Christmas Gifts for Honduran Children
Last year many of our churches helped with providing Christmas Shoe Boxes for the children of Honduras. It is that time of year again, when we start thinking about needy children. We hope you will consider asking your church to send these children another Christmas.
Mr. Larry Pitts, a recently retired Alabama business executive, who happened to be at the mission compound when the container arrived last year, helped distribute the shoe boxes to the local Honduran pastors. Mr. Pitts stated: “For many of these children, this will probably be all they get for Christmas.” I want to thank you for your effort with the

NOTE: SEE LINKS BELOW TO DECLARATION FORMS AND A PICTURE FOR THE CHILDREN TO COLOR
Christmas Shoe Boxes for Honduras Children 2007
Suggested Gifts for Honduras Shoe Boxes
Boxes should be marked with ages (2-12) and whether it is for a boy OR girl.
Hot Wheels Cars McDonalds Toys
Small Dolls Marbles (no more than 5/baggie)
Small balls Wash Cloth
Soap Lotion
Shampoo Toothbrush & toothpaste
Comb and Brush Small Hand Mirror
Flip Flops Under ware (underpants & t-shirt)
Shorts &tee-shirts (boys & girls) Dresses
Hard candy, bubble gum, suckers Cookies i.e. Animal Crackers, Debbie cakes
School Supplies : Pencils (limit 4), paper, crayons, colored pencils, small sharpeners, etc.
Little Girls: Barrettes, ribbons, bows, headbands, scrunches, ponytail holders

We are furnishing the shoe boxes. Please try to fill each shoe box. Do NOT over fill because we cannot get them in the case if one is bulging at the top. An under filled box means one child will only get one or two things, while his or her brother or sister gets a full box. This can cause unhappiness in the home. We need the manifest form (furnished) attached to the top of the box that indicates whether it is for a boy or girl and what age. It needs to list what you have in the box. In addition, it needs to have the Customs Declaration form (furnished) taped to the outside of the box. Please contact me and let me know how many boxes you think your congregation will be able to fill. We will make arrangements to meet you somewhere and give you the boxes, a toy, as long as they last, to start your boxes, and all the paper work that goes with each box.
I need to get these supplies to you as soon as possible. I plan to be at the Mini-School of Missions, on September 27th, and can collect any boxes that are ready.
Thirdly, please place $3.00 in an envelope (furnished) and taped to an end of the shoe box. Checks should be made payable to AHMEN. (Alabama Honduras Medical Education Network.) $1.50 helps get it to the missionary and $1.50 helps the missionary pay the cost of getting it through out Honduras to the neediest!
These are the three things on the outside of the box: The Manifest form, the Customs Declaration and the envelope with $3.00.
Several churches get their groups together on a Wednesday night, and use a tape gun to put the paperwork together. It can be a real fun party, especially if you have some pencils, marbles, hard candy, etc. left over to share! Some churches add a fourth thing. They use Advent art work (furnished) and let their pre-school and Elementary children color the figures with magic markers, and tape the art work to the outside. We are trying to get some of this, so ask if you think your Children’s Department would be interested in personalizing your shoe boxes. Be creative and have fun!.
A new problem has arisen. The Honduran Customs, is backlogged and is taking more time to clear containers coming into their country. If the paperwork is sent with the container, it will take them about seven to eight weeks to release the container. If we send the manifest about one month ahead of the container, they enter it into the system and it can clear in half the time. This moves up our schedule and puts all of us in a “bind.”

Deadlines
October 8, 2007 All Shoe Boxes in the Northwest District Disaster
Warehouse in Decatur. (Plan B is to have them in
the District Offices-Florence and Decatur)
October 13, 2007 Cases of shoe boxes in Arley Warehouse and manifested
October 15, 2007 Manifest shipped to Missionary and Customs
(1 month lead time to clear Customs BEFORE the container arrives in Honduras in time for distribution to churches.)
November 3, 2007 Ship Container with the boxes

For more information, please feel free to contact Ray Crump

at RayLCr@aol.com and 256-642-1759 Cell.

Customs Declaration Form

Shoe Box Declaration Form

Picture to attach to the form for the children to color