Michigan—The week of November 15–22, 2004, proved to be very busy and exciting for the Niles Seventh-day Adventist School.

This was the week for their annual Operation Christmas Child Bible lab opportunity. Students from the school as well as willing student groups from various venues gathered together to have a hands-on experience at mass-production ministry.

Working side by side with other volunteers, students packed into cartons the 13,900 shoebox gifts brought to this 50–70 mile radius regional collection site. Packed cartons were then rolled into waiting semi trailers and stacked for shipment, filling three trailers and part of a fourth.

There was some last minute scrambling to find more cartons for unexpected extra shoeboxes. The site was anticipating just a little over 10,000, but the final tally revealed there were over 4,000 more shoeboxes collected than last year!

These shoeboxes bear practical gifts and a message about Jesus coming to this world to save us. They are going around the world to brighten children's lives and to give them hope. Who knows how many children will be in Heaven because of these generous gifts of kindness!

Judi Doty, Lake Union Herald back pages editor