YISS Shares Love and Joy with Over 350 Children This Christmas
The morning of December 6 was an especially chilly one, but inside YISS, there was a warm, festive, and fuzzy feeling! In a heartwarming demonstration of Christ’s love and generosity, the essence of the season, the YISS lobby transformed into a sea of green and red as students, teachers, and staff returned boxes filled with special gifts for children in need. The community’s generosity was celebrated as they were treated to live, upbeat Christmas music from the Tri-M Music Honor Society, which helped celebrate the conclusion of a month-long campaign in support of Operation Christmas Child.
Operation Christmas Child has existed for over two decades as a global initiative to bring hope and joy to children across the globe. It is a practical and meaningful way of blessing children who would otherwise never experience the joy of opening a present, a new toy, a new pair of shoes, new clothes, or school supplies. Each box that was sent was filled with hope, love, and joy. Many included a special touch, such as a handwritten card, photos, or an encouraging letter.
Once again, in its fourth year of supporting the OCC, the enthusiasm and generosity of the YISS community exceeded expectations, as a total of 350 boxes were collected this year to be sent to Ukraine, the Philippines, and Mongolia.
YISS’ participation in the OCC also allowed students to express their support in various ways. Student groups like the MS Community Service Club and the HS Ossembly students helped assemble boxes. In addition, the YISS National Honor Society (NHS) donated 280,000 won to help cover shipping costs, while the entire 8th grade class spent the day at the box processing center on December 13.
Before the boxes were taken to the processing center, staff and faculty gathered to pray for the recipient of each box. In many ways, this campaign demonstrated what YISS hopes all its students will be: compassionate and servant-hearted leaders.
What a joy and privilege it was to play a part in the mission of Operation Christmas Child, demonstrating God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world this Christmas season! We are deeply grateful to all those in our community who wish to bless others. Let’s pray that our gifts will make Christmas more special for the children who will receive them.