Over a period of four months the women of the Wandsworth area, South London, demonstrated their commitment to serving others by purchasing a range of items to be donated to children abroad. This service project was undertaken in aid of Samaritan’s Purse, the charity that runs Operation Christmas Child.
A total of 123 shoeboxes were wrapped in beautiful Christmas paper and packed with gifts for boys and girls aged 2-14. Each box contained a mix of hygiene, educational and play-items, as specified by Samaritan’s Purse. In addition to this the women of the Relief Society, the largest and oldest women’s organisation in the world, donated £307.50 towards postage of the boxes.
The Samaritan’s Purse charity had its beginnings in 1990 after one person responded to the reported plight of children in Romanian orphanages. Through the donation of shoeboxes by individuals and organisations, including churches, it is now able to send these gifts to poor children in countries throughout the world.
The Wandsworth congregations have been informed that our shoeboxes will be sent to children in Swaziland, Africa, in time for Christmas. I can only imagine the excitement the children will feel as they are handed their box and even more so when they see the contents. It was a very rewarding activity and the enthusiasm was evident because the women of the congregations knew that their service would gladden the heart of some of Heavenly Father’s precious children.
Left to right in the photo: Elizabeth Aidoo, Karen Da Silva, Elizabeth Sintim-Aboagye, Sophia Alexis and Ruby Martin.