Shoebox Ministry looking for donations

Discussion

October 19, 2012

Shoebox Ministry looking for donations

By Tiffany Green-Oldacre Special to The Times The Cullman Times Fri Oct 19, 2012, 09:20 AM CDT

With the holiday season fast approaching, many people look for ways to give. Operation Christmas Child's Shoebox Ministry is a great way to give a small gift that will mean a lot to a child who may not get any other gift at Christmas.

"If you haven’t had the experience of packing a shoebox to send to a child in need, this is something you may want to try this year,” said Cheryl Springer, who helps with the ministry at Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church in Cullman.

Operation Christmas Child has been reaching children around the world since 1993. Since that time, more than 94 million boys and girls from more than 130 countries have been the grateful recipients of shoebox gifts. This year, Operation Christmas Child hopes to reach the100 millionth child.

Locally, churches have been involved in this worldwide ministry. In 2011, a total of 3,825 boxes were collected in Cullman County.

"This is a significant increase from 3,400 boxes that were collected in 2010," said David Ozment, who heads up local collections.

The shoeboxes are filled with small toys, school supplies, hygiene items, socks and other things. Each shoebox represents an opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with children around the world.

Hundreds of thousands of children are coming to know Christ through Operation Christmas Child's discipleship program, The Greatest Journey. After shoeboxes are given away, local churches invite children in the community to attend the 12-lesson Bible study. After completion of the program, children are honored at a special ceremony and they receive a children's New Testament in their own language.

It is a simple and easy way to get involved in missions, said Springer. She explains how to pack a shoebox.

"Just start with an empty standard shoebox," she said. "Fill it with small gifts such as pencils, crayons, tablets, toothbrush, toothpaste, T-shirts and small toys. Then take the shoebox to a church that is collecting for the Samaritan's Purse Shoebox Ministry, and you will have just made some needy child a very happy boy or girl."

Some people even write a personal note and include it in the box, Springer said.

"Leave your address, and who knows, you may even hear back from them."

People can even track their shoebox going to www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/followyourbox/. It is even possible to make a donation and receive a bar-coded label that will allow the box to be tracked to its destination.

"It's a fun and easy way to give and for such a great cause," Springer said. "I love the shoebox ministry."

Springer had heard about the ministry, but never knew how she could personally get involved until she joined Christ Covenant.

"I was put on the committee to help with the ministry when I joined the church so I knew this was God's way of letting me get involved. I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to help in this ministry. It is a great way to know you are helping give a gift to a child that may not get anything else."

Christ Covenant Church, along with East Side Baptist Church, located on St. Joseph Street, will be having a packing party Nov. 11. The church has been collecting items for the shoe boxes from their congregations throughout the year. At the packing party, church members will gathering the items and packing in the boxes.

"Come join us," Springer said. "It's fun to be a part of this giving experience."

Christ Covenant Church will be collecting the boxes Nov. 12-19. For more information, contact local organizer David Ozment at 256-620-8034, or Judy at Christ Covenant at 256-739-0505, or visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.

Text Only

Top News

Search Results

Discussion

Shoebox Ministry looking for donations

Site Map

Contact Us