HGC helps in Samaritan’s Purse
Posted by: Anita Kehler
Church: Hague Gospel Church
Date: December 4th, 2010
Many times we had seen the Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes piling up at different churches ready to be sent to Calgary. What a wonderful idea. Exciting to see grandparents, couples, or young families packing a shoe box that would land in the hands of a boy or girl in a far away country. Possibly to a boy or girl who has never, ever, received a gift before. I had often wondered what process these shoe boxes would go through in Calgary before they would be shipped out of country.
When the Hague Gospel Church invited Allen and myself to be part of the team going to volunteer at the Operation Christmas Child shoe box processing center in Calgary, Alberta, we jumped at the chance.
Samaritan’s Purse Canada is the Canadian arm of a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization that has been providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world since 1970. They partner with their supporters in Canada and with local organizations (usually churches) abroad to provide compassionate and cost-effective assistance to anyone who needs it, regardless of religion, race, gender or socio-economic standing.
The work of Samaritan’s Purse is helping to meet the needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine. Samaritan’s Purse – Canada is working in more than 60 countries worldwide, impacting lives as they go to the aid of the impoverished, the sick, and the suffering.
The team of 14 from the Hague Gospel Church left on Thursday, November 25th, and got to Calgary well in time for our evening shift. On Friday we worked the morning and afternoon shift, and then on Saturday we worked the morning shift and then made our 6 ½ hour trip back to Hague.
It was a wonderful experience of getting to know each other on the HGC Team, as well as meeting many other groups from different denominations and places. There was much joy in the warehouse as the volunteers worked together for one common good. There was a sense of emotion as we processed the packed boxes to make sure everything was ready to be taped up and sent out, especially when we considered that in a little while these boxes would be in the hands of some needy child. I kissed some of the cuddly stuffies and dolls that would soon be placed into the outreached arms of little children who deserve much love and security.
We thank the Lord and the people of Hague Gospel Church for the opportunity of being on the team to go to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association – Samaritan’s Purse.
Please check Region 1 – face book for HGC helps in Samaritan’s Purse.