Giving Back This Holiday Season with RIT's Cru

As a new member of the Cru (RIT’s Christian campus ministry), I was excited to participate in Operation Christmas Child, where students from University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology come together once a year to fill boxes with gifts and supplies for children around the world.

Some backstory on the origins on this program: seven years ago, a young Russian girl gave a testimony at U of R and described how they received a box from Operation Christmas Child through Samaritan's Purse, an organization that sends gift-filled operation Christmas child shoe size boxes to children in need around the world together with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Charles Les, the coordinator of Agape Fellowship (Christian campus ministry for U of R), Eastman School of Music, and RIT, was at first apprehensive but after hearing her speak, was both impressed and moved by her story. Les ultimately felt the need for the fellowship to take part in the operation. 

Since then, Les began to incorporate the Operation Christmas Child annually with Agape Fellowship and for the last five years has collaborated with Cru (RIT’s Christian campus ministry) in this project. In an interview with Les, his enthusiasm and passion for this project spoke louder than words. “It is so important we take a full Friday night to do this,” Les explained. “Because we truly believe kids will experience the love of Jesus through our giving.” Les is not the only one who shared this sentiment, members of both Agape and Cru felt the same. After weeks of promoting the annual event between Agape and Cru, the night finally came and members flooded into Ellies House hauling bags filled with supplies to fill their boxes.

Enthusiastically, they went to grab a Christmas themed shoebox from the pile stacked up high. Dividing off into groups, they decorated them with stickers, decorative tissue paper and filled them with gifts of all kinds, yoyos, stationary, card games, sports equipment, pencils, even things they could need like soap and toothbrushes.

Agape fellowship member Katherine Boaity expressed with a smile, “it’s a nice giving back to someone, I don’t know, knowing it will be a blessing to that person” as she continued packing her box with yoyos, and color pencils.

Newer members like Oliver Gnomes and Nathan Merlo, who have never experienced Christmas Child, packed three boxes filled to the brim. “Of all the things I could buy for Christmas this year, this will put the biggest smile on a person’s face,” explained Oliver.

Last year, Agape and Cru sent 74 boxes. This year the number has grown to 115 boxes sent to children around the world. Every year that number continues to grow as more members take part, as they continue packing boxes to see lives change. I highly recommend taking time to give back, especially since RIT has so many options for you to explore volunteer opportunities that make a difference.