Operation Christmas Child

My friend Iliana is a regional manager for Samaritan's Purse Operatation Christmas Child. Every year this christian non profit organization collects millions of shoe boxes filled with gifts. They then distribute these boxes to children in different parts of the world. But before they ship them out they have to go through one of the six processing centers in the U.S. I happened to visit the one in Orange County. This is where boxes are inspected to make sure that each child will have an adequate amount of toys. Each child also receives a book telling them about the love of God. There are many churches that participate every year and thousands of people volunteer their time at the processing center. This year they sent out over 7.6 million shoeboxes. I didn't get a chance to help process shoe boxes this year but I did volunteer my camera and my time as a photographer. My pictures will be sent to the headquarter office in Boone, North Carolina and they might even be used on their website and their brochures for Operation Christmas Child. That would be cool.


This shoe box will be going to a girl

An ocean of boxes

Volunteers pose for my camera



Boxes zooming down a conveyer


I am so proud of my friend Iliana. She was in charge of running the show at this processing center. Can you say Gift of Administration??
Boxes are ready to be shipped out in containers and taken to the Port in Long Beach.

They are then delivered to the hands of a child. (picture courtesy of Operation Christmas Child)


Iliana took this picture of me. Do I look like a pro?