A few years ago, I met Iliana. Full of vivaciousness and charm, we spoke about life, dreams, and making the impossible, well, possible. One day after church, Iliana excitedly told me she procured a new job at Operation Christmas Child. We squealed like school girls. We might have even jumped up and down because this? This was nothing short of amazing.

OCC is a non-profit organization I've participated with for the past few years during the holiday season. The premise is if you fill a shoe box of goodies and toys, OCC will ship the gift to a child around the world who normally wouldn't receive a Christmas gift. I've always had a blast filling a shoebox with hair clips, a doll, shampoo, a mirror, lipgloss and anything else I could cram in the box, and paying for the box to be shipped to a little girl who'd love to open a gift the same way my little sister might.

Things have been incredibly busy this year, so when I recently chatted with Iliana, she told me I could sponsor an Operation Christmas Child box online, choose the items I want it in, and it'll be packed for me…all with a simple click of a mouse.

I've put together a box online and it makes me proud to support a friend who's following her dreams, as well as provide a gift for a little girl I love without even knowing.