It’s shoebox ministry time. Churches across the state have been collecting the traditional wrapped shoeboxes filled with goodies for a boy or a girl — life-changing gifts for Operation Christmas Child.
Since its inception in 1993, Operation Christmas Child, a project of Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse organization, has delivered 54 million shoeboxes to more than 120 nations.
According to Jamie Hardenbrook, Southeast regional field manager for the organization, the region, which includes Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, collected 467,000 shoeboxes last year.
“The Lord used shoebox gifts from Alabama to equip local pastors to reach 134,500 children with the gospel all over the world last year,” she said.
Throughout November, Alabama Baptist churches and associations have worked to both provide and process shoeboxes.
Seven Hills Baptist Church, Mobile, in Mobile Baptist Association served as a collection center for its congregation, as well as churches in west Mobile County and Wade, Lucedale and Pascagoula, Miss. “All of our church members [were] challenged to participate,” Pastor Mike Staton said, noting that the Girls in Action and Royal Ambassadors packed the shoeboxes in transport boxes and loaded them on U-Haul trucks to be sent to Atlanta. Staton said his church collected more than 1,400 shoeboxes this year.
Cherokee Baptist Association had a similarly successful drive, serving as a drop-off location for its churches, Lookout Mountain Baptist Association churches and churches of other denominations.
Wendell Dutton, director of missions (DOM) for Cherokee Association, said 1,528 boxes were collected. In addition, volunteers are working at the processing center in Atlanta. The volunteers sort the boxes, inspect them for inappropriate items, tape them up and stack cartons for shipping.
Dutton said Operation Christmas Child is “a great ministry” and a unique opportunity for Baptists to feel connected with missions in a tangible way.
Tom Stacey, DOM for Selma Baptist Association, agreed that it’s the ministry’s hands-on approach that resonates with people. “It’s a great hands-on missions opportunity as a complement to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering,” he said, noting the association’s goal was to collect more than 3,000 shoeboxes from area churches, schools and clubs.
Lakewood Baptist Church, Phenix City, has served as a collection center for several years and has seen as many as 1,350 shoeboxes come from local churches, schools, civic groups and individuals.
Music Ministry Assistant Linda Keown heads up the Operation Christmas Child ministry at the church. She said this year, the Russell Baptist Association church also collected shoeboxes from Auburn; Eufaula; LaGrange, Ga.; and Columbus, Ga., and then delivered them to Atlanta.
Giving joy, hope
“We were told to expect in excess of 10,000 boxes, a task that we [were] both excited and prayerful about,” Keown said, noting a total of 10,403 came in.
She said the power of Operation Christmas Child is the knowledge that a relatively easy and inexpensive task can make a huge difference in the life of someone in another corner of the world. “Each person who fills a shoebox plays an intricate part in bringing Christ to the child who receives it. Every toy, toothbrush, hairbrush or … pencil is proof that God loves them and cares for their every need.”
She added that along with the shoebox, the child receives the gospel in his or her language.
According to Hardenbrook, it’s the accessibility of Operation Christmas Child that makes it so popular and meaningful to individuals and churches.
“Operation Christmas Child allows churches and individuals to [help] all over the world without having to go overseas,” she said. “Because of this simple idea, anyone can pack a shoebox, no matter how young or how old. These shoebox gifts transcend all barriers — language, cultural, geographical and political — to give hurting children joy and hope.”
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