All last week as well as part of the beginning of this week, the Bear Creek Community Church (BCCC) has been acting as a collection point for Operation Christmas Child (OCC).

The Woodinville church was one of five locations on the Eastside doing their part to help children from around the world.

Longtime Redmond resident Cathy Lundstedt — who currently lives in Seattle but still attends BCCC — is the collection center coordinator for BCCC and this was the ninth year she has been involved with OCC.

OCC is a ministry under Samaritan’s Purse, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding the world’s poor, sick and suffering.

“We are an effective means of reaching hurting people in countries around the world with food, medicine, and other assistance in the Name of Jesus Christ,” the organization’s website reads.

BCCC’s collection week for OCC was part of Samaritan’s Purse’s national collection week for the ministry, which took place from Nov. 16 through Monday. This year, the organization’s goal is to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach more than 11 million children.

Lundstedt said for OCC, they collect and pack gifts into shoe boxes, which will be sent to children worldwide. Those gifts include hygiene items, school supplies, small toys and stuffed animals as well as a gender-specific items. For boys, one of those items is a soccer ball with a pump and for girls, some of those times are sewing kits and dresses.

Lundstedt said she initially got involved with OCC when she was working with the children at her church. She thought it would make a good children’s project. But since nine years ago, OCC has become a project for everyone at BCCC.

“All ages get involved,” Lundstedt said.

Earlier this month, her church held an OCC packing party. She said they packed about 400 boxes and volunteers ranged from young kids to seniors.

Lundstedt said OCC gifts are distributed to 103 countries worldwide — typically distributed in the first quarter of the year. She said 90 percent of the gift boxes are distributed by locals in-country. However, in July, she got the opportunity to distribute some gifts herself.

“It was life changing,” Lundstedt said about the experience.

She traveled to Tanzania and got to see firsthand the children’s reactions when they received and opened their gifts. Lundstedt admitted that she got teary-eyed when she saw their expressions and then the kids playing with their new toys.

In addition, she spoke with a number of pastors at the local churches where the OCC gifts were distributed.

She said it was good to see the children realize someone in the world cares about them.