Operation Christmas Child 2021

Each year, at the end of winter, Living Choice Twin Waters residents are busy filling shoeboxes with small gifts to send to an underprivileged child as part of Operation Christmas Child.

The initiative began 16 years ago with a small group of ladies from the Monday craft group participating. Other residents heard about the scheme and began to take part. Incredibly, 56 boxes were filled last year and sent on from the village residents and friends.

214,301 boxes were sent from Australia and New Zealand.

Shoeboxes from Australia and New Zealand are distributed mainly in the Asia- Pacific region and last year boxes were sent to Fiji, Solomon Islands, Cambodia, Madagascar and Malawi.

The children who receive the boxes may be victims of famine, war, natural disasters and disease and many have never received any sort of gift in their short lives.

The current situation with COVID-19 means that the distribution of boxes may be delayed but the collection of boxes is going ahead in order that they can be sent out as soon as restrictions are lifted and the boxes can be safely delivered.

Ready assembled and printed shoeboxes are provided if you decide to take part. These shoeboxes of gifts bring a little joy to children in need and show them that they have not been forgotten.

If you are interested in helping with this project, please contact Samaritan’s Purse Australia on 1300 884 468 or use the link below to access their website: Operation Christmas Child | Samaritan's Purse Australia | New Zealand (samaritanspurse.org.au)