“Wesley Worldwide Wishes” provides Christmas gifts for USM international students

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - The Wesley Foundation at the University of Southern Mississippi has started a new initiative to provide Christmas presents for international students who are staying in town for the holidays.

It’s called, “Wesley Worldwide Wishes.”

It works like the Salvation Army Angel Tree. You choose a name from a tree at the Wesley Foundation, buy a gift for the student and return it to the Wesley Foundation. They’ll see that the student receives the present.

Initially, the names of about three dozen students were on the tree. About half of those have already been selected.

“I’m so grateful and happy because my name has already been taken from the tree and I feel like I’m going to have a Christmas,” said Henry Lopez, a graduate student in piano from Colombia.

“I feel blessed to have my wish list, my Christmas wish list put up and hopefully get taken, and that’s just wonderful,” said Alexander Haastrup, a senior from Nigeria majoring in computer engineering.

Gifts for the students should be returned to the Wesley Foundation by Dec. 20.

You can also call 601-268-6889 or email usmwesley@gmail.com to get more information.

The program is also supported by the USM chapters of the Association of Office Professionals and Sigma Alpha Lambda.

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