For millions of orphaned children in Africa, blankets do more than warm their bodies—they give them hope, reminding them that someone in the world cares for them.
What makes Operation Kid-to-Kid’s “God Loves Me” program even more special is that both the donors and recipients of the blankets are children. “Children learn best by doing, and so this gives them a tangible way to express their love and God’s love to other children,” says spokeswoman Shannon Velasquez.
Group Publishing’s Operation Kid-to-Kid commenced 12 years ago and has since grown to help millions of children throughout the world through service projects. This year the organization teamed with World Vision to distribute blankets to children in Africa. Children in the U.S. made the no-sew blankets and in the process also prayed for the children receiving the items.
“It really touches our children here,” Velasquez says. While many of the children in America can’t relate to everything orphans in Africa must endure, they still know what it’s like to be lonely, scared and cold, she says. “They have an opportunity to really make a difference,” Velasquez says. “It really sticks with them.”
