Christmas in a shoebox to bring joy to many
Have any empty shoe boxes laying around your dorm room? Not sure what to do with them? Put them to good use for the Operation Christmas Child shoebox drive on campus.
OCC is a branch organization of Samaritans Purse, based in Boone, North Carolina. OCC sends “Christmas” gifts to children all around the world during different times of the year.
Waynesburg University is asking students to pack their own boxes for the program. There are a few guidelines students should follow during packing.
Any size shoebox or other plastic storage container can be used.
Small toys, stuffed animals, school supplies, toiletries and anything else a child might enjoy can be used to fill the box.
A full list of suitable items for shoeboxes can be found at www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child.
Along with a shoebox full of toys and other fun things, each child will receive a 12-lesson booklet titled “The Greatest Journey.”
According to the OCC website, “The Greatest Journey is a dynamic approach to discipleship – including 12 engaging Bible lessons – that local trained teachers are using to instruct the next generation of believers on how to become devoted followers of Christ and boldly share their faith with others.”
In the next few days, a link will be posted on the MyConnect bulletin board for students wishing to participate in the program.
“I would like to see 200 full boxes, but in the end, quality is what counts, not the quantity,” said Theresa Butler, the student contact for the OCC program at Waynesburg.
Waynesburg University students can watch videos on the OCC website concerning how to pack a box, where their boxes are going and the impact of a simple gift.
Completed boxes can be dropped off in the Center for Service and Leadership on the first floor of Stover through Nov. 17. Students with further questions can contact Theresa Butler or Kelley Hardie.