A shoebox of hope
Operation Christmas Child aims for 3,000 boxes
Liberty University’s Operation Christmas Child (OCC) Shoebox Blitz is in full swing as the OCC club works to collect 3,000 shoeboxes from the campus.
OCC presidents Taylor Frost and Tyler Smith believe the third annual Blitz can bring in almost twice as many shoeboxes as last year due to growth from previous years.
Last year, the Blitz brought in 1,800 shoeboxes — the year before that, 900 shoeboxes.
Operation Christmas Child is a humanitarian project organized by Samaritan’s Purse each year.
According to the Samaritan’s Purse website, participants collect school supplies, toys, hygiene items and more to pack in shoeboxes for underprivileged children around the world.
“Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to over 135 million children in more than 150 countries and territories,” the FAQ page of the website said.
GIFT— Boxes are available at the OCC tent in the bookstore. Photo credit: Amber Tiller
Liberty’s Blitz week started Oct. 31 and will end Friday, Nov. 4. Students can drop off their filled shoeboxes all week at a tent set up in the Liberty Bookstore parking lot.
During this time, the club is offering a variety of events to promote the collection of shoeboxes.
OCC is hosting their “Be A Kid at Christmas” party at Snowflex from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1.
This event will promote the Blitz and give students an opportunity to write letters and take Polaroid pictures for the shoeboxes they pack.
The club is also hosting an approved late-night event Wednesday night to encourage community groups to pack boxes together and then drop the boxes off at the OCC tent, Frost said.
“Go out into the community, pack a box together because that’s a great bonding experience, and then bring it back and put it on the truck,” Frost said.
Smith said about 1,000 students came to the community group collection night last year and the majority of the shoeboxes collected came on that night.
Frost believes that prayer is a vital part of OCC’s mission.
Therefore, the club will provide students with the opportunity to pray for the shoeboxes and the future recipients Thursday night at the prayer chapel.
“We’re going to have different stations set up of things to be praying for,” Frost said. “Prayer is an essential part of OCC, and without prayer, ultimately, our efforts are going to fail.”
Frost said OCC will be celebrating the final day of Blitz week in the bookstore parking lot with Christmas carols and testimonies from shoebox recipients.
This final event on Friday, Nov. 4 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. will end with the departure of an OCC truck filled with shoeboxes from Liberty.
Each shoebox will then be sent on a journey that ends in the hands of a child across the globe.
Frost said she is encouraged by seeing how children truly value each shoebox.
In fact, she has spoken to many international students at Liberty who remember receiving one of these shoeboxes years ago.
“Whether it’s personalizing each box, sending a polaroid in each box, or praying over each box — all those things are so important because in turn it’s going to make the child that receives it feel so special,” Frost said.
Shoeboxes can be picked up at various locations around campus, with a central location at the OCC tent in the bookstore parking lot.
Students interested in joining OCC or volunteering during Blitz week can contact Frost at tfrost2@liberty.edu and Smith at smith577@liberty.edu
COVEY is a feature reporter.