Shoebox Project Helps Keiki

Hawaii Kai Church is one of three Oahu collection sites this month for Operation Christmas Child, the international “Operation Shoebox” campaign to get simple gifts and necessities to impoverished children in 100 countries in time for Christmas.

Located at 265 Lunalilo Home Road, the church will accept filled, decorated and colorfully wrapped shoeboxes Nov. 18-22 from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Nov. 23-24 from 1 to 2:30 p.m., and Nov. 25 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Volunteers will then send the gifts on their way via plane, train, boat, elephant, dogsled or whatever it takes to reach keiki who expect very little.

Participants should think small and simple, according to veteran volunteer Becky Gross: “I had the great privilege of passing out shoebox gifts to hundreds of children in Uganda earlier this year,” Gross said. “I was amazed to see children cheering and shouting over simple things like soap and pencils. And then to watch them squeal and laugh over race cars, ear muffs and lollipops was the icing on top of the cake.”

Operation Christmas Child is a project of the international Christian relief and evangelism organization, Samaritan’s Purse.

For more information, call 714-432-7030 or visit samaritanspurse.org.