MORE than once we have mentioned in these pages the church members who generously fill shoe boxes each Christmas, as gifts for needy children in more than 100 countries overseas. The Christian charity Samaritan's Purse says that it has now reached a historic milestone, and delivered its 100-millionth gift-filled box since the scheme started in 1990.

To mark this achievement, they followed the journey of one particular shoebox, wrapped and packed by children at Christ Church Primary School, in Spitalfields, London.

It was prepared last September, when Franklin Graham, the president of Samaritan's Purse, visited the school, and talked to the pupils about the impact that the gifts had on children around the world. The children then presented him with a gift-filled shoebox, wrapped in Union-flag wrapping-paper.

Mr Graham promised to deliver it personally, and took it with him when he went to Ecuador, where he gave it to an eight-year old boy in an impoverished part of Quito (left). When the children in London heard how excited he had been to receive it, they were excited, too.

Their head teacher, Sarah Mears, said: "It was an excellent opportunity for them to understand that there are children who have a lot less than them, and that they can help make a difference in other people's lives."