William Franklin Graham

(http://www.churchofthegoodsamaritan.ca/images/OCC.jpg)

As you watch the poor, innocent children open their shoebox eagerly, you notice and feel a new level of infinite appreciation and happiness from them. Their sweet smiles match your smile as well as their tears of joy. They hold their box filled with small gifts with such strength and force. For many of them, that was their first Christmas present, which is something that they will never forget. That shoebox gave them hope. Hope that one day things will be different and better. As much as I cared about the people that suffer and are poor, I didn’t do anything to help them. Ever since I joined the Interact Team, I have been able to do something for the poor children who can’t receive a Christmas present unless we do something about it.

Last year was the first time I heard about Operation Christmas Child. I entered high school with hope that there would be a club or group that helped out the community and people in need. I really care about helping the world and people who are suffering. Then, I heard about Interact. I decided to try it out and I believe that was the best decision I could have ever made. Our first assignment was Operation Christmas Child. We collected shoeboxes to put the gifts inside of small toys, school supplies, and toiletries. We ended up with a lot of everything we needed. Then, we had to fill up the shoeboxes and categorize them by age and gender. Every time I filled up a box I imagined that big smile of the child that was going to receive it. I truly enjoyed helping out for Operation Christmas Child. I believe that with those gifts the children have something to look forward to. They will view the world with different eyes; hopeful and thankful eyes. Helping children whose parents aren’t capable of buying them anything for Christmas is very emotional for me. I feel a wave of relief because I know that they are happy, at least for a moment. I also get sad because thinking about the conditions these poor people live in is so upsetting. I am very thankful for all that I have, but upset because not everybody can have this too.

(http://www.newbeacon.org.uk/images/operation-christmas-child.jpg)

People from all around the world are suffering, including children. Those children need our help. Unfortunately, we can’t give them a genie so they can wish for better living conditions, but we can give them hope. Most children from third-world countries don’t have all of the luxuries we have. They have old, torn-up, dirty clothes and some don’t even have clothes. They barely get anything to eat and they can die from starvation. Their health is really bad, since they can’t afford or get medical attention. They would give anything to live how we are living and to have what we have. Education, food, clothes, money, cars, a house, love and attention; we have all of that and more and most of the time we take it for granted. Their suffering is affecting everybody. There have been quite a lot of people who decided to stand up and help them. Operation Christmas Child isn’t the only organization that helps these poor children out. I believe more and more people are getting out of the selfish shells and becoming a better person because all of this suffering is touching people’s hearts.

Operation Christmas Child began in 1993 by a man named William Franklin Graham III. He was born July 14, 1952. His father, Billy Graham, was a well-known spiritual leader around the world. His maternal grandfather, Lemuel Nelson Bell, was also an important spiritual figure around the world. William committed his life to Jesus Christ at age 22. He was invited to go on a six-week mission trip to Africa. That trip made him change and he felt that he needed to help and work with the suffering people that were affected by war, disease, natural disasters, and famine. He is the president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, an organization founded by Bob Pierce in 1970, which, under William’s leadership, has met the needs of poor people in more than 100 countries. He started Operation Christmas Child to reach out to children in Bosnia and Croatia suffering from war and poverty, but then it expanded to other impoverished countries. Over the years, more and more people got involved. Millions of shoeboxes have been sent to all parts of the world and all those children received the spirit of Christmas. William has made a great impact around the world. His organization made children feel cared about and they know that someone somewhere is there to help them.

Sweet smile of a child (http://www.willowparkchurch.com/mediafiles/photo-operation-christmas-child.jpg)

William Franklin Graham III is an admiring person. He helped so many children around the world and I look up to him for that. His actions gave me motivation to do something more. I will donate all that I can to help out much more. I will tell my friends and family to help out too. For Operation Christmas Child, I will volunteer to stay after school and make posters, wrap boxes, or move the donations we receive to another classroom because anything counts. William taught me that there aren’t limits to how much you can help the world. If you can do something, do it, as long as it comes from the heart.