Giving Back: Two Girls Return Gift Of Operation Christmas Child
RICHLAND -- A Richland family is packing shoe boxes to send oversees for operation Christmas child. But to two girls, it's their way to give back, because they received these gifts when they were in an orphanage, and it touched their lives.
Svetlana Schweiger was just 7 years old when she was sent to live in an orphanage in Ukraine along with her 4 year old sister, Valentina.
"I didn't really like it," Valentina Schweiger said.
Both girls agree it was a tough time in their life, but on Christmas the girls got a gift that lifted their spirits.
"I remember we all sat in this big circle and we had a Christmas tree in the middle and these people came around and gave us boxes and I opened mine up and I had a box of treasure," Svetlana Schweiger said.
Now her new home is in the Tri-Cities and Svetlana still has the bracelets that were in her box.
"Every single thing I picked up was so amazing to me that I had to look at one at a time," Svetlana said.
Svetlana and Valentina were adopted 8 years ago by the Schweigers and have been living in Richland ever since, but they haven't forgotten that gesture of kindness years ago.
They continue the tradition filling boxes for Operation Christmas Child every year.
It wasn't until last year that the girls remembered the gifts from Christmas past when they were on the receiving end of the non-profit.
Now, packing these boxes has taken on new meaning.
"I've been thinking about it a lot lately and I'm just like, wow! That was me a while ago, like 8 years ago. To see what God did in my life to bring me here, that's what I'm thinking might happen to the children there," Valentina said.
The Schweiger's fill 4 boxes, each for a specific child. Sometimes they put in clothes, school supplies, a tooth brush, or jewelry.
Instead of being a chore, these sisters look forward to it, because they know how something so small can have a huge impact even years later.
"It changes their lives and it's something new to them and they get really excited," Svetlana said.
"I was blessed and hope someone else is blessed by it," Valentina said.
There are nearly 200 groups, individuals and families that are involved in Operation Christmas Child locally.
Svetlana Schweiger was just 7 years old when she was sent to live in an orphanage in Ukraine along with her 4 year old sister, Valentina.
"I didn't really like it," Valentina Schweiger said.
Both girls agree it was a tough time in their life, but on Christmas the girls got a gift that lifted their spirits.
"I remember we all sat in this big circle and we had a Christmas tree in the middle and these people came around and gave us boxes and I opened mine up and I had a box of treasure," Svetlana Schweiger said.
Now her new home is in the Tri-Cities and Svetlana still has the bracelets that were in her box.
"Every single thing I picked up was so amazing to me that I had to look at one at a time," Svetlana said.
Svetlana and Valentina were adopted 8 years ago by the Schweigers and have been living in Richland ever since, but they haven't forgotten that gesture of kindness years ago.
They continue the tradition filling boxes for Operation Christmas Child every year.
It wasn't until last year that the girls remembered the gifts from Christmas past when they were on the receiving end of the non-profit.
Now, packing these boxes has taken on new meaning.
"I've been thinking about it a lot lately and I'm just like, wow! That was me a while ago, like 8 years ago. To see what God did in my life to bring me here, that's what I'm thinking might happen to the children there," Valentina said.
The Schweiger's fill 4 boxes, each for a specific child. Sometimes they put in clothes, school supplies, a tooth brush, or jewelry.
Instead of being a chore, these sisters look forward to it, because they know how something so small can have a huge impact even years later.
"It changes their lives and it's something new to them and they get really excited," Svetlana said.
"I was blessed and hope someone else is blessed by it," Valentina said.
There are nearly 200 groups, individuals and families that are involved in Operation Christmas Child locally.
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