Imagine retiring only to go to work full-time for the Lord. A dream come true for Jeff and Paula Grossmann, who serve year round in the Treasure Coast Area for Samaritan’s Purse program Operation Christmas Child.

Coordinating a grassroots team of 32 called-ministry partners, the Grossmanns overseemedia communications, community outreach, church relations, logistics (semi-trucks, etc..) and prayer ministries connected with Operation Christmas Child.

Encompassing St. Lucie, Martin, Okeechobee and Palm Beach counties, the grassroots effort is growing; there are more than 200 participating churches as God prepares and opens doors to more. Last year this Treasure Coast Area collected 20,000 gift-filled boxes; the goal for 2017 is 25,000.

The Grossmanns, married for more than 50 years, work January through June with a light schedule, but in season, July through November, they each easily put in 40 hours a week. Paula has been involved in Operation Christmas Child for more than ten years; she began by packing a shoebox. Paula was also chosen to travel to Uganda, Africa, to a women’s prison, to see the Gospel presented to inmates and gift boxes received by their children.

Jeff is partially retired from his own business, Grossmann Air Conditioning. He and his wife, Paula, have been Morningside Church members for 14 years. They have received Christian leadership training and are equipped and supported by Samaritan’s Purse staff in Orlando. Together the two make a dynamic team.

Did you know that when you pack a box that nothing ever is removed from it? This is called the “integrity of the box,” Jeff Grossmann states. After you fill a gift box and pray for the receiver, the box is collected at a collection site. From there it is transported with other boxes to central drop offs to be loaded into semi-trucks. The trucks travel to eight major processing centers across the United States. Florida boxes are received into a mammoth building in Atlanta where they are individually checked by 300 called-ministry partners and then placed into cargo containers for sea route shipping overseas. At times, some boxes will be placed aboard a plane if the receiving country has a limited time window.

Overseas, in more than 100 countries, children ages two to 14 receive the gift-filled boxes from trained Operation Christmas Child nationals. Many of the children are in need, living in poverty, orphanages, and refugee camps. These children are also invited to participate in The Greatest Journey discipleship program, where they will have an opportunity to meet Jesus and receive Him. “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’” (Matt 19:14) Each day thousands of children come to know the Lord through this program.

This year Samaritan’s Purse is introducing a new type of box which may be used for gift-packing. It is a durable plastic box, decorated with the Operation Christmas Child logo and colors, now made available at Hobby Lobby. This box itself is a gift.

It is a blessing and an honor to pack a box and send it.

Paula Grossmann says this, “Last year, Puerto Rico sent many boxes; this year, it is expected that none will come from the U.S. territory.” God is calling us to make up the shortage and then some. If you filled a shoebox last year, please consider filling two this year.

Other ways to pack boxes include organizing packing parties through a community organization or church.

Just as Apostle Paul sent out handkerchiefs, these shoeboxes represent the work and word of God going forth. Children will be won to the love of Christ.

Paula tells a story of a box packed just with socks. The box was received in India by a little boy who had burned feet. Because of his condition he was required to wear socks, but he had only one pair; his mother was constantly washing them. God knew what this boy needed.

Jeff Grossmann adds, “God is in control.”

The work of God goes where no one can go—into the hearts and minds of children and their parents, changing the world for the glory of God.

National Collection Week November 13-20

Drop Off Locations:

Port St. Lucie: Morningside Church, West
Fort Pierce: Indian River Presbyterian
Stuart: United Methodist on Kanner Highway
Okeechobee: First Baptist of Okeechobee
Loxahatchee: Oasis Church
Jupiter: Harvest Community Church
North Palm Beach: Lighthouse Church
West Palm Beach: Lakeside Presbyterian

Hurricane Irma approached. Shelters opened and Indiantown residents sought safety at Warfield Elementary School. Deputy Sheriff Cristen Garcia was also assigned to be at Warfield, where she spent three days and nights monitoring the situation.

She conducted perimeter searches of the building during the storm, bringing in stragglers and oversaw indoor safety after the power went out.

The day after Irma, Deputy Garcia went off duty. Before leaving Warfield Elementary she took note of an elderly man sitting on the step with his small golden-haired dog. Deputy Garcia offered him a ride home, but the gentleman declined, stating that he was too far from home, adding that his truck wouldn’t start.

The evacuee was from Naples. Somehow he got lost and arrived in Indiantown. He had forgotten his medications and had health problems. Deputy Garcia phoned for an ambulance. The lost man insisted he would not go to the hospital. His concern was for his dog, Sammy.

That day, from 11AM until 9:30PM, Deputy Garcia acted as a Good Samaritan. Exhausted herself, she kept her promise to care for Sammy the dog, had the truck’s dead battery replaced, prepared food for the evacuee, made sure he went to Martin South’s Emergency Room, picked him up and got him into the Hidden Oaks Middle School shelter in Palm City for one last night before heading home.

Another Good Samaritan, a nurse from the emergency room, gave $80 for Deputy Garcia to fill the evacuee’s truck tank with gas and feed him on his return to Naples. Deputy Garcia drove his truck to the shelter, made sure Sammy the dog would be fed and then she went home.

During that day and the following one, Deputy Garcia kept in touch with the gentleman’s daughters, letting them know how and where their father was.

The following day, a chaplain with the Sheriff’s Office made sure the evacuee safely left for home.

Deputy Garcia went beyond the call of service.

A woman of deep faith, she states, “It costs us nothing to be nice; we need to care more about human life.”

Deputy Sheriff Garcia has also prevented a suicide and received a commendation for her act in 2012. I asked her why she became a sheriff deputy. She answered, “My whole life I’ve wanted to be in law enforcement. I want to help those who truly can’t help themselves.”

Deputy Sheriff Cristen Garcia is truly a hometown hero.

Her previous experience includes two and a half years on duty at the Martin County Jail.

Born in Tallahassee, Deputy Garcia now resides in Port St. Lucie. She is currently assigned to the Martin County Courthouse in Stuart as a bailiff.

Hometown Heroes