TRI-CITIES, Wash. –
According to Samaritan’s Purse International Relief, back in 1993 Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham got a call from a man in England to help give gifts to kids in Eastern Europe. With the help from his pastor, he was able to collect enough gifts for the congregation to fill 11,000 shoe boxes for the kids and Graham just never stopped.
Since it began 30 years ago, Operation Christmas Child, which is a faith-based program, has given out more than 209 million children’s gift boxes in more than 170 countries and territories while also spreading their gospel and beliefs about giving back to the less fortunate.
Richland community member, Nino Kapitula, actually got a gift from OCC when she was just 11-years-old in Molodova.
“It was unbelievable, we were opening the gifts and we still couldn’t believe it was happening to us. Each of us had our own which was different because we were so used to sharing everything. We did receive gifts for the holidays but it was usually necessities or candies,” said Nino Kapitula, Operation Christmas Child recipient.
These shoe boxes are filled with items like: toys, clothes, games, hygiene products and school supplies for kids ranging in ages from 2-14.
“These boxes go to kids in orphanages or underprivileged areas. I got drawn in to this organization by these kids’ stories and how it impacted their life,” said Kathy Schweiger, Church Relations Coordinator.
If you are interested in either packing a box or paying for a box to be made there are plenty of ways to do so.
Collection week begins on Nov. 13, 2023 and ends on Nov. 20, 2023. There are plenty of drop off locations in the area during that week that run from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. every day.
“I think that there is nothing more you can give to a child than that hope to their circumstances,” said Nino Kapitula, Operation Christmas Child recipient.
