Operation Christmas Child packing party turns empty shoeboxes into treasured gifts
Published 9:42 am Saturday, July 22, 2017
Special to The Leader
More than 50 empty shoeboxes were packed full of fun toys, school supplies, and hygiene items on Thursday as part of First Baptist Church’s gift-packing party aimed to bless children in need around the world.
The gifts are sent by Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine.
“This event is a great opportunity to come together as a community and give back in such a simple and powerful way,” Brenda Allen said. “Every shoebox gift, often the first gift a child ever receives, is not just about the items placed inside, but about demonstrating the truth of God’s love.”
The party, held at First Baptist Church Orange was open to the public as First Baptist Church wanted everyone to experience the joy of giving.
The boxes generated at the party will contribute to the expected 16,501 shoebox gifts collected The Golden Triangle this year.
For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child or to view gift suggestions, email the regional office at occtxla@samaritan.org or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. Participants can donate $9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world and, together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 146 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.
