| Operation Christmas Child: Mary Damron Interview |
| A Project of Samaritan's Purse |
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| "I would like to tell them three things that I recommend about a [shoe]
box ... " |
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Q/ Let's go back to the fall of 1994. You heard Franklin Graham, president
of Samaritan's Purse, on television asking for gift-filled shoe boxes for
needy children overseas. What did he say that captured your attention?
The children in Bosnia - he would like to take Christmas to the children
who've never had Christmas before and don't know what Christmas is all
about.
Q/ At that point you began collecting gift-filled shoe boxes?
Correct. |
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Q/ How did you go about it?
I actually just got my daughter to type up a flyer telling my heart of
how I wanted these children who were living in a war zone to be able to
know that someone loved them. And, I got her to run a copy of what she
had typed. We went and got all kinds of copies made - and I just started
going door to door, up and down the hollers, and going to my neighbors
homes and telling them to help me to help the children in Bosnia to have
Christmas.
Q/ You had 1,200 shoe boxes?
Right. Actually 1,258 shoe boxes.
Q/ Were you surprised by how many shoe boxes you had collected?
No, not really because I had written on the bottom of the flyer my daughter
wrote - I wanted my own handwriting on it - I would love to take 300 shoe
boxes full of love out of the hills of southern West Virginia. And, that
night the devil really came against me ... and he ... he literally conquered
me and said, "You will never get 300 people to listen to you. Who
do you think you are? You are going to make a fool of yourself!" So
I said, "Devil, I'll show you the God I serve." And I got up
and I scratched that out and I wrote on every page that we had already
copied - I wrote, "I would love to take a thousand shoe boxes full
of love from the hills of West Virginia." And God actually went about
... He is a God that always goes above and beyond what we can ask or imagine.
So, it didn't |
In 1994, Mary Damron heard a brief request on television for gift-filled
shoe boxes to be given to needy children overseas. Mary wanted those children
to know that someone loved them, and this wife and mother from the Appalachian
coal mine country of West Virginia determined to make a difference.
When she was done, this woman of limited means, but unlimited faith, had
collected over 1,200 shoe boxes! The next year, Mary followed up her efforts
by collecting over 6,000 shoe boxes.
Before 1994, she had never been outside the U.S. Eleven years later, Mary's
faithful commitment to make a difference has taken her around the world,
including an opportunity to pray for the President in the Oval office.
The Gospel Report sat down with Mary in August, 2001, for a one-to-one
chat. In the following excerpt from our conversation, Mary talks about
the value of your shoe box and the most important things to include. For
a free copy of the full transcript of our interview with this remarkable
lady of faith, contact us. |
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surprise me.
Q/ What was it like on that first overseas mission to deliver gifts to
the children of Bosnia?
I had really prepared myself for the children. On the way over there I
kept thinking, "Lord, I'm going to see children with arms and legs
missing, with their eyes missing ... I'm going to see children, Lord, who
haven't eaten right in four years. I'm going to see a lot of weeping, crying
children, heart broke children - not children like ours out playing and
all this stuff. And, I'd really prepared myself even knowing that there
would be a smell to these children - they wouldn't smell just right - I
think the biggest shock I got was I had not once given thought to the mothers
and fathers and grandmothers and grandfathers. And, they are literally
the ones that broke my heart, because I've never in my lifetime seen more
sad or brokenhearted women. And, I've never in my life seen men that -
the only way to describe the look on their face - were so tired and drained.
I was shocked. I hadn't thought of how it effected them - my thoughts were
for the children - so I don't know what I expected when I got there, but
I really hadn't given thought to how it was effecting the adults.
Q/ After you returned and had time to reflect on what you had done, what
was your thoughts about Operation Christmas Child?
Oh, I just knew that this was one way of showing love ... [of showing]
these children that they are loved, that they are special - children who
don't feel special - and knowing that we could convince them that God loves
them ... once they felt that human touch, that human love ... that my hardest
thing when I got back home was to walk around my house and look at all
the stuff that I don't need, all the junk ... it's hard to deal with.
Q/ From country to country, are the children really any different ...?
No. We ... we give our boxes out in the most impoverished countries. We
give our boxes out where there's heartache, pain, hatred, war. We give
to children on garbage dumps. We give to children in hospitals that are
literally dying - they're terminally ill. We visit children in orphanages
- they want love and acceptance. from someone, they want to belong. We
give our boxes out anywhere there's a child that's hurting. And even children
... even children here in the United States may have everything - it's
not so much the poverty - but they want to be loved and accepted by their
parents or by their peers. It's the same, everywhere. Every child is looking
for love.
Q/ Mr. Graham is often quoted as saying this project is about children
helping children, families helping families. Talk about that.
