Shoebox Recipient

I met Janice last summer. Janice and her family were students in a Red Card class I was team teaching. Janice had lived in an orphanage called Children Shelter of Cebu (CSC) in the Philippines. After living there for four years, she was adopted by an American family right before she turned 16. This is her story of the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes that made their way to CSC.

“One Saturday, right about lunch, huge boxes came to our orphanage, but we didn’t know what was in them. Then our house parents told us that after we ate lunch we had to take a nap and after napping, the gifts would be given to us. When we heard the word “gifts” we were all so excited that we forgot the keyword “nap.” So, instead of taking a nap, I was staring down at the gifts from the railing upstairs most of the time. I could not believe it … gifts?! After the nap hours, we were told to come down. Everybody was racing down the stairs, excited to receive their presents. I mean, who would want to wait that long?

When I was given mine, I was so surprise and grateful! I mean candy canes?!! It was the very first time I’d seen a candy cane and I had no idea its flavor is mint. I love minty flavors and candy canes were just the right candy for me. I got more things I really wanted. It was the very first big gift I have received. The box was overflowing with cool stuff, and it was very overwhelming. I couldn’t stop smiling, I was just so happy and surprised.”

Check out, Operation Christmas Child, the current Take a Stand Opportunity.