By Jacqui Graham
Special to the Record
In the early morning the long wooden boats motored gently across Nokoue Lake, past dozens of small boats with colourful sails, toward the water dwellings of Ganvie, a fishing village built on stilts.
Secured in the wooden craft were hundreds of small red and green shoeboxes.
From half a mile out, boisterous music could be heard along with the sound of children鈥檚 voices. Soon a small musical fleet came into view with children and teachers dancing and singing on the deck of connected boats.
News of the event had travelled through the area via word of mouth, and scores of families had come. The children waited eagerly as the boats were unloaded. The local pastor spoke to the crowd.
Each child was given a shoebox. Then鈥�.鈥淭hree鈥� two鈥� one鈥� Open!鈥�
Shouts of amazement and delight erupted as the children explored the contents of their shoeboxes - for many, the first gift they had ever received - and felt the love of the faraway Canadians who had cared enough to send them.
This beautiful, remote location in the southern part of Benin, Africa is one of hundreds of communities reached by Operation Christmas Child teams. When you pack shoebox gifts, Operation Christmas Child delivers them throughout the
year to children living with poverty, war, and disaster. Canadian shoeboxes travel to the Phillippines, Ukraine, and countries in South America and Africa. Each box is a powerful expression of hope, joy, and love.
OCC shoeboxes may be picked up at retail locations throughout the Comox Valley - including Quality Foods in Courtenay and Comox, John鈥檚 the Independent Grocer in Comox, and Your Dollar Store With More in Courtenay - and many churches.
Average-sized cardboard shoeboxes and plastic containers may also be used. Packed shoeboxes will be accepted at the OCC Collection Centre at Comox Pentecostal Church Nov. 17 and 19 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. and Nov. 18 from 3-7 p.m.
To learn more about how to pack a box, or to pack a box online, go to . Visit the Operation Christmas Child Comox Valley Facebook group for updates, inspiring stories and videos, and to exchange shoebox ideas.
