OAK HILL, WV (WOAY) – Operation Christmas Child uses the simple premise of a gift-filled shoebox for children in need to share the love of Jesus Christ.
It’s National Collection Week until Nov. 25th, so I stopped by Calvary Baptist Church (one of the collection sites) to find out how they’re ensuring the world’s children have a Merry Christmas.
“You can see when the children get the boxes open they are thrilled,” said Drop-Off Team Leader Jane Keith. “Most of them are from poor countries and may have never received a gift and don’t even know what Christmas is or what it stands for.”
According to Keith, to get involved check with any of your local churches that take part.
“If they don’t have a project leader, you can go online to Samaritan’s Purse and there’s all kinds of information you can learn and it will tell you all the drop-off locations,” she said.
Since 1993, children in more than 170 countries and territories have received 220 million shoebox gifts. Calvary Baptist Church has always been involved in this endeavor. Each shoebox includes a gospel opportunity.
“It explains the plan of salvation in their language. So along with the toys and the fun — that is followed up by a 12-step program in the local area,” said Keith. “These children, it’s almost like a bible school for them.”
In 2024 Operation Christmas Child hopes to reach another 12 million children worldwide with shoebox gifts.
“Last year most of our boxes went to Peru. They’ve gone to different sections of Africa. They take them in, they fly them. They put them on cargo ships,” the drop-off team leader said. “And to reach people in the mountains, they go on donkey back or canoe down a river. So a lot of the deliveries are dangerous.”
Keith calls doing this a blessing and calling. She raids all the sale and discount racks and collects throughout the year.
“I can’t go to other countries. I don’t speak another language. But every one of these boxes is a mission opportunity,” said the drop-off team leader. “And we have been told if one child gets that in their language, they share it with their whole family. So we’re affecting millions of people that way.”
