This group of diehard Operation Christmas Child (OCC) fans work year-round shopping sales and clearance to get the best buys on school supplies, hygiene items, toys, and clothes. During OCC National Collection Week they haul everything to an OCC drop-off site where they spend well over 800 hours of volunteer time, packing shoeboxes and collecting gift-filled shoeboxes from the community. Volunteers range in age from 13 to 80+ years old! South Central Kansas area team collects over 20,000 shoeboxes each year, and our new home area, the Oklahoma Capitol City area team collects nearly 10,000 shoeboxes, contributing to the more than 220 million shoeboxes distributed by Samaritan’s Purse to over 170 countries and territories since the ministry was founded in 1993. The gospel is presented with every shoebox gift and many children can participate in a discipleship course called The Greatest Journey, equipping them to understand the gospel and share it with their friends and family! As Samaritan's Purse says "The project delivers not only the joy of what, for many kids, is their first gift ever, but also gives them a tangible expression of God’s love." Since moving to Oklahoma, Grace has found new friends who are just as crazy about shoeboxes as she and her Kansas friends, so a second "chapter" has been created called OCC Okies. This group has given the children who attend Camp JOY Summer Bible Camps the opportunity to be missionaries themselves while attending camp by packing a shoebox gift during "Missionary Hour". Missionaries have traditionally spoken to the campers about their experiences and work on the mission field, some local American missionaries in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Montana, and some from overseas mission fields in Africa, & even China. Turning one of these teaching times into a hands-on "OCC Packing Party" has proven to be more impactful on the campers and camp leaders than the OCC Okie friends ever imagined. What a special project to be involved in, spreading the gospel message while packing boxes that will be sent around the world and received with the gospel message, a two-fold ministry!

Camp JOY is always appreciative of your financial and prayer support. God has worked wonders within the hearts of those involved with Camp JOY throughout the years. Please continue to pray for guidance, strength, wisdom, leadership, and safety. Pray for hearts to be opened and for the Lord to be glorified through all we do.

3 Day Quilt Retreat $50