Oxford High’s chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) recently packed and donated more than 100 boxes containing personal hygiene products, school supplies, and toys for children in need.

The project was for the benefit of Operation Christmas Child, a program of the nonprofit organization Samaritan’s Purse.

Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization which has provided spiritual and physical aid to people in-need around the world since 1970.

The students chose to make the organization’s efforts an Oxford NHS chapter project, one that the students would complete together.

Jacinta Hogan, NHS president and senior in Oxford Schools Early College program, said she first learned about the organization last summer, when she traveled to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, with a pastoral program called Mission Youth.

It was there that Hogan volunteered in hospitals and child care centers, bringing light to those who needed it.

“(Oxford’s NHS) chose to work with Operation Christmas Child because of the amazing impact this project has around the world. I suggested the project because I traveled to Haiti this past summer and witnessed firsthand the need, not only for these boxes, but for evangelization. We know that this organization does great things and we are proud to be a part of making a difference,” said Hogan.

Hogan hosted a packing party at her Oxford home Nov. 20, where she was joined by a team of over 20 NHS students.

The boxes were sent to local distribution centers last week, where they will be distributed by Operation Christmas Child to children in orphanages and other at-risk areas throughout over 100 countries.

Before the boxes arrive at their destination, volunteer teams will also train pastors and community leaders to share the message of the gospel. Through the training, leaders learn how to host child-friendly outreach events, and how to implement a 12-week discipleship program called The Greatest Journey.

Through Operation Christmas Child, the boxes will also be delivered with a story booklet developed by Samaritan’s Purse for shoebox recipients.

Hogan said she hopes the boxes will be enough to bring joy to an entire village and that the gifts will change the lives of children millions of miles away.

“For many of these children, this will be the first gift that they receive. The boxes are delivered alongside needed village resources and each child is also given a program that teaches them about Christianity, a new concept for most of these children. I hope that these boxes will bring joy to these suffering children and that they learn that someone cares for them– both our National Honor Society, as well as Jesus Christ,” said Hogan.