Shoeboxes were a lovely surprise for all the children at New Hope School as they broke up for the Christmas holidays!
Pastor Michael, our Sierra Leone Director says, “You can’t imagine the celebrations when the children saw the surprise shoeboxes! Thank you Jesus!! Thank you to everyone at International Aid Trust UK for sending these beautiful gifts to our children! There were smiles and joy of gratitude to all those of our wonderful supporters who have blessed us even without knowing us!!”
The safe arrival in January of the shipping container full of aid – loaded at our Lancashire warehouse in November and sent out to the team in Sierra Leone – meant the arrival of over 1,500 more shoebox gifts.
A team from two of our supporting churches visited in February and were able to help with shoebox distribution. They were all moved by how much to boxes meant to those who received them. The children at Rogbaray were delighted with their shoebox gifts and shared sweets with friends. Shoebox gifts were given to all ages, Julie (our community ambassador), is pictured above, giving a shoebox to Susan, who is unable to walk. Lorna from the team is pictured left, with Headmistress Alice, giving a shoebox to a baby and her mum, at another outreach meeting at Gbanneh Lol village.
The young people at New Hope Academy were all keen to open their gift boxes and many were amazed at what they received! Haja, left was very pleased to share her enjoyment of everything in her shoebox and to say ‘thank you very much’ for her gifts.
Our New Hope Church, held a special Shoebox Sunday. Over two hundred children are part of the Sunday School and they all received shoebox gifts (right and below). You can see how much joy the gifts brought, as many of the children began playing with the toys straight away! Thank you very much to everyone who supports our Shoebox Appeal!
