Students pack shoebox gifts for Operation Christmas Child

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Children around the world will get special Christmas presents, thanks in-part to students from Christian Academy of Louisville.

Students at the Southwest campus collected about 300 boxes on Thursday.

Operation Christmas Child has been a project of Samaritan’s Purse for 29 years. The shoeboxes are filled with a variety of items, including toys, school supplies, hygiene products and bibles. Eleven countries help pack the boxes, then deliver them to 170 countries around the world.

Shannon Wilson from Christian Academy of Louisville has been coordinating the project for nine years.

“We want the kids to realize that every shoebox gift represents a child just like them,” Wilson said. “So, while they may never have the opportunity to meet the child who receives their specific shoebox gift, that box is going to go to a country maybe all the way across the world.”

Students actually got to meet someone who received a box. Jacombe lives in Louisville and recognized the boxes being collected at his church. He received one when he was 14 and living in Tanzania. He said the best gift in the box was the Bible.

“These boxes are so blessful to many nations, including my nation where I came from, which is Tanzania,” Jacombe said.

People can still help collect items and send boxes. For more information, click or tap here.

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