Residents pack gift-filled shoe boxes for needy children

LIHU‘E — Help brighten the lives of less fortunate children around the world this holiday season by donating to Operation Christmas Child.

Beginning tomorrow, collection sites in Lihu‘e and Kapa‘a will be bustling with activity, accepting gift-filled shoe boxes and plastic containers full of toys, school supplies and hygiene items to send to needy children overseas.

“Every year we go to countries that we’ve never been before, reach communities we’ve never reached before,” Kelsey Heng, media relations associate for Operation Christmas Child, said. “Often times these are the first items that these children can call their own.”

Now is the time to get involved locally.

During National Collection Week Nov. 12 to 19, local residents are encouraged to drop off a packed shoe box at one of three area collection sites, including Lihu‘e Lutheran Church, Breath of Life Christian Ministries or Calvary Chapel Kaua‘i. Then, using whatever means necessary — trucks, trains, boats, bikes and even elephants — the gifts will be hand-delivered to hurting children.

In the past, Heng says people have put “anything and everything” in these boxes, including clothes, shoes, candy, toys, school supplies and hygiene items, along with a personal note to the child. Items that should not be included are liquids and candies that will melt, such as chocolate.

“Honestly, these children are thrilled with what they get,” Heng said. “Nothing that gets put in the box won’t be appreciated.”

The program is all about bringing hope to less-fortunate communities.

“These are going to kids who, when I say they have nothing, they literally have nothing,” Michelle Dressler, the collection site coordinator at Lihu‘e Lutheran Church, said. “There are people who are in high need all over the world … but the poorest American lives in really high standards compared to where these children come from.”

Some have never even seen a toothbrush, Dressler said.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected more than 94 million shoe box gifts and hand delivered them to suffering children in more than 130 countries. This year, the organization hopes to collect another 9 million boxes, reaching a milestone of 100 million gifts since its start.

 Locally, volunteers are preparing for the collection of 450 gift-filled boxes — Lihu’e’s target contribution to the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind. Boxes collected locally will be sent to children in Indonesia, according to Dressler and Christina Ensman, the collection site coordinator at Breath of Life Christian Ministries.

“There have been a lot of donations (already),” Ensman said.

This is the first year Breath of Life Christian Ministries has been involved in the program and Ensman said she got involved because of her love for children.

“I like helping them and giving whatever I can give,” she said. “We have so much more than they have.”

Ensman and Dressler said there are many children who are involved in helping during this year’s Operation Christmas Child.

Parents want the children to understand about giving to others who are less fortunate, Ensman said.

From Nov. 12 to 19, volunteers can drop off their shoe box gifts at one of three locations:

• Lihu‘e Lutheran Church, located at 4602 Ho‘omana Rd. in Lihu‘e. 651-1044.

• Breath of Life Christian Ministries, located at 4303 Rice St. in Lihu‘e. 246-6102.

• Calvary Chapel Kaua‘i, located on the Kapa‘a Bypass. 821-2228.

To find step-by-step packing directions, register a shoe box gift or to track your shoe box, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ. For more information call (714) 432-7030.

Operation Christmas Child is carried out by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian relief and evangelism organization led by Franklin Graham.

• Chris D’Angelo, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 241) or lifestyle@thegardenisland.com.