‘We Want to Bring Them Joy’: Archbishop Golka Joins Longmont Catholics in Packing Christmas Gifts
Through a partnership with Cross Catholic Outreach, the local ministry provides Christmas gifts to children in Peru, Guatemala and Malawi.
By Mary Curtis
This year, thousands of children in developing countries will receive a potentially life-changing Christmas gift: a shoebox, wrapped in festive paper, filled with school supplies, hygiene products, clothing and toys.
Last week, Catholics in Longmont spent four days packing presents for Box of Joy, a ministry of Cross Catholic Outreach that delivers gift boxes to impoverished children around the world, many of whom may have never received a Christmas gift before.
Ten years ago, Jeanne Kuhn brought this work to Longmont for the first time, and packed a total of three boxes — one box alongside each of her three daughters. This year, Kuhn and her team packed 2,742.
“It started out with just our family, and then it went to the homeschool community, and then it went parish-wide, and then it went even bigger,” Kuhn said.
Since her first year participating in Box of Joy, Kuhn has led a growing team of volunteers each holiday season for the past decade. Once the operation outgrew the parish hall at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Longmont, they started using Longmont’s Moose Lodge to sort and pack the thousands of presents that will reach impoverished children in Peru, Guatemala and Malawi.
While Box of Joy brings material aid to the poorest of the poor, the supplies and toys certainly aren’t the only focus.
“A closer relationship with Jesus is the goal,” Kuhn emphasized.
Each box includes a rosary and a pamphlet entitled The Story of Jesus, which shares Christ’s love through the Gospel message. As volunteers at the Moose Lodge streamed through the assembly line picking items, they were encouraged to pray specifically for the recipient of each gift. Just before taping the boxes shut, a colorful whiteboard offered an earnest reminder: “STOP and pray for your child.”
On Saturday morning, Denver Archbishop James Golka joined in packing boxes and praying for the recipients and their families. As a board director for Cross Catholic Outreach, Archbishop Golka strongly believes in the organization and has seen firsthand the effects of its generosity during a visit to the ministry’s partners in Guatemala.
As he blessed the room of volunteers, he prayed, “Heavenly Father, thank you for stirring up in us generosity to be charitable to others, to care for others, to notice others … May it be love that you put into the world to care for those who need it most.”
The archbishop then joined the assembly line alongside local parishioners, some of whom have come back year after year to serve.
Several children joined in the effort as well, taking particular delight in choosing just the right toy or book for their box.
Rebecca Descalzo, a volunteer and year-round team member, reflected on how the service opportunity has blessed her own children with a new perspective on their Christmas gifts.
“I love that my kids … see the difference between what a kid like this might get for Christmas and when they think about all the things they get for Christmas,” she said. “I think it's good for them to think about how plentiful we have it here and how little means so much to these kids.”
Through the gift of their time and treasure, volunteers of all ages find their own faith is strengthened.
“I've seen little miracles,” longtime Box of Joy volunteer Nicole Mushrush told the Denver Catholic. “Not the kinds of things that you can go to the Vatican with, but little miracles of everything coming together when we thought we weren't going to have enough supplies or enough volunteers, and it's been such a help to my faith when I'm in a dark place to remember I've seen God at work, and through the wonderful people that come and participate all year or just during this time. It's really special.”
Kuhn dreams of helping others throughout the Archdiocese of Denver to start their own Box of Joy packing events at their local parishes and schools.
“God has blessed us so much. I see this just as one small way of giving back to those that are less fortunate,” she said. “We want to bring them joy.”
Longmont’s Box of Joy relies on donations to purchase supplies and cover shipping costs. To make a gift to this ministry or to see the list of needed items, please visit their website.
