As Christmas approaches, kids all across the country are looking forward to presents under the tree. Unfortunately for countless children around the world living in poverty and war torn nations, or trying to recover from natural disasters, Christmas seems a world away. But as reporter Rick Carhart shows us in tonight's Kids In Action, a local Boy Scout troop and a church in Chico have teamed up to make sure that millions of these kids have something to celebrate this season.
nats packing
There's a packing party going on at the Calvary Chapel Church in Chico, and the boys of Scout Troop 412 are hard at work.
Operation Christmas Child Area Director Chad Ratzlaff says, "we really try to get kids involved because this is a kids helping kids ministry, homeschool kids help with the collection center, and if kids stop by we have them help pack shipping boxes."
This is Operation Christmas Child. Since 1993 millions of small boxes full of goodies have been sent around the world, spreading Christmas cheer. This year, the program has a goal of distributing 8 1/2 million of them, and it all starts with a simple shoebox, filled with simple things:
Senior Patrol Leader Luke Tarter says, "toy cars, candies, toothbrush, stuffed animal, anything that will make them happy."
Clip 1 Chad says, "packing it up, putting a letter in there saying who you are and that God loves them and send it on its way."
As the shoeboxes come into the collection center, they must be packed and prepared for distribution.
Clip 7 Luke says, "we split up into patrols and I had one patrol inside pushing shoeboxes to the back, the other two patrols were putting shoeboxes into the truck"
The chance for these scouts to help others unselfishly was a growing experience for each of them.
Clip 6 Luke says, "each shoebox represents a kid that will probably come to know the Lord."
Clip 4 Chad says, "they did fantastic, some little guys lifting some very heavy boxes, so they did good."
nats
And they showed off the real reason for the season. In Chico, I'm Rick Carhart for Action News.
