Parents In A Box

"Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Romans 8:23 (NIV)

I love to receive gifts and who doesn't? And I especially like to receive gifts in a box. Gift bags are okay, but boxes come in all shapes and sizes so they hold so many more possibilities of what could be inside. Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, is the founder of "Samaritan's Purse", a missionary relief organization that supplies aid and gifts to third world countries. One gift giving program his organization is famous for is the "Shoe Box Gifts". Shoe boxes are filled with items like soap, shampoo, flashlights, deodorant, toys, etc. and then sent to other countries all over the world. He likes to tell this story of a little boy in South Africa who received a very special gift in one of these shoe boxes:

"One day we were at a village passing out these shoe boxes to elementary age kids and everyone of them seemed to be thrilled with the gift... except for one little boy. When it came time for him to receive his gift he just sat there, his arms crossed with a sad look on his face. "I don't want a box", he said. The missionaries trying to give it to him both looked at each other and then asked him why he didn't. He replied, "I want my parents and I know that my parents aren't in that box." His parents had both died of Aids several months before. They said to him, "well someone has put some things in here just for you and really wants you to have them. Can we at least look inside it and see what they gave you?" The boy nodded and the missionaries opened the box for him. Inside the box were the usual items: shampoo, a tooth brush, soap, a small toy and so on. At the bottom was a photo of a young couple and a letter. The letter said that the couple couldn't have children and so they were kind of adopting him by sending this gift to him. Enclosed in the letter was an address so that he could write to them. He did and they wrote back. The correspondance went on for about 8 months. The one day the couple actually showed up at this little boy's village. When they left, the boy left with them. The couple had adopted him... legally! The parents, his parents... were in the box!"