Operation Christmas Child

By May Dalusag, NSW SFCA Sector Coordinator

Last Saturday, the 9th of November 2024, our young people (together with some of us, oldies) had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at the processing centre of Operation Christmas Child of Samaritan’s Purse.

Samaritan’s Purse is a Christian organisation that takes its name from Jesus Christ’s story of the Good Samaritan, as recorded in the Bible. The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) gives a clear picture of God’s desire for us to help those in desperate need wherever we find them. After describing how the Samaritan rescued a hurting man whom others had passed by, Jesus told His hearers, “Go and do likewise.” For over 50 years, Samaritan’s Purse has done our utmost to follow Christ’s command by going to the aid of the world’s poor, sick, and suffering. We are an effective means of reaching hurting people in countries around the world with food, medicine, and other assistance in the Name of Jesus Christ. “At Samaritan’s Purse we don’t run from disasters – we run to them. We go to help people in Jesus’ Name.”

 – Franklin Graham, President

One of their many projects is Operation Christmas Child and its mission is to bring Christmas joy to needy children around the world. Donations of toys, school supplies, clothing items and accessories are collected & packed in shoeboxes and are then shipped overseas.  

Their processing centre was a sight to behold. Seeing thousands of boxes of donated items, one cannot help but believe in the inherent goodness of people.  According to their website, these gift-filled shoeboxes are distributed to children in over 100 countries in the Name of Jesus Christ. 

We are all called to be good Samaritans. It was only a few hours of our day that we had to offer but we know that every little effort goes a long way.  We all had fun sorting, boxing, taping, labelling and praying for each and every box that we packed. We pray that with these little shoeboxes, Christ’s love and joy reach all the ends of the earth.