{"id":63166,"date":"2016-06-13T15:18:30","date_gmt":"2016-06-13T19:18:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.samaritanspurse.org\/?p=63166"},"modified":"2017-02-02T15:56:47","modified_gmt":"2017-02-02T20:56:47","slug":"shoebox-stories-alina-and-a-music-box","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.samaritanspurse.org\/es\/operation-christmas-child\/shoebox-stories-alina-and-a-music-box\/","title":{"rendered":"#ShoeboxStories: Alina and a Music Box"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n<\/g>\r\n\r\n\t\r\n<\/g>\r\n<\/svg>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\r\n<\/g>\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n<\/g>\r\n<\/svg>\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n<\/g>\r\n<\/svg>\r\n\r\n
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CAJAS DE REGALOS<\/h2>
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Historias<\/h3><\/a>\r\n\t\t

#shoeboxstories compila continuamente historias de beneficiarios que comparten el impacto eterno de una simple caja de regalos.<\/h4>\r\n\t<\/header>\r\n\r\n\t
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Alina<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

y<\/h2>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

A Music Box<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t
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\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAlina received her shoebox at an orphanage in Romania at age 12.<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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When I was just over a year old, doctors told my mother that I would never be able to walk. Not knowing how to care for me, my mother left me in a hospital. Thanks to doctors and nurses who did not give up on me, I began to walk and was placed in an orphanage when I was 3 years old.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

On a cold day nine years later, I noticed other kids in the orphanage carrying shoeboxes. I was very curious what was inside them! So I got in the back of a long line and could hardly wait my turn. I was one of the last ones to receive a shoebox.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

When I finally had one in my hands, my teacher told us that we had to wait to open them until we were back in our classroom. That meant a seven-minute walk up five flights of stairs. I couldn\u2019t wait that long! I tried to peak inside my box, but my teacher said, \u201cNope! Close it! We all need to go to the class.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

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When I finally got there and opened it, the first thing I saw was a little round, white music box that played Christmas music. I liked it because I could put it in my hat, hiding it from the other orphans who beat kids and checked their pockets in order to take things from them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

When I tucked the music box in the fold of my winter hat, it played music in my ear. I remember kids watching me while I bounced along to the music. They heard the noise, but didn\u2019t see me carrying anything.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

Eventually, though, I became careless and an older girl heard the music. She asked what it was and I had to show her. I begged, \u201cLook, you can take whatever you want from my shoebox, but don\u2019t take this away from me.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

\u201cLook, you can take whatever you want from my shoebox, but don\u2019t take this away from me.\u201d
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But she took it, stepped on it, and broke it. I was so mad at her for ruining my new happiness\u2014 the music box was mine for two days at the most.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

The other thing in my box that I especially liked was a Lego man. I liked him because he also was little and I could hide him. I tried not to play with him except when I was by myself, so people wouldn\u2019t see him. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

But when I took the Lego man out to play with another orphan, an older girl saw it. The next thing I knew, five older girls ganged up on me and took him. I cried because he was my imaginary person. I had him for about a month. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

Even though I no longer had these toys, my shoebox gift meant I was special. I was loved. It meant someone cared for me.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

\u201cMy shoebox gift meant I was special. I was loved. It meant someone cared for me.\u201d
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That same year, I attended a camp where they talked about Jesus. I had heard about God, but didn\u2019t really know who He is. I imagined a huge man with a white beard sitting in a big arm chair looking down at people as little ants. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

But a woman gave me a New Testament and explained that I could ask Jesus into my heart. She said I could talk to Him at any time. This meant a lot to me because I talked to myself often\u2014not aloud, but in my thoughts. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

Now I knew someone would hear me whether I was sad, happy, or even had questions. The woman told me that God could be my best friend, brother, and even my parent. I thought, Now I can have a best friend with me no matter what! <\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

\u201cNow I can have a best friend with me no matter what!\u201d
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When I got back to the orphanage, people saw a change in me. I had Jesus in my heart. No one could take that away from me!<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Years later, I had an opportunity to come to the United States to do some translation work for missionaries who had served in Romania. I met my husband and now we have a baby girl. I can\u2019t wait to pack shoeboxes with her one day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t

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