Simple Lessons

It’s 11.30pm and I’m sitting cross-legged on the kitchen floor wrapping up Samaritan’s Purse shoe boxes in Christmas wrapping paper ready for the school collection in the morning.

My children are asleep happy in the knowledge that mummy is finishing what they started before bed. My husband is lying on the bed upstairs hoping for some action … Buckley’s!!!! I’m tired, and my back’s aching and it was a hassle trudging through Target at 5.30pm looking for lots of little items to include in our shoe-boxes – but worth it – yes!!

After school today, I told my kids, we were going to the shops to buy presents for children overseas who have nothing. They didn’t complain. In fact, they got quite excited.

Buying the gifts was an adventure and surprisingly, no tantrums over coloured pencils or stickers, they would have liked. Oh, only one time when my seven year old said: “mummy these kids have everything now, and we have nothing!” … I have a lot of work to do!!!

Georgia, my four year old really got into the spirit of the shopping, proudly boasting ‘the best box in the world’ to all who would listen. At the end of the shop, we had purchased; Care Bears, undies, socks, pencils, stickers, lollies (which actually don’t fit, so I’ll just have to plough through them myself), hair ribbons and balloons. I can only imagine the squeals of delight when kids in Africa open these boxes. We are also encouraged to pray for them, which we do.

So why did I do it? Because I believe that children should be taught about sharing, caring and helping the poor. And who better to teach them than us! I want my children to be passionate about people, not things - to love what I love – helping those less fortunate. It’s a great lesson.


I have always known about the Samaritan’s Purse Shoe Box campaign and loved the concept A few weeks ago when the organization came to Emily’s school; I jumped at the chance to get involved. Unfortunately I forgot about the deadline – today! Hence the mad dash to Castle Towers this afternoon.

In future, I am going to put ‘giving and helping others’ at the top of my ‘things to do’ list – it’s an important ingredient in helping us to shape children of compassion and character.

Kids who live for the next Barbie doll or Toy car are just kids; children who have a passion to help people are world-changers. It all starts with us!!!

Nicki Partridge
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