Kim Paulson, right, unloads boxes of Shoebox Christmas gift. Photos courtesy of Spirit Lake.

"A full-circle moment of giving and sharing the love of Jesus happened during our Shoebox Christmas this year," said Kim Paulson, Spirit Lake Ministry Center Co-Director. "This year, a young man who received Shoebox Christmas gifts when he was a child had the chance to give back by helping load gifts for delivery. He was excited to volunteer and be part of making things happen."

More than 6,000 Shoebox Christmas gifts were donated this Christmas season from across the United States to make Christmas brighter for children at six Native American reservations. On the reservation, up to 70 percent of the children would not get a Christmas gift if not for the Shoebox Christmas Gift program and the generosity of those who donate.

Shoebox Christmas is a program that provides Christmas gifts to children across the reservation communities and beyond.  The Rosebud reservation and the Enemy Swim School near Sisseton in South Dakota receive gifts. The Spirit Lake Nation, Turtle Mountain, and Standing Rock reservations receive gifts in North Dakota. In Minnesota, the Red Lake Reservation receives gifts. 

Andy Lindstrom, of Epworth UMC in Elgin, Illinois, made the 1500-mile round trip in a rented truck from Illinois to deliver Shoebox Christmas gifts.

"It was amazing to see the gifts pour in. There was enormous generosity throughout the nation," said Paulette Paulson, Spirit Lake Ministry Center Co-Director.

Deb and Mike Adams traveled from Michigan with gifts. Then, the volunteers hook up a trailer and drive around to Shoebox Christmas collection sites in North and South Dakota to pick up boxes of donated gifts. The trailer is loaded as they stop at each site. This year, the trailer was filled two times.

"About halfway through Deb and Mike's collection, they had to come and unload because the trailer was full," said Paulette. "This caused a slight delay in collecting gifts. Some of our collection sites wondered when we would pick up the gifts. It was great to see so many people's generous hearts!"

Shoebox Christmas gifts are mailed or shipped to Spirit Lake Ministry Center. "People ship to us through UPS and Fed Ex. We also get packages through the United States Postal Service. For those packages, we drive into Sheyenne [20 miles from Spirit Lake Ministry Center] to the post office," explains Paulette.

Processing and distribution

Volunteers sort through the Shoebox Christmas gifts.

The process of collecting the 6,000 donated gifts, sorting through each box, and distributing the gifts can be overwhelming. Volunteers across the United Methodist connection make everything possible.

First United Methodist Church members in Devils Lake, North Dakota, Spirit Lake Ministry Center's The Journey congregation, students from  Cankdeska Cikana Community College in Fort Totten, and others assist.

"We are so grateful for the volunteers," said Paulette. "We could not do it without them. They have made the process of sorting through each box a manageable process."

Each box needs to be sorted to ensure the contents are age-appropriate, not broken or damaged in transport, and of similar value. After the box is checked over, the story of the birth of Jesus is added to each box. It is the first thing the child sees when they open the box.

"The story of Jesus is the most important part of the gift. It is the greatest gift of all," said Kim. "Not only is the gift that each child receives given out of love but the love of Jesus is shared in the story."

As the sorting occurs, items in a Shoebox are replaced or added. Individuals and congregations have donated gift cards or specific items.

"We had a beautiful donation of a $1,000 gift card from one congregation. We have some groups that donate specific items. A group crochets hats and gloves. One church in Minnesota shares bags of personal hygiene items. All these things help to fill the shoeboxes for each child," shares Paulette.

Once the sorting is complete, the gifts are organized in boxes for various locations. Kim Paulson delivered gifts to Turtle Lake and Spirit Lake Nations. North Highland United Methodist in Aberdeen, South Dakota, delivered gifts to Enemy Swim Day School on the Sisseton Wahpeton Nation. First United Methodist Church in Pierre, South Dakota, brought gifts to the Tree of Life Ministry Center on the Rosebud Reservation.

"Red Lake [Minnesota] came and picked up the gifts this year," said Paulette.

Spirit Lake Ministry Center gifted a new website.
 

Erica Rushing came with a Volunteers in Mission (VIM) team from her United Methodist Church in Oregon. The team spent a week learning and doing mission outreach at Spirit Lake Ministry Center. Erica enjoyed the mission trip and desired to do more. She stayed another week to assist and participate in the annual pow-wow at Spirit Lake.

"While Erica was here, I shared our desire to update our website. She said, 'Funny you should mention that—that is my job.' She volunteered to re-design our website," explains Paulette.

Rushing went to work using the existing content, updating information as needed, and designing a new look. The refreshed website was launched right before Christmas, a welcomed gift.

Christmas with The Journey at Spirit Lake

The Journey congregation at the ministry center is reaching out to Native American families across the Spirit Lake Nation. Worship is held on Sunday evenings at 5 p.m. This Christmas, the growing congregation celebrated with carols and candlelight, a meal, and gifts for each member.

First UMC in Fargo, North Dakota, collected donations for the meal and gifts for each congregation member. Andrea and Paul Plueddeman, staff members at First UMC, delivered the gifts to Spirit Lake.

"We share a list with the Plueddemans, and they deliver," said Paulette. "This year, we had a new baby born on December 23. So, we had to do some quick communication."

Future and ongoing projects

Paulette Paulson, center, takes a selfie with Shoebox Christmas volunteers.

Paulsons now turn their attention to other projects. They are preparing for VIM teams to come to Spirit Lake this summer. Here are some of the focus areas for VIM teams and donations:

• A new shower house is underway. The hope is to complete the build of the shower house this summer.
• The old shower house will be converted into a family cabin or retreat center.
• There will be updates to the apartment on the upper level of Arthur Hall.
• Provide maintenance and needed updates to homes of families that foster children at Spirit Lake Nation.
• Replacing a van to transport youth and families to the ministry center.

The Paulsons are grateful for each gift and look forward to the next Shoebox Christmas.  Kim said, "We appreciate every gift, every donation. We get to see the outpouring of God's love firsthand!"

Resources:
Donate to Spirit Lake Ministry Center
Reserve a time for your VIM team
Learn more about Shoebox Christmas
Contact Spirit Lake Ministry Center