蜜柚直播

Not this year, and not last year.

Instead, she turned her November birthday party into a packing party, stuffing shoeboxes with goodies for children around the world. Last year, she collected more than 100 boxes. This year, the total tally came in just over 200.

鈥淚 was thinking, well, I have a bunch of stuff, and I know there are a lot of needy kids, so I really, really wanted to give some of that away,鈥� Ella says. 鈥淪o I sorted through my room, what I want and what I want for OCC.鈥�

OCC stands for Operation Christmas Child 鈥� a cause the second-grader has made her own. And she hasn鈥檛 had her fill yet. Next year, she aims to collect 300 boxes.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of the Christian nonprofit Samaritan鈥檚 Purse. Each year, the organization collects shoeboxes full of hygiene items, school supplies, toys and candy for children around the world.

The project is also one of Christian evangelism.

鈥淓very child who receives the shoebox hears the gospel of Jesus Christ after they receive the shoebox,鈥� says Mary Jane Smith, an OCC coordinator for the 蜜柚直播 area. As of Dec. 21, the 蜜柚直播 area had donated about 14,800 shoeboxes.

For Ella, it all started in the summer of 2014 at a fine-arts camp, where in addition to preparing for a performance, the kids packed shoeboxes.

鈥淚 was like, 鈥極h, I really want to do this,鈥� and just God spoke to my heart and I wanted to do it,鈥� Ella says.

Her Nov. 19 birthday falls in the midst of the OCC collection period, says her father, Bill Lipham. Both he and mom Judy Lipham encouraged their daughter but didn鈥檛 push.

鈥淚鈥檓 at least enough of a veteran mother to know that if she is excited about something, wait 20 minutes and it might pass,鈥� Judy says. 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to discourage it, but I was like, 鈥榃e鈥檒l see if she鈥檚 really this excited closer to her birthday when she could be getting presents.鈥欌��

She was. This was no whim. Ella wanted to go big. They wouldn鈥檛 pack 50 shoeboxes; They would pack 100.

At her seventh birthday party, volunteers packed 75 boxes at the family鈥檚 church, Emmanuel Baptist Church. Online donations through the Operation Christmas Child website pushed them past the 100-box marker.

Again, Judy put no pressure on her only child.

鈥淎fter the party last year I said, 鈥業鈥檓 not going to force you to do it again,鈥欌�� she says. 鈥溾�業f you want to, we can do it. If not, we can talk about Pump It Up or something. But she鈥檚 driving this train.鈥�

Ella鈥檚 determined compassion comes despite struggles of her own.

As a 3-year-old, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes after her body began to shut down before preschool one day. Now, she deals with blood tests about 10 times a day and insulin pump changes every three days. She also helps her mother when Judy鈥檚 rheumatoid arthritis flairs up. Ella is a miracle. Judy thought the disease would prevent her from having children.

Still, her daughter struggles with her own health issues.

鈥淚鈥檓 used to it, but I wish I didn鈥檛 have diabetes,鈥� Ella says. 鈥淚t stinks.鈥�

Some days, she can forget she has it. Rarely does she let it define her.

鈥淭his is not what her life is about,鈥� Judy says. 鈥淪he has something else to focus on.鈥�

And that鈥檚 helping others.

More than 100 people showed up this year to pack boxes at Ella鈥檚 school, Desert Christian Schools. Some brought their own supplies, boxes and $7 to cover shipping. Others just came to pack supplies donated by the Liphams and Smiths, who connected with Ella after giving an OCC presentation at her school.

鈥淓lla, she is such a sweet, sweet little gal, and her mother and father are too,鈥� Mary Jane says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just so wonderful to see a little heart so giving for children, and that鈥檚 contagious, because so many of her friends are doing it.鈥�

At this year鈥檚 party, three straight hours of packing produced 176 shoeboxes, and monetary and online donations bumped the total over 200. Ella also sent out a letter asking for financial donations to help cover the $1,400 needed for 200 shoeboxes.

To meet 2016鈥檚 goal of 300 shoeboxes, packing and shopping will have to begin long before Ella鈥檚 November birthday party.

But for Ella, it鈥檚 worth it.

鈥淎 simple notebook and a pencil can mean the difference between an education or not, and we take that for granted,鈥� says Judy. 鈥淓lla and I were just talking earlier that this is something somebody her age can do. It鈥檚 not that tough. But it鈥檚 like she has figured out this is her little corner of the world she can make better.鈥�

Besides, having tons of presents is overrated.

鈥淲ell, if I got lots of presents, then my room would probably be cluttered with presents,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd I believe there鈥檚 a Bible verse that says it鈥檚 better to give than to receive.鈥�

Someday she hopes to meet the kids who receive her gifts. She says she feels excited and joyful when she watches videos of kids around the world receiving shoeboxes.

鈥淚 wish I was there to have fun with them,鈥� she says. 鈥淭o play tag or maybe tickle them.鈥