Belarus

Arriving back from Belarus, Ian Taylor, explains the simple power of a shoebox.

“This photo sums up the excitement that the children show, delighted in their friends box, as much as their own as they explore their wonderful new gifts."

How often do we laugh and say, “Wow, God really had a special purpose for that shoebox!”

This story is no exception and yet in many ways it’s even more amusing as for many of us, this little box may not have passed inspection.

The shoebox was the smallest the distributors had ever seen and to add to that it was plain and grey, no colourful Christmas designs decorated its outside. The little grey shoebox arrived at an orphanage in Belarus and during the distribution was handed to a small boy on crutches.

01/2010

The orphanage is alive with noise; everywhere excited children are opening their shoeboxes. Cries of surprise fill the air as gift after gift is pulled out and shown off to others around. Amongst the colour and noise sits little Sasha, a huge smile beaming from her face.

Can you put a price on a shoebox? For 19 year old Andrea his shoebox was priceless, it not only brought exciting gifts but told him that he was loved.