Australia’s best-known musical theatre star, Marina Prior, has shared her Christmas wish from Cambodia with Sydney Anglican school students.
The special event in St Andrew's Cathedral on Wednesday afternoon was a ‘full house’, and saw students from St Andrew's Cathedral School and SCEGGS Redlands join Marina in packing a Christmas shoe box with gifts for needy children in the Asia-Pacific.
Graeme Kightley, Deputy Head of School at St Andrews Cathedral School, said the aim was for children to fill with soft toys, games, and other gifts.
"Operation Christmas Child has a list of appropriate presents," he says.
"Kids organise it, their parents will buy something each week, and then students bring the boxes in in early September. Some families pack eight boxes."
As an Ambassador for Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse in Australia, Marina has experienced firsthand the joy of packing and distributing the gifts.
She returned from Cambodia in April this year where she helped to personally distribute Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes to children.
Many of these children had never before received a gift of any kind.
Mr Kightley first heard about Operation Christmas Child when it was advertised at his church.
He hopes more Anglican schools will be involved in the Cathedral event in future years.
In its fifth year, a girls vocal ensemble and a boys choir performed for the occasion.
