Murphy – The goings-on inside Calvary Chapel Church on Nov. 8 appeared to look like Santa’s workshop, as church members both younger and older were busy working to assemble Christmas shoeboxes.
Kind-hearted and time generous people came together to fold more than 1,000 brightly colored, red-and-green cardboard containers in preparation for packing and mailing to other parts of the world.
Overseen by Carol and Rich Paul, the project is called Operation Christmas Child, a ministry under Samaritan’s Purse. Their goal is to get much needed as well as some fun items to children in need of a Christmas in the holiday’s truest sense of loving your neighbor and giving hope in Jesus Christ.
The work atmosphere was friendly and fun, as church members laughed, played and dined together while working to fold and label numerous boxes. They were filled Saturday at Calvary Chapel for ages 5-9.
Children from around the world will be the recipients of the Christmas boxes filled with love and goodies. Some of the distant areas the boxes may be traveling to include different areas of Africa.
The boxes include toothbrushes, knit hats, gloves, balls, notebooks, little toys, handmade stuffed animals, hair brushes, combs and gospel tracts about the story of Jesus.
Ariah Fernandez attends Calvary Chapel at 866 Joe Brown Highway.
“This makes me feel happy to help kids around the world,” Fernandez said as to why she’s involved with Operation Christmas Child. “Some kids don’t have what we have, so when they open the boxes it makes me happy.”