Christian Missionary Alliance Fills Shoeboxes For Operation Christmas Child

Children from Christian Missionary Alliance filled shoe boxes for other children in need Wednesday.

Operation Christmas Child was started by Billy Graham. Shoe boxes are filled and are then sent around the world to children living in extreme poverty, orphanages and areas of war. Eileen Sagraves told us a little bit about what is collected and goes inside.

"We send toothbrushes and toothpaste and school supplies. They cannot go to school unless they have school supplies. Toys, usually stuffed animals is about one of the favorite things. So it’s just to encourage and also to get the word of god into them because we do supply bible lessons to them if they’re interested and that’s a big part of what we do."

Sagraves says when you send a box or help fill one, you have the option to put your name and address in, along with a photo of yourself. The children love to see who sent the package. Sagraves told us there are many instances where a child in an orphanage will become adopted through this. Sagraves explained the boxes are a form of showing love.

"We’re supplying them with things that let them know that somebody out there loves them and many times they realize this is all they have. Many of them are in orphanages and this is all they’ll have for years. So it’s something that they can call their own."

Operation Christmas Child has been going on for 24 years. 7.5 million shoe boxes were shipped last year alone. It is the largest Christmas project in the world.