Operation Christmas Child recipient speaks at local churches
Sep. 9—PLATTSBURGH — Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child comes full circle this weekend in the North Country.
Speaker Elena Nicholson will be visiting churches in Lake Placid, Schroon Lake, Westport, Brushton, Plattsburgh and Champlain.
'TRULY AMAZING'
"She was 8 years old when she and her sister were removed out of a poverty-stricken home in the former Soviet Union and they were moved into an orphanage," Casey Goodwin, a Samaritan's Purse media relations specialist, said.
"That is where she received her shoe box, which introduced her to Jesus and the Gospel. She later accepted him and was adopted by a loving family in the United States. It's truly an amazing story." (See Bio Box).
MAKE THE CONNECTION
Nicholson is visiting the North Country because of a request by Rita Alford, OCC's area team coordinator for the Northern Adirondacks.
"We have a lot of local volunteers, and they can request speakers to come and speak to their area," Goodwin said.
"It just really helps make that connection when you're packing boxes every single year. They have actually a goal of over 11,500 this year in the Northern Adirondack area.
"It's really to encourage them and show them that full circle story rather than 'Oh, we're packing them every year, and they get sent overseas to a country.'
"This is the final result, and it's really impactful and changes lives. It's not just a gift box. It's so, so much more."
Email: rcaudell@pressrepublican.com
Twitter@RobinCaudell
