Area residents give to Operation Christmas Child
By Janet Kanters, Editor
Photo Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse Canada
Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the 2020 Operations Christmas Child campaign was another success.
Strathmore and area residents packed 296 shoeboxes with toys, hygiene items, school supplies and many other items, part of the 74,791 shoeboxes from Alberta that make up the 373,188 shoeboxes from Canada that will go to children in Central America and western Africa.
“Given the tremendous pandemic challenges all of us faced in 2020, we are extremely thankful to Canadians – many of whom are unemployed or facing economic uncertainty – for their generosity in continuing to support this program,” said Randy Crosson, director of Operation Christmas Child Canada. “Each shoebox that someone fills is an opportunity to show hurting children that they are loved by God and by us, and the gifts Canadians have provided will once again bless children – many of whom have never before received a present.”
Operation Christmas Child’s has an internet option that enables people to pack shoeboxes all year round at PackaBox.ca. People can choose shoebox gift items while also uploading personal notes and photos.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and hand-delivered more than 186 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in over 130 countries hurt by war, poverty, natural disaster, disease and famine.
Operation Christmas Child is a program of Samaritan’s Purse Canada, a Christian relief and development organization that takes its name from Jesus Christ’s biblical story of the Good Samaritan.
Besides Operation Christmas Child, initiatives include providing safe water, vocational skills, and agricultural supplies and training to families in the developing world.