By MELISSA MEEHAN
IT’S that time of year again, Operation Christmas Child is a go, and the TurningPoint Church is calling on members of the Casey community to get involved.
Run by the Samaritan’s Purse International Relied Organisation, Operation Christmas Child operates with the aim of providing disadvantaged children from all over the world with a ‘shoe box’ of usable gifts for Christmas.
TurningPoint Church administration officer Denyse Parker said that her organisation had taken part in Operation Christmas Child for 10 years.
“The aim is to get as many boxes as possible,” Ms Parker said.
“I think it promotes living and the Christmas spirit.”
Ms Parker said the church normally collected throughout the year, and was able to get 600 boxes last year.
“They go all over the world, last year they went to Papua New Guinea,” she said.
“But they go across the world.”
Many children receiving these boxes have never been given a Christmas gift.
Last year local pastor Norma Cayzer travelled to PNG and witnessed firsthand the impact these gifts had on not only the children, but their families too.
Donors are asked to fill a shoe box with something to love, something for school, something to wear, something to play with, something for personal hygiene and something special.
Those who want to follow the boxes’ journey can also donate an extra $9 to watch where it goes online.
Boxes can be collected from the TurningPoint Church office at 1785 South Gippsland Highway, Cranbourne, for a small fee of 50 cents and later returned for forwarding and distribution.
Boxes need to be returned by 13 October.
