What Is It?

During our Crossing Borders (CB) mission camp each summer we are closely involved with a variety of people and organizations.  We do some of our most emotionally touching work with homes for orphaned and foster children who are cared for day-to-day by extremely dedicated ministry staff.  Our hearts go out to these children and their caregivers.  Plus we also work closely with local pastors who minister to villages of great poverty.

To maintain and build upon these summertime relationships, Crossing Borders has developed a wintertime ministry service that lets us reconnect with the children’s homes and local churches.  The ministry is a “shoebox gift ministry.” 

How does it work?  U.S. local churches, clubs, families, neighborhoods, Crossing Borders alumni and other individuals and organizations fill shoeboxes with gifts and necessity items for the children and staff workers at the children’s homes and for the children of the villages.  We collect the shoeboxes in Texas, we transport them across the border into Mexico, and we personally deliver them to the kids and staff—playing, laughing, singing and sharing Bible lessons with the children and families.  Each year, we hand-deliver several hundred shoebox gifts of love across the border.

Anyone is welcome to contribute boxes for this ministry, and anyone is welcome and encouraged to come along on the delivery trip (usually scheduled for the second weekend each December).  This is a ministry service that changes hearts and minds through God’s love—of the kids and staff members in Mexico, and maybe even more so, the hearts of those donating and delivering the shoeboxes.

We get such joy to see the faces of the kids, and you can be a part of that joy.  Here are several ways you can help. 

  • Collect items to put into the shoeboxes.  For more details of what to collect, see our “Shoebox Packing List.”  You can collect items personally; involve your friends, neighbors, church, school buddies or other group.
  • Get donations of items from local businesses (which they can deduct on their IRS taxes as a donation).  To help you seek donations from businesses, we’ve provided a donation letter/receipt.  Click here for the “Donation request form.”
  • Collect empty shoeboxes and pack up the items.  Most shoe stores are glad to save empty boxes and give them to you for free.  Gift wrap the boxes and bring them or ship them to our collection point in Texas.  Important shipping details are in the “Shoebox Packing List” page.  You can download the “Labels” forms (for boys and girls) to help you label the boxes.
  • If you want to come along on the delivery trip, come on!  Applications and other details are here.  Yes, you will need a passport. 

For more details, Contact Us.