Below is a story that I posted to the church that I belong to because it struck our hearts when we heard it from Pastor Landoll Benally.  But first the flight was real great will better weather than  anticipated.  The story that will be posted below in my opinion makes the whole Operation Christmas stocking real, and of tremendous value.  When you read it, I think you'll see that the contribution you make to CMP is significant to us all, but heart warming as well because you can't know what one Christmas Stocking will mean to just one child.  If Caitlyn was the only child to get just the one stocking, the whole trip, the whole Operation Christmas Stocking was worth it. 

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Some people at Village Church of Irvine know that I am a pilot that contributes my time and resources to The Christian Missionary Pilots (CMP) organization and some have supported my flights for “Operation Christmas Stocking". This activity is similar to Franklin Graham's, Samaritan's Purse "Operation Christmas Child". They are a large contributor to CMP. Our organization supports largely the Navajo Nation in the states of Arizona and New Mexico. The Navajo's to this date live in very harsh living conditions; many are in poverty, and without the conveniences of modern medicine.  

For many of the Navajo children, this will become there one and only gift that they receive for Christmas. Our mission is to present these stockings with the love of Jesus for the hopes of raising their spirits in life, and know that there is a Savior that lives. Our hope is that the stockings will bring children to Jesus or bring them closer to him. 

Last year we made several flights, and one location was new to our support giving by CMP. We were now supporting the Calvary Chapel of Tohlakai outside of Gallup, New Mexico. Dec. 21, 2011 we flew and delivered a load of Christmas Stockings to them again. The Church pastor, Landoll Benally told us the story of Caitlyn, a four year old Navajo girl who was one of the recipients of the Christmas Stockings. We were told that Caitlyn had a bad fall earlier in the year, and had suffered great injury to her ribs, lungs, and internal organs. Pastor Benally hand delivered the stockings to the household children of which Caitlyn is one. She was alert, and very happy and excited to receive a stocking that was of her favorite color, purple. Caitlyn told her mother that she didn't want anyone taking it from her. 

Pastor Benally left their home to continue his pursuit of handing out the stockings to other children on the Navajo Reservation. About two hours later, Pastor Benally was driving home, and was passing by Caitlyn's home to see several emergency vehicles with their lights on parked out front. Pastor Benally stopped and went into the home to see what the emergency was. It was then that he was told that Caitlyn had passed away and died very happily with her stocking that she had received in Jesus name.  

Upon hearing this, I got to getting misty with a tear running down my face, but with feeling that her last thoughts in life were with Jesus and the stocking that was just given to her showing His love for her, for He loves the meek and poor who He states are blessed. Kind of puts a different perspective on our lives and our purposes here on earth.  

Caitlyn was also laid to rest with the stocking in her casket at the desire and request of her parents that saw how much it meant to her in her last moments of life on earth. I hope to meet Caitlyn one day in Heaven to join with her in the spirit and love that Jesus has for us all, and for those that believe in him as the one who came to us to free us of our sins. It is worth everything to give it all to him, and follow him to eternity. 

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Many churches, bible study groups, scout groups and groups of school children make Operation Christmas Stocking their Christmas project. We will be happy to make a presentation to your group (locally) or provide you with a 10 minute video. You can pick up bags to fill at our warehouse the 3rd Thursday evening of each month between 7-9 PM. Filled bags can be returned then as well. Once they are returned, gospel material appropriate to each age group is placed in every bag. Our pilots and drivers deliver these bags beginning in November and continuing right up until Christmas.

These stockings go to children for the most part. But parents also see the results of us responding to His call to send these stockings out each year. If you are a parent or grandparent, you know how you feel when your child, or grandchild, is blessed in a way that you can’t manage. At that point, God can reach in and speak to an open heart.  

Many times during each year you will hear us seeking funding. And we do need the funds to make Operation Christmas Stocking go. But more importantly, most importantly, we covet your prayers. Your prayers are what “hold our arms up”; they make Operation Christmas Stocking go. If we had the funds and yet had nobody praying we would have nothing. We might accomplish much but it would be nothing more than ‘wood, hay and stubble.’ 

Operation Christmas Stocking is a celebration of Christmas, not the secular view of Christmas, but the biblical view of Jesus’ birth, of God becoming into this world to ‘seek and save, that, which was lost.’ Thank you for being a part of what He is doing through CMP!

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Operation Christmas Stocking  is a year around project. We start up in February. Volunteers work at our warehouse the third Thursday of the month from 7-9 PM preparing for this coming Christmas season. We welcome additional helping hands!

September is the official beginning of the Operation Christmas Stocking season, with the first deliveries generally going out Thanksgiving weekend and continuing through Christmas. Operation Christmas Stocking actually starts in February as we pray and plan.

Let me explain how you can participate with us in the joys of Operation Christmas Stocking:

We will provide fabric and patterns for those who wish to sew bags. We will provide the bags (already sewn) to those who want only to fill them. Each bag comes with a shopping list appropriate to the age group you choose. Many churches, bible study groups, scout groups and groups of school children make Operation Christmas Stocking  their Christmas project. We will be happy to make a presentation to your group (locally) or provide you with a 10 minute video. You can pick up bags to fill at our warehouse the 3rd Thursday evening of each month between 7-9 PM. Filled bags can be returned then as well. Once they are returned, gospel material appropriate to each age group is placed in every bag. Our pilots and drivers deliver these bags beginning in November and continuing right up until Christmas.

© 2012 Christian Missionary Pilots
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