Operation Christmas Child: Handmade Crochet Gifts for Shoebox Blessings

Operation Christmas Child is something very close to my heart. I love the work that Samaritan’s Purse does, and I am so thankful for the way they share the love of Christ with children all over the world.

Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse that collects shoebox gifts filled with toys, hygiene items, and school supplies for children in need around the world. Each box is packed with care and prayer and then delivered to a child who may have never received a gift before. Along with the shoebox gift, children are offered the opportunity to learn about the love of Christ through The Greatest Journey discipleship program.

What I love most about Operation Christmas Child is that it goes beyond just meeting physical needs. It shares hope, encouragement, and the message that every child is seen, valued, and loved by God. Knowing that these boxes travel to places we may never go ourselves, yet still carry the hands and hearts of those who packed them, makes this ministry incredibly special to me. You can read more about Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Christmas Child here:

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

They host a shoebox drive every year around this time. The boxes are filled with toys, school supplies, and basic necessities, then shipped all over the world. We participate every year, and last year we even paid the seven dollars to have our boxes tracked. It was such a blessing to see where they ended up. One of our boxes went to India, and the other went to South Africa. Watching that journey made the whole experience feel even more real and meaningful.

You can read more about what to pack and see our boxes from last year here:
http://lifeonthefarminalabama.blogspot.com/2012/10/operation-christmas-child.html
http://lifeonthefarminalabama.blogspot.com/2012/11/our-shoebox-is-about-to-make-long.html

This year, I really wanted to include something handmade in our boxes. Our church recently went to Nigeria, and the women shared about the living conditions there. In some places, the only place to bathe is in the river, and children have to carry their soap, towel, and other items with them. Hearing that stayed with me and got me thinking.

So I decided to create a washcloth and soap caddy that could hold a plastic soap case with a bar of soap inside. I always include Ivory soap because it floats, and I wanted something the kids could easily carry with them and keep everything together.

The first version is a washcloth soap caddy that holds the soap box horizontally. I crochet it using a 5.0 mm (H) hook and Lily Sugar’n Cream The Original Ombres in the Daisy colorway. I use approximately 68.3 yards of yarn, which is about 0.72 of a skein. This yarn is one hundred percent cotton and was purchased at Dirt Cheap.

For this caddy, I create a wash mitt style pocket that the soap case slides into. I also crochet a button from the same cotton yarn and add a loop so the caddy can close up and securely hold the soap case inside.

I also made a second version that holds the soap box vertically. This one uses about 71 yards of yarn total and is worked with the same 5.0 mm (H) hook. I use Lily Sugar’n Cream The Original Ombres in Daisy for part of the project, approximately 26.7 yards, and Peaches & Creme Ombres in white for the rest, about 44.3 yards. The yellow yarn was purchased at Dirt Cheap, and the white yarn was purchased at Walmart.

For this version, I start by chaining three more than the length of the soap box, then work single crochet around until I reach the height I want. I slip stitch, then chain enough to create space for the button before slip stitching down the side. To make the button, I chain four, join into a ring, single crochet into the loop, and increase until it reaches the size I need.

Both versions are simple, sturdy, and practical, and I pray they will be useful to the children who receive them. Being able to include something handmade feels like a small way to share love, care, and dignity, and I trust God to use even these simple stitches for His purposes.