Operation Christmas Child Comes Full Circle

Beaten and Abandoned as a Child, Tanya Poteet is Determined to Help the Organization that Gave Her Hope Years Ago

"I was told no one loved me and no one ever will. When I received my shoe box gift from Operation Christmas Child, it was the first present I ever received...Now it's my turn to give shoe box gifts of love."          

-Tanya Poteet, former Russian orphan and shoe box recipient

 

Tanya Poteet spent her childhood in a Russian orphanage and never thought she would be a part of a real family.  After being adopted five years ago, she knows the little bit of hope she received as a child-in the form of a shoe box gift-is what inspired her to keep the faith and not give up on life.

Repeatedly beaten by her stepfather and abandoned by her alcoholic mother, then 8-year-old Tanya Poteet was left to take care of her 4-year-old sister and newborn baby brother.

"My mom handed me my newborn baby brother and said ‘he's yours to take care of now'," said Tanya. "I knew I had to grow up quick."

Scared and desperate, Tanya went to the Russian police for help.  Noticing the bruises covering her body, police took her from her pseudo home and placed her in an orphanage.  "It wasn't much better.  The teachers at the orphanage told me no one loved me and no one every will.  I knew it was better than the physical abuse, but the mental abuse was just as disheartening."

At the age of 10 and with just a first grade education, Tanya ran away from the orphanage.  Life on the streets brought a new set of problems.  Tanya began to drink with strangers and live with anyone who would take her in.  She was finally returned to the orphanage where the teachers punished her by shaving off her long blonde hair.

"I really thought I was all alone, that this was life and there just wasn't much to live for," said Tanya.  "Then one Christmas I received a shoe box full of candy, crayons, paper and other toys we cherished.  I was so excited.  It was the first present I had ever received. It was awesome to think that someone out there cared about me."

Tanya was adopted by a St. Louis family and recently graduated from high school.  This 18-year-old is determined to help Operation Christmas Child, the project that gave her so much hope many years ago.  She has dedicated her life to giving back to others.

"I know the importance of receiving something so small, but so meaningful-to think no one cares for you and then receive a box full of surprises from a stranger who does.  Now it is my privilege to send shoe box gifts and encourage others around me to do the same."

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As a Child in War-torn Bosnia, Lejla Allison's Life Was Changed Forever by an Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box-16 Years Later She's Sharing that Same Simple Gift of Hope with Other Kids in Need
 

"I was so overwhelmed I started to cry. But these were not the tears I was used to crying. This time they were tears of joy. This time I knew it was worthwhile to keep on living."       

-Lejla Allison

 

Lejla Allison's happy childhood was turned upside down when ethnic violence erupted in Bosnia in the 1990s. The once peaceful rolling green hills that surrounded her village of Dubrave were filled with gunfire and hidden landmines. Hunger, fear and misery consumed her life.

But Lejla and her family were not forgotten. She was among the first group of children to receive gift-filled shoe boxes when Operation Christmas Child was launched in 1993 in Bosnia. At the time, she was 11 years old. Lejla remembers how much hope the colorfully-wrapped shoe box gift with candy, pencils and sneakers gave her. 

"I truly felt blessed. I knew that God had answered my prayers," Lejla said. "I was so overwhelmed I started to cry. But these were not the tears I was used to crying. This time they were tears of joy. This time I knew it was worthwhile to keep on living." 

In 2000, Lejla married an American who was working with NATO on a peace-keeping mission as a civilian contractor. They were married in her village and lived there for 8 months before moving to the United States.

Lejla did not know Operation Christmas Child by name until her sister-in-law told her about a shoe box packing project for needy kids around the world several years ago. Lejla immediately made the connection. 

"I told my sister that I received one of those shoe box gifts when I was younger!" Lejla said. 

Because she knows first-hand what a blessing a shoe box gift can be to a hurting child, Lejla encourages anyone who wants to touch a life to consider packing a box. She plans to pack more than 50 shoe box gifts for needy children this year. 

"It is hard to put into words what that box meant to me. It really changed my life," said Lejla. "Now I pack some of those boxes. I pray that all of the boys and girls who receive shoe box gifts will know that they are loved." 

ABOUT OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD: A project of international relief organization Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child will hand-deliver more than 8 million shoe box gifts to hurting children in more than 90 countries this year. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child-the world's largest Christmas project-has distributed more than 61 million shoe box gifts to children in some 130 countries. 

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