Maxwells doing their Operation Christmas Child crap again

[nastyhobbitses]

Well, you don't want to send a kid something that he/she associates with death, war, illness or bad luck. Different animals have different symbolic meaning around the world.
And food can get old or cause problems for children with specific health issues. And some children simply don't like sweets.

Yeah, I think I read once about a family that sent stuffed owls in an OCC box...to a country where owls are considered harbingers of death and misfortune. This sort of charity plus the general cultural illiteracy/insensitivity we see from Western fundies is a bad, bad mix.

[JillyO]

I fucking hate Operation Christmas Child.

[Eternalbluepearl]

I had never heard of Operation Christmas Child until here on FJ. The fundies seem to like it. I believe everyone here though that it is shady and not beneficial.

[jerkit]

This makes me really sad. I did OCC for many years at my previous non-fundie church.

[FundiesInParis]

This makes me really sad. I did OCC for many years at my previous non-fundie church.

same, my university's student coongress put together several boxes as well. :/

[accountingstar]

That was one of the articles I read but there was another one from a lady who I think lived in South or Central America and she talked about the problems with candy and how it could attract ants and roaches when the kids brought them home, plus it could cause dental problems and it isn't like these kids typically have access to dental care. She also talked about how awful it was for the kids who got cheap toys that broke almost as soon as they got them or kids who got boxes of Happy Meal toys that all related to movies that they didn't understand or relate to, and like stuffed animals, they can find scary. 

But, like Pretzel said, OCC is a shady organization. 

I found another blog entry entitled 5 Lessons I Learned at an Operation Christmas Child Distribution. The distribution was in Costa Rica. It was so sad that this girl only received shoes that were too big for her.

Here's the blog:

http://thehumbledhomemaker.com/2015/06/operation-christmas-child-distribution#sthash.DD94eE1b.dpuf

From the blog: "Candy Can Do More Harm Than Good. Although it’s not technically against the Operation Christmas Child rules to include candy, it’s not something that those in Costa Rica, at least, feel is very beneficial to the children. For one, it can cause cavities, but, even more than that, in warm climates like in those countries in Latin America and much of the rest of the world, candy attracts bugs, mice, cockroaches, etc. In addition, even though the boxes are donated in mid-late November, many times the children do not receive them until months later. One little girl opened up a box that had melted caramel candies all over the rest of the box’s contents."

 

[formergothardite]

I did OCC for years too, even after I started losing my faith. I think it could be a good concept if they stopped using it as a way to convert children and also started showing more cultural sensitivity. But Franklin Graham is such an asshole that I doubt any of that would happen while he is in charge. He also makes an ungodly amount of money through this charity.  

"That’s in addition to the more than $620,000 he receives for his other full-time job, leading Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief agency based in Boone. His 2013 compensation from Samaritan’s Purse alone made him the highest-paid CEO of any international relief agency based in the U.S., according to data provided by GuideStar, the world’s largest source of information on nonprofit organizations"

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/living/religion/article30505932.html

 

[Koala]

I have a HUGE problem with organizations that try to proselytize children and prey on the less fortunate.  It's not charity at all- they are paying for the opportunity to shove their religion down someone's throat.  I despise it.

Aside from that, it seems to serve as an opportunity for some people to show what giant assholes they are.  I swear I had someone call me last week for help deciding whether some yard sale stuffed animals might be good for her boxes.  Lord only knows what other sort of junk was in there, but the key word was "cheap".

It strikes me that the "gifts" they put in these boxes are nothing they would ever consider giving to someone they knew irl. Dollar Store shit, cheap crayons, used stuffed animals.... The excuse? "They'll be thrilled with anything they get!  After all, they're used to having nothing at all".  Makes me sick.

How terrible that most of these kids will open boxes full of things they don't want / can't use/ or that break within an hour.  If you must try to force your religion on others, at least get out your wallet and buy a decent gift.  Put some thought into it.  At least as much thought as you put into it when you're buying for a kid you actually know (who will be getting TONS of nice Christmas gifts).  Don't buy the cheap crayons, and don't send them expired candy.  Oh, and drop your used stuffed animals by the thrift store where they belong.

[Paperplate]

As a bit of a public service announcement I'm including this post from last year's discussion of the Maxwell's OCC efforts. Maybe it's interesting for some people who are still doing OCC or who'd like to do something like OCC, only without the proselyting, or who'd like to contribute in a more sustainable way. 

I also used to have fun picking out the stuff that I would put in my OCC boxes. I filled several every year.

But a couple of years ago I found out who's behind Samaritan's Purse, what they actually do with the gifts and how much effort they put into proselytising ... and I will never support that organisation again!

 

Just two of many articles that criticise OCC:

http://housefulofchaos.com/reasons-to-n ... mas-child/

https://humanism.org.uk/humanism/humani ... ans-purse/

 

If you want to continue to have a great time picking out gifts and putting them in shoeboxes maybe have a look at these links:

http://www.shoeboxproject.com/index.html (Cananda, secular)

http://www.blythswood.org/page.cfm (UK, Christian, may still include tracts? not sure)

http://www.rotaryshoebox.org (UK, secular)

http://www.trusselltrust.org/christmas-boxes (Salisbury, UK, secular [i think])

http://linktohope.co.uk/shoebox-appeal (UK, Christian)

 

No shoeboxes, but still gifts for kids: http://www.toysfortots.org (US)

 

More sustainable gifts/donations are also always an option ... maybe not as fun as packing a shoebox, but probably better (?):

http://www.aquabox.org (UK)

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/oxfam-unwrapped (UK)

https://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com (US)

https://www.goodgifts.org (UK)

http://www.savethechildren.net (International)

[clueliss]

Having done OCC in the past (before realizing it is horrible) - you can send hard candy (or gum).  They discourage anything else due to many of the boxes go to warm climates and stuff like chocolate melts.  There are also food restrictions in some countries.  

