The Times Advocate, 2008-01-09, Page 8Crossroads
8
Times -Advocate
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Operation Christmas Child takes SHDHS student to Argentina
By Nina Van Lieshout
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER — "I have a greater
appreciation for what we
actually do have here," says
17 -year-old South Huron
District High School (SHDHS)
Grade 11 student Raven
Gagne, after coming back
from an 11 -day missions trip
in Argentina last month.
Gagne travelled with 43
other Canadians and 67 peo-
ple in total with Operation
Christmas Child, supported by
Samaritan's Purse, flying
almost 9,000 kilometres to
Buenos Aires, Argentina,
hand -delivering shoeboxes
filled with gifts for the chil-
dren. The group consisted of
people aged 16-20 years old.
This was Gagne's first mis-
sions trip overseas, something
she wanted to experience
before graduating from high
school. "It just sounded like a
good idea," says Gagne,
adding she hoped the trip
would give her some insight
into which direction she
should take for her career.
While in Argentina, Gagne,
who is fluent in Spanish,
helped out in an eyeglass clin-
ic in the Buenos Aires area,
saying it was a good experi-
ence.
"I gained a lot of medical
knowledge," Gagne says,
adding it was exciting watch-
ing people get eyeglasses.
Gagne says a highlight of vol-
unteering at the clinic was one
67 -year-old man who received
eyeglasses.
Gagne says the gentleman,
who couldn't see very far, was
able to see his grandchildren
for the first time in 10 years
from a distance.
The youths separated into
groups of 12, covering six dif-
ferent distribution zones,
A special moment — During an I 1 -day missions trip to Argentina last month, 1 7 -year-old South
Huron District High School student Raven Gagne distributed shoeboxes filled with gifts to needy
children.Above Gagne gives her shoebox gift, which she created with SHDHS Grade I I student
Kathryn Forest, to Emilia from the church at La Ferrera. (photos/submitted)
including an orphanage,
church, a couple of schools,
and some poorer areas of
Argentina.
Although the shoeboxes sent
to Argentina were delayed,
Samaritan's Purse donated
about $7,000 to buy supplies
for the shoeboxes.
Close to 2,000 shoeboxes
were filled, with 200 boxes left
for the next group to put
Gift giving — Gagne distrib-
uted shoeboxes filled with gifts
to many other needy children.
Left, Gagne gave a shoebox gift
to a five-year-old boy in San
Martin, the poorest part of
Argentina. He opened the
toothpaste and began spread-
ing it on his teeth with his fin-
ger, not realizing there was also
a toothbrush in the shoebox.
Top right are students at a
school Gagne visited with her
group.They are holding their
shoebox gifts received by the
youth. Bottom right, Gagne
also assisted in an eyeglass clin-
ic near Buenos Aires,
Argentina. In the middle, a 67 -
year -old gentleman, who could
only see a small distance, gets
eyeglasses, being able to finally
see his grandchildren from far-
ther away. Gagne says
moments like these were
exciting and memorable for
her. Gagne travelled with 43
other Canadians, 67 people in
total. In 2007 Operation
Christmas Child distributed
738,079 from Canada.
together for more children.
The shoeboxes previously
filled, including some from the
Exeter area, were delayed due
to custom issues but will be
distributed while the next
Canadian group is in
Argentina.
Gagne says, "It was really
cool seeing their faces," when
the children received their
gifts.
Gagne says one boy, who
was about five or six from La
Ferrera, where the church is
located, wouldn't believe that
the shoebox was for him.
"He kept trying to hand it
back to me," says Gagne,
adding, "He kept saying, `It's
not for me.—
Another moment which has
stuck with Gagne is something
that happened on the last day
of her trip.
While Gagne was in San
Martin, a poorer part of
Argentina, two brothers about
four and five years old were
waiting in line for their shoe -
boxes.
When asked where their
parents were, the brothers
didn't know, explaining they
live with their older brothers
who are just eight and 12
years old.
Gagne says that was an eye-
opener for her, explaining that
Canadians have many more
opportunities. You can't flush
the toilet paper there, there is
too much sulfur in the water
to drink and the biggest differ-
ence of all, "They burn their
garbage there daily, some-
times in the middle of the
street. Their air smells. The
air is thick. It's not healthy."
But Gagne says one thing is
for certain in Argentina —
"Their family is very impor-
tant. It's really good to see."
In 2007 Operation Christmas
Child collected and distributed
738,079 shoeboxes from
Canada, 7 6 million in total to
over 95 countries.
For more information on
Samaritan's Purse Youth Trips
visit www. samaritanspurse.ca