337.

That’s the number of shoe boxes currently awaiting collection
at Everyday Southfields this week! All donated, packed and prayed for by the
people of Everyday Church, with some help from the surrounding community.

We don’t know the exact journey that each box will take; the
specific child that will be blessed by the toys, sweets and toiletries that
await within. But we do know that it
is good.

As we spent much time collating the items and packing them
into gender and age specific boxes, it was amazing to daydream about the little
faces that would light up with joy as they opened their shoe box. We don’t know
what their year has looked like, since the last Christmas. We don’t know what parental
structures or specific sorrows surround them at the moment; but we do know that they have little and,
materially speaking at least, not a lot to smile about.

We also know that the items inside will only bring fleeting
happiness – no material object could ever bring lasting joy. But with each
shoe box also comes the message that God loves. Despite dangers and darkness, God really loves.

From London to Liberia, the UK to Ukraine, it’s wonderful to
be able to support something that shines the light of God’s love and hope into small
but fractured lives. If you’ve prayed, purchased or packed, thank you for your
small but very mighty contribution. I hope it has a great influence on how you appreciate the blessings of
Christmas, closer to home this year. 

Adam (Everyday Southfields)