Local churches prepare to kick off Operation Christmas Child
Nov. 12—The week of Nov. 14-18 is the designated annual collection kickoff for Operation Christmas Child, and the nationwide movement is poised to deliver its 11 millionth package this year.
That excites local volunteers, some of whom have been working for over a decade to bring the simple, gift-filled shoeboxes to kids in impoverished countries.
During Operation Christmas Child, Americans are asked to pack a shoebox with small gifts from hygiene items to clothing, school supplies and toys.
Many churches in the Golden Isles participate in Operation Christmas Child, but a few are designated drop-off locations, including Lord of Life Lutheran Church on St. Simons Island, CenterPoint Church in Brunswick and First Baptist Church in St. Marys, said Mary Ellen Long, a volunteer at the Lord of Life Lutheran drop-off location.
"Those of us who organize things at our church, some of us have been working on it all year. I personally start in August," Long said.
Long has been involved in Operation Christmas Child for a while. She couldn't say exactly how many years, but the program was started in 1993 by the Samaritan's Purse charity and she recalls when the distribution network was a lot smaller.
She's gotten to see nearly all aspects of the operation, from collecting shoeboxes on American soil to sorting and processing them at one of the primary facilities operated by Samaritan's Purse and handing out the boxes to children in underprivileged countries.
"A lot of people have asked 'What's the big deal getting a shoebox filled with toys, toiletries, shoes, art supplies, dolls and other stuff?'" Long said. "What's the big deal about getting a shoebox? Sometimes it's the only gift they ever get. It's a big deal for them."
Operation Christmas Child volunteers sort boxes by age group — 2-4, 5-9 and 10-14 — and gender. A label, sticky note or writing something on the box to indicate this is helpful, said Long.
There are a few things to avoid, says Melinda Nall, a drop-off collection volunteer at Altamaha Baptist Church in Wayne County. No liquids or toothpaste, no profane or offensive clothing and no toys or clothing depicting weapons or warfare.
"No military stuff, no monsters or anything like that," Nall said. "Some of these countries, you have to be particular about what goes into a box."
School items are especially appreciated, Nall said, because children in the 100-plus countries Samaritan's Purse delivers to likely will not get school supplies from any other source.
Long said she also likes to include a "wow" item, like a soccer ball or nice shoes, but something as simple as a pair of socks can make a huge difference. Nall recounted when she heard from one child who got a box with socks. He didn't use them on his feet, but as potholders, becoming the designated person in his family to retrieve dishes from the stove.
"Put in the box what you think you should put in that box, and pray to the Lord that he will put the box in the hands of a child who needs it, that's all you need to know," Nall said. "It just blows their minds, because somebody loves them enough to send them a gift across the sea."
All boxes also include a booklet laying out a 12-lesson discipleship program called "The Greatest Journey," Long said, teaching the gospel and how to spread it. After completing the lessons, kids can go through a graduation ceremony and receive an illustrated New Testament Bible. Since 2009, over 30 million kids have graduated from the lessons, she said.
For more information, visit samaritanspurse.com or call 1-800-528-1980. Long said anyone with questions about local drop-off points can call Lord of Life Lutheran's office at 912-638-4673. The church will also provide boxes and labels free of charge, but any shoebox will do.
Anyone who wants to donate money to cause can do so via the Samaritan's Purse website in the Operation Christmas Child section. Donations go toward processing, shipping and delivering boxes, Long said.
