On Nov. 16, Ablaze, a Christian-student organization on campus, will host their Christmas Packing Party from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. in the Don Taft University Center pit.
Ablaze is teaming up with international Christian relief and evangelism organization, Samaritan’s Purse, through their Operation Christmas Child program to donate gifts to children who have been victims of war, poverty, natural disaster or disease.
Noemi Bermudez, soph-omore biology major and president of Ablaze, said this week is national collection week, so all the boxes will be wrapped and distributed, and Samaritan’s Purse will deliver them to children in time for Christmas.
“We know how passionate that organization is. It serves Christ through tangible ways. It is great knowing the gift that you give is going to a child in need,” she said.
Lauren Peterson, sophomore biology major, said, “It is important to bring awareness. They are needy children, but we don’t always take the steps to do something that helps them. I think it’s important on a college campus with a lot of privileged people to do something small to help.”
The Christmas Packing Party is open to anyone and students can bring toys, toiletries, school supplies, candy or anything that would make children happy, said Bermudez. Last year, a student donated money to cover the $7 shipping cost for each of the 20 boxes wrapped.
“Students can just bring themselves since we’re going to be wrapping. We’re also writing notes to go in all the boxes. You don’t have to bring something if you can’t go out and buy something. You can always donate money,” she said.
The party will have four stations, and students can choose which part of the process they want to help with. Students have the option of putting the gifts in the boxes, wrapping the boxes or writing notes to the children and sticking labels on the boxes.
Peterson is excited about the location of the party since it will bring more awareness than any other location. She thinks it will be a good way to show people what Ablaze is all about.
“[In the UC pit], people will see us actively helping with Operation Christmas Child and want to participate and get involved,” Peterson said.
Bermudez said, “As a Christian, I think it is important to show God’s love in our world, especially on a college campus. Sometimes people think of us just as a group who gets together for bible studies, but as Christians we have Christ’s love in us, and we portray that to the world, and we are to be a light in the darkness.”
