On November 9, 2018, the Alliance Berean Church hosted an Operation Christmas Child packing party. Operation Christmas Child is a service project that allows children in third world countries that do not know God to have a Christmas present. With the help of the church and National Honors Society members, many boxes were made.

The boxes were made for boys and girls, age groups: two to four, five to nine, and ten to fourteen. Each box, no matter the age, had a notebook or coloring book, five pencils, a sharpener, erasers, crayons or colored pencils, glue stick, scissors, and a calculator. Along with school supplies, there was soap and wash clothes, tissues, toothbrushes, and a hair comb. Most boxes also had socks, a hat, and a stuffed animal.

While packing boxes for ages two to four, the options were endless. Stuffed animals, small toys, big bouncy balls, dolls, action figures and little books were all squeezed inside. You could also choose play-dough, shirts, hot wheel cars, and small coloring pads to put inside the boxes.

Inside the boxes for ages five to nine, you could select a deck of cards, yoyos, barbie dolls, action figures, cars, and puzzles. You could also pick paper airplanes, toy animals, stickers, bracelets, jump ropes and bouncy balls.

For the children ages ten to fourteen, the options were more mature. They had fishing line and tackle boxes, feminine product bags, sewing kits, and a deck of cars. You could also select a jax game set, notepads, gliders, markers, purses, nail files, and fuzzy socks.  

Operation Christmas Child is a wonderful opportunity to help children feel the joy of Christmas with one simple box while learning about a new faith. Filled to the brim with small trinkets and gadgets, the boxes seem to be a bottomless surprise.  Over the course of two and a half hours, a total of 429 boxes were made, which is the most boxes the Alliance Berean Church has ever sent. They hope to wish children who do not get a chance to celebrate Christmas, a very merry Christmas!