Make Him Known by Griffin

The country of Panama is the most southern country of the Central American nations.  The country is slightly smaller than South Carolina.  The population of Panama is over 3.6 million people.  There are a lot of unskilled workers in Panama, which contributes to many people living in very poor conditions.

Most houses in Panama are made of concrete blocks with either tin or thatched roofs.   Because of poor living conditions, the Christmas holiday season is not a very joyous time for Panamanian children.

To make the holidays a time of happiness for some of these children, our church participates in Boxes of Joy for Panama.  Every year our church prepares Christmas gift boxes, and we want to make these be boxes of joy for the children who receive them.  We put small toys, personal care items, school supplies and candy in each box.  Each gift box also contains a teaching tract about Jesus and His church and the tract lists local congregations located in Panama.

This year I decided to fill a box myself.  I chose to fill a box for a boy 8 to 10 years old.  My dad and I went to Fred’s to buy my supplies for my box.  I put Slinkys, pencils, a flashlight and batteries, and small toys in my box.  I put a lot of Hot Wheels cars in it.  I brought the box to church and wrapped it myself on the Sunday afternoon we set aside for wrapping the boxes.

Jesus commanded that we make Him known.  Participating in filling a box with small items and a teaching tract gives the message of love to children in Panama.  It lets them know that we love Jesus and that we want to share our love of giving with them.  I hope if they are going to church, whoever gets my box will find one of the churches listed in the tract enclosed with my box.

In Acts Chapter 17 verses 23 and 24, Paul told the people in Athens who worshipped an unknown god that he knew who this God was.  He said, “… Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you:  God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.”  Every day the way I act and talk tells other people how much I love Jesus.  I need to always be looking for ways to tell people about Him.

By participating in the Christmas joy for children in Panama, this is one small way I am able to make Jesus known.