In collaboration with Samaritan’s Purse, Faith Lutheran collected approximately 420 boxes to help underprivileged children in struggling countries, and it is still not too late to donate.

Operation Christmas Child is a nonprofit organization created and operated by Samaritan’s Purse. Their mission is to be an evangelical Christian source that provides spiritual and physical help to struggling people around the world. They have many relief efforts, but this is their most successful.

Faith Lutheran, along with many other schools and churches around the United States, have joined efforts in bringing Christmas joy to kids and young teens in developing countries each year.

“It’s something that [Faith Lutheran] adopted as a passionate project to help others and be able to bless other kids in the world with the love of Jesus and His message,” said Mrs. Bowline, the Faith Lutheran Key Club advisor.

Not only does Faith Lutherans collect boxes, but they include bake sales and after school packing parties to help make the collection easier on busy students. The Faith Lutheran mosaic club held a bake sale before school and during lunch on the 29 and 30 of October in front of the library. They sold home-made treats of the students in the club’s ethnic origin, and all the money that was collected went to buying toys and school supplies to pack in Operation Christmas Child boxes on behalf of the club, so students who could not put together a box themselves could still participate in the charity event.

“[Mosaic club] did this to help the good cause of Operation Christmas Child and to make money to buy toys for the boxes, all while selling multicultural baked goods,” said Aiah Talledo, a Faith Lutheran Mosaic club member.

Faith Lutheran Key Club put together a packing party after school in the library on the 29 of October. Each grade was assigned a different collection of items to bring in included with a packing sticker, the students could help assemble a box along with a complimentary Jimmy John’s sandwich. This was another way that students could volunteer, without picking out their own things or taking an extra trip to the store after school.

In the end, all of these efforts with the bake sale and packing party, the school collected around 420 boxes and helped 420 kids in struggling countries. Receiving a Christmas present may not seem like a big deal to a fortunate Faith Lutheran student, but to an underprivileged student in Africa, a Christmas box could change their life for the better. Spreading Jesus’ love and the joy of Christmas has always been Samaritan’s Purse purpose behind this operation, and Faith Lutheran has joined in this mission.

“[This Operation] helps us be aware that there are kids in need, and we can make a difference,” said Bowline.

Along with the message of Operation Christmas Child, the organization is continuing to grow in their mission and are adding new technologies to make packing and tracking boxes easier. This year, anyone who donates a box can print out a tracking label, and with a fee of nine dollars, can see where their box ends up. This gives everyone the ability to see what their generosity can do in the life of an underprivileged child.

“Now that we can track the boxes, it shows us a direct location where our gifts are blessing others, providing us an outlet, not just with toys, but a means of sharing God’s love and spreading His message to those who really need to hear it,” said Bowline.

Faith Lutherans’ collection dates were the 31 of October and the 1 of November during chapel, but national collection week is November 12 through the 19, so it is not too late to donate. Boxes can be dropped off at churches and other locations throughout the Las Vegas valley including, Discovery Church in North Las Vegas and the Good Samaritan Lutheran Church. Remember, do not add liquids, any type of food, or candies to the box, but make sure to think about what kids would be interested in like toys, school supplies, or small clothing items. Happy packing!