The sound of songs like “Mi Burrito Sabanero” played through festively on a recent Wednesday in Weston while dozens of volunteers moved from table to table, selecting toys, school supplies, handwritten letters and hygiene items to place inside bright green and red boxes.
Laughter and chatter filled the room, bouncing off the walls as children debated which toy might bring the biggest smile to a child they would never meet. Crayons, jump ropes and colorful socks were neatly stacked alongside bars of soap and toothbrushes, while volunteers carefully wrote notes of encouragement and decorated the tops of each box with stickers and drawings.
Every few minutes, someone would clap or cheer as another pile of completed boxes was added to the growing tower on the stage, a colorful testament to the community’s generosity and holiday spirit. The street behind the garage of their building looked like a holiday workshop.
“Operation Christmas Child” started in 1990 by Dave and Jill Cooke from the United Kingdom, but the small church, talked about in the article, teamed up with it about 8 years ago. They do it to pack hundreds of boxes with a blend of generosity, celebration and prayer, hoping to send the joy of Christmas to children around the world.
Kathy Patino is the leader of the operation. She is from Colombia, but moved to America for a better life. Her, Valentino and Samantha Patino, her kids, came to do as much work as they can to brighten the day of some kid in need.
“We are looking forward to hopefully creating a big moment for these kids,” Patino said, looking over as everyone packs the boxes.
For many, this day is one of the highlights of the season.
Valentina Patino, 25, is one of the volunteers. Her family is from Colombia, but she grew up in Pembroke Pines, and her family joined the church around 10 years ago. They wanted to find a close-knit church that felt like family.
They found Iglesia Vida, which happens to be a church that has a lot of people with backgrounds from all over Central America and South America. It made them feel more at home. The church has become like a big family to them and so many others. Valentina has been helping with the gift-giving program for around eight years.
“God’s love is for everyone,” she said, her hands full of stuffed animals ready for sorting. “We want every child who opens one to feel cared for, to feel seen. These boxes show them they are not forgotten.”
Families who attend Iglesia Vida say the event has become more than a charitable tradition. It’s a community celebration. There were about 20 people working there last month to help build these boxes to be sent out for the holidays.
They piled about 100 gifts inside their church that they were looking forward to sending out. The church asked for $10 contributions to buy the boxes to be in the program to build and send one.
Near an arts-and-crafts table filled with markers, paper and stickers to decorate the boxes, youth volunteer Jonathan Zamudio, 21, helped load stacks of notebooks into boxes destined for children ages 5 to 9. He paused for a moment, watching a group of kids pray over their work.
“We really want to see these kids happy and being able to celebrate Christmas to its fullest,” Zamudio said. “A simple gift can be life-changing. That’s why we’re here.”
The sense of purpose extended to the church’s helpers as well. Adrian Echeona, 25, said packing each box reminded him of the blessings he’s experienced in his own life.
“I want to be able to help others the way God has helped me,” Adrian said as he organized piles of toothbrushes and soap. “I feel like this is one of the best ways to do that.”
But the impact of Operation Christmas Child isn’t limited to the people giving the gifts.
One of the recipients of the gifts from Operation Christmas Child was Luchi Santelli, 17, daughter of Maria Santelli. They are from Guayaquil, Ecuador. Luchi was one of the lucky recipients from Operation Christmas Child that contacted back to the church to show her gratitude.
She received some hygiene items like hair brushes and even had a toy doll to practice her fashion sense on.
“I’ve always wanted to be a stylist and this felt like it’s given me my dream,” Luchi said. “It is a blessing from God.”
Her story touched many of the volunteers. The organizers said hearing directly from a recipient added a powerful reminder of why the work matters.
As the night continued, the energy there only grew. People who had planned to stay for an hour kept finding reasons to remain. Whether it was an extra set of hands needed in the toy section, a missing item that had to be replaced, or simply the joy of watching the community work together toward a shared mission.
By the end of the night, more than 100 boxes lined the inside of the sanctuary. Bright, cheerful symbols of the congregation’s hope and faith. Before loading them for shipment, the entire group formed a large circle. Hands linked, heads bowed, they prayed for the children who would receive the boxes and for their families, asking that the gifts reach exactly where they are needed most.
“These boxes may travel far beyond our city,” Patino said, watching as the final boxes were taped shut. “But the love behind them goes even farther.”
