Several area churches are looking for volunteers to donate or fill shoe boxes for a global initiative ahead of the holiday season.
Churches have already begun taking items for Operation Chritsmas Child, which encourages the community to fill shoe boxes with items for children in need. The project is sponsored by Samaritan's Purse, a religious organization based in Boone, North Carolina.
Sue Beard, the coordinator for the Gainesville area for Operation Christmas Child with Lakewood Baptist Church shared that churches are partnering to fill the shoe boxes with hygiene products,gifts and school supplies, but each box has a greater purpose.
“A lot of these children have never had a gift before, and so they fill them with gifts for the children,” Beard explained. “But the most important thing is, every box, when it is given out on the other side of the world, has a booklet called ‘The Greatest Gift’, and it outlines the gospel, so all the children have an opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus.”
In 2023, the church and its partners collected over 21,000 shoe boxes for the initiative, but coordinators hope to collect 25,000 in 2024. Beard said the additional donations will support the organization's mission to bring discipleship programs to the areas where the shoe boxes will go.
“Last year, 2.9 million children made a decision for Jesus,” she said “… after they receive their gift, they're invited to a 12 week discipleship program called The Greatest Journey, and they're invited to come to that, and then when they complete that, they're given a certificate, they're given a New Testament in their own language, and are invited to keep attending Church.”
Those participating are able to pack a box for boys or girls ages two to four, five to nine or 10 to 14. Beard says there usually is a smaller number of gifts for older children. Samaritan’s Purse advised that boxes should not include the following items:
Candy; toothpaste; gum; used or damaged items; scary or war-related items such as toy guns, knives, or military figures; chocolate or food; seeds; fruit rolls or other fruit snacks; drink mixes (powdered or liquid); liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans.
A list of suggested items can be found here.
Beard is over collection in Hall, Dawson and parts of Barrow County. She said churches in those areas have partnered to create five drop-off areas for those looking to participate.
“We have Lakewood Baptist Church in Gainesville,” Beard said. “We have Bethel Methodist in Dawson County, on Lumpkin Campground Road. We have Cross View Church in Hushton. We have Christ Place down in Oakwood and we have New Holland [church], which is also in Gainesville.”
The churches within Beard’s collection area will be collecting shoe boxes Nov. 18- 25. Individual operating hours for locations can be found here. Shoeboxes and labels are available to purchase on Samaritan’s Purse’s website.
