Operation Christmas Child

A Message from Gillian Kelly:

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD – SHOEBOX APPEAL

Well, the shoeboxes have been filled, wrapped and now collected.  Many thanks to all of you who have contributed so generously to my annual plea!  This year we have sent 206 Christmas gifts to 206 children who will now have a present to open and fill them with joy.  97 from St Paul ’s School and Church, 52 from ICU/HDU at RAEI, Wigan and 55 from Griffin House DWP.  Over the years we have collected over 2000 shoeboxes containing toiletries, books, sweets and games but more importantly, the thoughts, prayers and love that you have sent with them.  So may I once again thank you for your gifts - from myself and from the children who will receive them. 

God Bless

Operation Christmas Child.

Operation Christmas Child started in 1993 and is a unique project run by Samaritan's Purse around the world.

It is a very simple project and anyone from the age of 4 to 94 can help.

It involves taking an old shoebox, covering it with Christmas paper and then filling them with a range of inexpensive gifts for the boy or girl in the age group you have selected.

The boxes, along with a donation to cover transport costs, are clearly labelled and secured with rubber band.
A team of helpers collects them from each organisation.

Once the boxes reach Samaritan's Purse, they include a special booklet which is printed in the language of the country in which the boxes are being distributed. This special booklet tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ and which at the end contains an invitation for the child to make a response to Jesus.

Last year over 3.5 million boxes were
distributed worldwide in over 53 countries.