Whether the focus is on the local community or communities in need outside of South Carolina, service learning at Cross extends to many organizations that require student assistance with their programs. One example is Operation Christmas Child (OCC), a project managed under the Samaritans Purse organization. This project collects boxes full of supplies and treats from schools and churches for more than 198-million children in over 170 countries around the world. Cross students and families undertake the job of filling the shoeboxes, and in 2025 987 shoeboxes were filled. Cross Schools participates in this program three ways: distributing boxes for all the students, acting as a drop off site for boxes and finally organizing an eighth grade field trip to the packaging center in Charlotte, NC. At the center middle schoolers take an active role in packaging, sorting and transporting of the boxes.
In Action In Lima, Peru.
Last year, Ms. Stacie Greene and upper school student Logan Greene, her son, participated in a life-changing trip to Peru with Operation Christmas Child (OCC) —an experience that reshaped the way they see giving, faith, and the power of simple connection.
For Ms. Greene, the trip brought new meaning to something she had already been part of for years. “Each year when I pack an OCC box,” she explained, “I’m reminded of the eternal gift it becomes for a child.” Being in Peru, seeing how far a simple shoebox travels through prayer, teamwork, and love, reminded her that giving is truly a blessing. Logan expresses that seeing life in Lima which is so different from their home in Bluffton, opened his eyes. “You could see the love of God in every corner,” he said. “It really showed me how just one box can change someone’s life.”
Ms. Greene talks about how the trip changed her own story. She came home with a new awareness that God works in every moment of her day, big or small. She now sees that stepping into daily interactions with kindness and purpose is how real transformation begins. One of the most meaningful parts of the trip for her was watching a very specific prayer be answered. Before leaving, she had prayed that Logan would step outside his comfort zone and fully embrace the experience. What she saw in Peru went beyond what she hoped for. Children ran to Logan, hugging him, smiling at him, and wanting to be near him. He accepted every moment with joy. “There is no greater joy than watching your son’s love for his Savior shine through,” Ms. Greene stated.
Logan felt his own prayers answered too. He had asked to see God working in a real, powerful way, and seeing the impact of OCC firsthand helped him understand the bigger picture of faith, while also drawing him closer to God through teachings and moments he says he’ll never forget. One of Logan’s favorite memories came from the connections he made with children who didn’t speak the same language he did. At first, he didn’t know how they would communicate. But quickly, he realized language didn’t matter as much as kindness, patience, and joy. “It taught me that even if we can’t speak to each other in the same language, kindness and hospitality can create a far more special connection, and when God is in the mix, it’s even more meaningful.”
Both of them came home with a new perspective. Ms. Greene said the trip reminded her that God never wastes anything, not a moment, not a challenge, not a small act of love. Every shoebox has an impact that stretches across families and even generations. Logan saw that God works in unexpected opportunities and is always present, even half a world away.
Their trip to Peru was more than a mission, it became a story of answered prayers, unexpected moments, and the lasting impact of giving. They both carry with them a reminder that every action, every box, and every connection matters. God really does use it all.
