As Christmas approaches I’m reminded how generous Tasmanians are, especially when it comes to children in need, and this year’s response to Operation Christmas Child is no exception.
As I write we have just finished preparing all the shoe box gifts for shipping and they will soon be on the high seas on their way to children in need. Thanks to your generosity more than 17,000 children in Cambodia will receive a shoe box gift from Tasmania this year!

Once again many of these gifts have been lovingly packed and donated by listeners of ultra106five. Thank you! During our collection period in October it seemed like every few days we had someone new bring a box into our Mornington warehouse for the first time because they heard about it on ultra106five! We also gained a few new volunteers again this year thanks to ultra106five’s promotion.

By participating in Operation Christmas Child you open up a whole new life for a child in need. For many children the shoe box will be the first gift they’ve ever received and it leaves a lasting impression.

Richard, who received a gift through Operation Christmas Child when he was a young boy 15 years ago, still remembers: “A tennis ball, a toothbrush, a colouring book and a pencil were more than what they seem. See, it wasn’t just the item in itself. The idea of someone in a completely different country taking the time to prepare a gift box for me, whom they didn’t know, was unreal.”

Operation Christmas Child also opens doors for our national church partners who distribute the gifts, to share God’s love in other practical ways that provide long term solutions for impoverished communities. The relationships built through the distribution of shoe boxes can often lead to new schools being built, wells and water filters installed, health clinics, and vocational programs that empower communities and help to break the cycle of poverty. These small gifts can make a big difference!

So thank you for opening up a whole new life this Christmas for many children in need and their communities and may you be blessed this Christmas too.

Renee Garvin
State Manager, Tasmania
Samaritan’s Purse Australia