Current Release: September 11th, 2007 | Vol. XXIV Iss. 10

PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA DROGUS

Shoeboxes give children a good Christmas

By Heather Templeton

hntempleton@vwc.edu

Christmas Child, through the Samaritan’s Purse, has delivered 54 million shoeboxes to deserving children in 105 different countries. This year, under the direction of Ashleigh Roberson, the VWC community donated 35 boxes to the effort.

The shoeboxes donated to Operation Christmas Child are full of small Christmas presents that will be delivered to children around the world. The Samaritan’s Purse hopes this program can help spread the Good News and gospel to children who may have never received a Christmas present before. Bob Pierce began Samaritan’s Purse in 1970 after visiting suffering children on the Korean island of Kojedo.

He wrote in his Bible, “Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God.”

After his death in 1978 his student, Franklin Graham, took over his mission.

Graham writes on the Operation Christmas Child website, “It’s a heartbreaking reality. Millions of boys and girls around the globe live in difficult circumstances and are in desperate need of hope. Whether they are slum dwellers in Calcutta or orphans in Johannesburg, children long to know that they are loved. Operation Christmas Child is one way you can make a difference in a young person’s life.”

Last year Operation Christmas Child delivered 7.6 million present-stuffed shoeboxes to underprivileged children. The gospel message is delivered with the boxes in booklets that are written in 70 different languages.

Through Operation Christmas Child, 1.5 million children have accepted Christ as their savior. On Nov. 7 Ashleigh Roberson met with approximately 20 to 22 volunteers to wrap the 35 boxes they had received from the campus community.

She says, “I have always done Operation Christmas Child and wanted to be involved in something at college that I knew from home. I love working with children and Christmas is my favorite season, so I’m not surprised that I enjoy working with the Operation Christmas Child. Most of the time, the program is done through churches or individuals, but we have the ability to have a HUGE impact as a college.”

Roberson admits that this year was a great success but has ambitious plans for next year. She has already set a goal to have, at the very least, 50 boxes donated. She hopes that by developing the program into an actual leadership team she will be able to get more work done and be able to rally more support from athletic teams, Greeks and faculty.

She adds, “I didn’t know how to ask for help or if I should. I think I bit off a little more than I could handle (this year). I didn’t realize all of the details that went into making this a success.

I couldn’t have done this with out a lot of people’s help and would like to see them get more credit.”

Roberson would like to especially thank Diane Hotaling, Greek life, Kristen Whalen and the student activities staff, all those who donated boxes and all the volunteers that came to the wrapping party.

Their help made this year a success.