Children in Uganda express delight at receiving their shoeboxes
Although Christmas has long gone, Samaritan’s Purse has recently reported that, of almost 10 million gift-filled shoeboxes shipped to needy children around the world through Operation Christmas Child, well over 900,000 were donated by individuals, groups, churches, schools and workplaces here in the UK.
The international relief organization has expressed its gratitude to everyone, who donated shoeboxes including the people of Dorset.
Peter and Eileen Ivermee, Area Coordinators for the county said, “We’re so thankful for the amazing generosity of people in Dorset. We can only imagine the joy a child feels when they receive a shoebox, packed with gifts, from someone they don’t know, but someone who cared enough for them and showed them that they are not forgotten at Christmas.”
This year, for the first time, gift-filled shoeboxes were sent from UK donors to children in Rwanda. In April 2014, Rwanda will mark the 20th anniversary of the genocide that saw almost one million people killed in 100 days.
Samaritan’s Purse UK Executive Director Simon Barrington explains: “This complements the ongoing programmes that we have in Rwanda to lift vulnerable children and families out of poverty.”
Over the past 23 years, Operation Christmas Child has sent more than 113 million boxes to children in over 130 countries.