Well, you know it doesn't matter who does this program. You can be eight
years old or eighty. You can be black, white, red, green or purple. You
can be ... poor or rich. Compared to the children over there, the poorest
among us are wealthy ... you know ... and it doesn't take a lot of money
- it just takes love. And, everybody wants to give. This is a program for
everyone. It is families giving to families. It's churches giving to ...
to children who have never heard about Jesus Christ or family. This is
a program no one ... it doesn't even matter if you're Christian. I've never
seen a program ... I don't know how to word it ... I've never seen a program
that causes the word unity to come to mind more. It tears down all the
barriers that man's made. It tears down the barriers between Methodists,
Presbyterians - all that doesn't matter in this program. Or, it doesn't
even matter if you're Christian. I have good 'ole boys that want to help.
Good 'ole southern boys that want to put together boxes. They come and
help me in my collection of boxes or drive my trucks. I find that the American
people generally have a heart and want to give, but they want to give to
something that's real. That don't want to just write a check anymore and
just hand it. They want a hands-on ... I fixed this box - this is my personal
box to give to that child.
Q/ Now, you have seen the joy in the faces of the children and the hand
of God working through the distribution of these gifts to children and
families in need. Why do you think these simple shoe box gifts have such
an impact in so many different and varied cultures around the world?
Because each box tells that child, "You are special ... you are special.
Everything in this box was picked out by someone who does not know you,
but loves you. Everything in here was handpicked for you - and hand delivered."
And, they're amazed that we travel thousands of miles to give them a gift
... They feel special - that's the key to it.
Q/ You've touched on this some already, but what does each gift-filled
shoe box represent?
A child that we can change their life forever. Not touch a life - I don't
like the words "touch a life" - I'm tired of touching lives.
I want to change lives for eternity - that's where it's really at.
Q/ [Is] prayer an important aspect of this operation?
I say that everywhere I go. I tell people, do not buy anything for your
box before you pray and ask God what to put in that box. I've found a lot
of churches will pray after they've got the box - they'll have a dedication
service. But, see, God knows what child's going to get what box already.
And, wouldn't you rather give it ... when we choose for our children, we
kind of decide what suites each child. Well, if we ask God to help us pick
what child's going to get that box - what to put in there - God knows,
He will help us. And, also, we'll ask ... we've got Wing And A Prayer groups around the nation. These are groups - church groups - that have
dedicated to pray for us ... continuously the year 'round. Maybe once a
week they gather and go to prayer. But, we have 24 hour, round-the-clock
praying for Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child, because we're
constantly ... constantly trying to promote the Gospel, constantly flying
around the world, constantly traveling. So many of us are constantly in
areas where we know no one, so to speak ... we need this backed up by prayer.
Q/ Do you find that folks who give shoe box gifts are as effected as the
children who receive them?
Yes! I have never met one person - not one - that has ever walked up to
me and spoke and said, "I did shoe boxes - I don't know if I will
next year or not." I have had literally hundreds to say this program
has changed my life forever ... forever! I've heard those words. "This
has changed my life forever. I'm finally in something that's winning souls.
I'm not in just another program and another building and another feel good
- I'm in something that's battling the devil's strongholds and winning
souls for Jesus." I've had that reaction everywhere I go.
Q/ I have heard Mr. Graham say that his ultimate goal is reaching 10 million
children every year. Yet, that number is not the most important part of
the goal is it?
No, it isn't.
Q/ It's about the children?
Yes, it is. You know, we may get big numbers, but I don't want anyone to
ever forget one box represents one child.
Q/ What final thoughts would you like to share with our readers about Operation
Christmas Child?
I would like to tell them three things that I recommend about a [shoe]
box. Number one, put a picture of yourself in there. It's more important
than any toy you can put in a box. These children don't want to just know
that someone loves me - they want to know who loves me. They want to be
able to point at it. And, I've had children to look at me and say, "Look
at my Daddy." I know that child has no father - it just adopted it
one. They adopt you on the spot. A picture of the giver is more important
than anything.
Number two, put something in there for the kids to hug and love and hold
on to ... something for protection ... they feel something ... you know
what I'm saying? It's a security thing for them. It's just like for us.
And, don't worry if the boy is a 14-year-old boy - they're not as advanced
and mature as our children. I've seen lot's of 14-year-old boys holding
Teddy bears. It's not uncommon. It doesn't look unnatural there.
And, the third thing is lots of color - think about lots of color when
you're fixing the boxes. One way to describe Bosnia is shades of gray -
nothing but shades of gray. There is no greenery. You don't see no flowers
growing. If it's a drought area - you know what that looks like - you've
seen it on TV. If it's a garbage dump, that definitely ain't pretty - and
we give out boxes to kids on garbage dumps. These kids don't have color
in their life. And, I've had children to keep ... well, lots of them that
haven't ... and I'm like, "When are you going to open that box?"
And, they'll say, "It's too pretty ... it's too pretty." And,
so, I recommend lots and lots of color in your boxes.
Those three points - make it a good box for the Lord.
Images © Samaritan's Purse |
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