Since 2015, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been putting together boxes for Operation Christmas child. FCA is the only faith-based club at Sterling High School. This student-led club focuses on common Christian beliefs and how students can bring their beliefs to the forefront of their minds.
Operation Christmas Child is a project put together by Samaritan’s Purse every year since 1993. The program collects shoe boxes from local churches, clubs, and organizations that are filled with goods and shipped to the less fortunate children around the world. Samaritan’s Purse is a Christian led program.
FCA at S.H.S. was invited to the FCA area headquarters in Geneseo to meet with other FCA groups to pack shoe boxes.
Mark Jackson, the leader of our FCA group, says, “It was a great time and from there we just decided to start packing them here with our S.H.S. FCA group.”
The boxes are simple but have a huge impact. The shoeboxes are filled with items like small toys, school supplies, personal hygiene items, and anything else a child might need. The ages for a box range from 2-4, 5-9, and 10-14. You can select any age range for a girl or boy. Each box only costs around 10 to 15 dollars to put together.
Junior Lisandra Calderon, who is a member of FCA, said, “I love the idea of the boxes. They’re so easy to put together but they have such a lasting impact on the people who receive them.” The FCA members love putting together boxes every year and they love that they get to make an impact on kids’ lifes.
The boxes FCA has put together in the past have been shipped to Zambia, Rwanda, Mexico, Guatemala, and Liberia. The boxes help make the holidays more exciting for families who can’t afford much and it’s a fun experience to put one together. Within the whole Samaritan’s Purse organization, millions of boxes are shipped out every year.
Jackson shared, “I really think it is great to be able to do something that can impact children around the world.” Putting together a shoebox is such a meaningful experience for all involved and makes a tremendous impact on all involved.
