you use them for. Turkey has a serious problem with corruption, bribery, money laundering and so on. If you have not been following events in Turkey this past year very closely, you may not understand the symbolism of the shoebox nowadays.
It was only last December that the shoebox scandal came to light. Orhan Kemal Cengiz in his piece “Why a woman who waved a shoebox was taken into custody” (Jan. 4) explains that the police raided the home of the general director of HalkBank, a state-owned bank, they found millions of dollars stuffed in empty shoeboxes. Cengiz writes that it was alleged that this money was the commission earned by the manager from illegal money transfers made through this bank. Evidently some government ministers were also receiving commissions from these illegal money transfers. This corruption investigation has been stuck after the prosecutor and police officers investigating it were removed from their jobs. Turkish humor usually pokes fun at hypocrisy. One can't help but joke about having millions tucked away in a shoebox now when you see one.
You may be wondering what I have been doing collecting shoeboxes… I've also been collecting them from other people. This past week I have been transporting a lot of shoeboxes in my vehicle. Mine have not got millions of dollars in them though. It's about giving to others who are less fortunate than me or you. As I explain in my piece “Seeking happiness and the multiple uses of shoeboxes” (Dec. 29, 2013), last December was the first time I had ever participated in the shoebox project. I explain all about this special project in my piece, but in short, for those of you not familiar with it, since 1990, more than 100 million boys and girls in over 130 countries have experienced Christmas joy and received simple shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child. My friend shared with me and some other friends about Operation Christmas Child/Samaritan Purse (based in the UK) and challenged us to make our own shoeboxes to give to those less fortunate. It was recommended that we the donors give gifts that are new and include items from each of the four categories, which I detail below.
Toys such as the following items: stuffed animals, soft toys, tennis balls, finger puppets, jigsaws, yo-yos, building blocks, small musical instruments, trucks, cars, dolls, clip on earrings, etc.
Educational items are also encouraged with such gifts as calculators, felt pens, pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, coloring books, notepads, pictures or puzzle books, chalk, pencil cases, stickers, etc.
Hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, hairbrushes, combs, hair clips, bars of soap, washcloths, etc.
Other items such as sweets (sell-by date to be at least March of the following year), gloves, scarves, sunglasses, caps, hats, bangles, necklaces, etc.
Last year our aim was to make 50 shoeboxes and we ended up making about 120 between us. This year our aim was 850 shoeboxes and we have over 1,000 now, which were made by many individuals -- Turks and Europeans and Canadians and Brits and Aussies and Americans. These shoebox gifts will be given to refugee children from Iraq who have lost everything.
December is known as a season for giving. The motivation for giving matters. It's important to figure out what that is. It's worth taking a hard look at the emotions and goals that accompany the gift. We should ask ourselves if our giving act is heartfelt, or stems from pressure of family traditions, or comes with an expectation that we'll get something in return.
Everyone who has been helping in the shoebox project -- Operation Christmas Child -- has done so because they wanted to help those who have less. The outcome of this project this year has encouraged me and will bring joy to many children. The world is full of violent and power-hungry people, but there are still many who care and are kind, too.
“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” -- John Bunyan

CHARLOTTE MCPHERSON (Cihan/Today's Zaman)