I will not go into the foolishness of sending winter items to tropical countries.

I preferred sending markers, pens, pencils, paper and solar calculators knowing that school supplies in developing nations can open the world up.

[JoyfullyUnavailable]

I don't know the individual names of the Maxwells, but I want to talk about  the outfit this girl is wearing.  Plaid with polka dots.  What the actual fuck? 

[FundiesInParis]

I don't know the individual names of the Maxwells, but I want to talk about  the outfit this girl is wearing.  Plaid with polka dots.  What the actual fuck? 

huh, I actually thought it was cute. Pattern mixing like that is in right now. 

Its a lot better than the matching frumpers they all used to sport

[elliha]

As for wollen hats, they are actually pretty popular in parts of Africa so just because it is Africa, don't assume people would hate a wollen hat. A person who I follow on social media who works in Uganda asked specifically for donations of wollen hats when she got back to Sweden. Apparently it gets quite cold where she lives and works and wollen hats are popular in the evenings and at night to keep warm. Some people who don't have jackets can still afford a hat and be at least a little warmer. 

However, in this case I think that choosing a charity very wisely and donate money to get them what they need or answer a specific call for a donation is better than this type of box. 

[Eternalbluepearl]

I can't personally snark on anyone's fashion sense, but good gosh golly, does Mary look thrilled to be at a Kohl's! I don't know what it is with the Maxwells but they make the most mundane errand look like they are on vacation. Look at me! I put something in a carriage at the grocery store! Pose and smile!

[JoyfullyUnavailable]

huh, I actually thought it was cute. Pattern mixing like that is in right now. 

Its a lot better than the matching frumpers they all used to sport

Don't get me wrong, pattern mixing can be cute. She at least got to the colours right, but IMO plaid is just one you don't pattern match unless there is something in between to break it up. I still stand by that it looks horrible. 

[blessalessi]

I was more bothered by the gleeful announcement that they hardly had to add a dime of their own cash to the $5 coupons, so the "gifts" cost them nothing at all.

I think it is very kind and sweet of Anna and Mary to do this, in a situation where they have no exposure to any critical reviews of OCC, but I think it is unfortunate that the Steve and Teri have encouraged such extreme frugality for the project over the years, in a household where their own "toys" and utensils tend to be top of the range.  

A more generous, thoughtful parent than Steve or Teri might want to encourage their kids to extend to others the gift of quality items that pass the test of time.

[kpmom]

Yes, the "We hardly sacrificed anything at all to make these shoe boxes" post was a little off putting.

I guess it's better than patting themselves on the back, but it came across almost like they really don't give a shit.

And I'm wondering just how fresh that candy, bought way back in April, is now?  Plus those bags usually have drawings of bunnies, baskets and eggs on them.  Cute bunnies and dyed eggs can lead you right down the path to hell.  Don't the Maxwells care?

[Screamapillar]

I was more bothered by the gleeful announcement that they hardly had to add a dime of their own cash to the $5 coupons, so the "gifts" cost them nothing at all.

I think it is very kind and sweet of Anna and Mary to do this, in a situation where they have no exposure to any critical reviews of OCC, but I think it is unfortunate that the Steve and Teri have encouraged such extreme frugality for the project over the years, in a household where their own "toys" and utensils tend to be top of the range.

A more generous, thoughtful parent than Steve or Teri might want to encourage their kids to extend to others the gift of quality items that pass the test of time.

YES. A more eloquent person would have been able to spin this as "It doesn't cost much to bring joy to a child" or something. But since this is Sarah we're talking about, we get "Look how cheap we are when giving to others!"

[Eternalbluepearl]

I think boasting about how cheap they are with the boxes, might be their way of encouraging others to participate. Sort of like hey, if we SAHD's can do it with NO money, so can you SAHM's! But still. Like with everything, they come off arrogant and sort of rude. 

[salex]

If this is a double post I'm sorry.  I thought I answered this morning on my phone, but that is always iffy with me... my phone and I don't always accomplish our goals. 

Did they send knitting needles or crochet hooks (and instruction books) with the yarn? Unless they know a person knows how to use the yarn, then what a sad gift that could be.   Between that and the tools, they really seem keen on sending work related items.  I hope that if they sent wrenches they remembered most parts of the world use metric.... but likely they stuck with cheap pliers and hammers, etc. 

 

I tend to donate cash.  Oh, I'll donate items if there is a list of "We need this" but I have heard stories of what ends up "donated" -- after the 2004 Tsunami Emergency Aide workers reported opening donation crates and finding expired exotic foods, fur coats and spike heel shoes.  Exactly what desperate people in coastal regions need!  And in the USA, I hear emergency coordinators talk about how they are happy enough to see the first truck of supplies but when the 8th truck load  of mostly old clothing shows up to help the tornado victims, it becomes a sorting and storage nightmare.