Nicholas County packs 1,000 gift boxes

By Chloe Smith

For many Christian families throughout America, the holiday season marks more than just holidays – it is also their chance to pack a shoebox for a child in another country, a choice that could change the child’s life. The Operation Christmas Child Program designed by Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse has become many families’ first opportunity to show some Christmas cheer to others.

The Operation Christmas Child program is a national collection of shoeboxes or other small boxes filled with toys and gifts. Anyone can join in on this program by packing a box, although there is a list of inappropriate items that are not allowed in boxes. The packed boxes are then delivered to children living in poverty around the world. People throughout the U.S.A. agree to pack these boxes, pay the shipping on the box, and often write a personal letter to the child who will receive their shoebox. The shipping fee also goes towards providing The Greatest Gift gospel booklets with each shoebox that tells the children the true reason for the Christmas season. Individuals can even donate the shipping cost online through Follow Your Box to receive a tracking label and discover the destination of the your shoebox gift. Children who receive a shoebox are also invited to participate in The Greatest Journey, a 12-lesson discipleship program where they learn what it means to follow Jesus and share their faith with friends and family.

This year has been something to remember as the Nicholas County drop off center, Locust Grove Baptist Church, has collected over one thousand boxes to send overseas. This is over one-seventh of the boxes that went through the Morehead collection center. The boxes change many lives as stories have been shared by recipients of the stunning ways their lives have been redirected after receiving a box.

All boxes packed by churches and individuals in Nicholas County and a few surrounding counties were delivered to the Locust Grove Baptist Church and then taken on to the Morehead location where they were shipped to a processing center in Charlotte, NC. At this center, they will be checked to make sure all items are appropriate to send, processed, and then sent to children around the world.

If you are interested in joining the shoebox collection next year, there are many ways to donate. You can contact Locust Grove Baptist Church to see about bringing the program to your church/organization or donate online through the Samaritan’s Purse website. You can also send donations to Locust Grove Baptist Church in memory of Bonnie Livingood. The Bonnie Livingood Memorial Fund has prepared 100 shoeboxes to be delivered to children around the world each year since 2015. National collection week for 2020 is expected to be Nov. 16-23.

For more information, email Karen Mills, Drop Off Center Coordinator for Locust Grove Baptist Church, at karenmills02@gmail.com or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ.