Chaplain thinks outside the box

Baldivis resident Deb Cunningham will continue to spread the Christmas spirit in February next year as she ventures to Vietnam to distribute gift boxes to disadvantaged children.

The Rockingham Beach Primary School YouthCARE chaplain said the adventure was part of Operation Christmas Child run by Samaritan’s Purse Australia and New Zealand.

Mrs Cunningham will fly into Hanoi in February and travel with a group of 15 into the highlands to Sapa.

“We have been told we will visit schools in the highlands,” she said.

“The 10-day trip includes having to walk more than 4km a day in all sorts of terrain, unassisted, so it will be a challenge.”

Mrs Cunningham said the school had taken part in the project for the past three years, filling boxes with toys, school items, clothing and personal hygiene needs.

“This year I got an email from Samaritan’s Purse asking for people to apply to go on the Discovery Journey,” she said.

“There is an application process where you have to go through and get references and I did that – I heard five weeks ago that I was successful.”