Operation Christmas Child, a program of Samaritan’s Purse, is inviting the public to participate during national collection week going on through November 25. Broken Bow’s E Free Church is serving as a local drop off and pick up location.
Organizer Kourtney Ogle told KCNI/KBBN that the program is in its 31st year of sending gift-filled shoeboxes to children in need all over the world. Through the 30 years so far, children in over 160 countries and 50 hard-to-reach countries have been on the receiving end of the gifts.
“So they’ve been shipping over 100 million boxes around the world to kids who might have never received a Christmas gift before or this might be their first gift ever,” said Ogle.
Those wishing to participate are invited to pack a box with their family, bible study group, or other group and bring it to the Broken Bow E Free Church.
“First you have to decide if you want to do it for a boy or girl. So pick boy or girl and then there’s three ages that you can choose from: 2 to 4, 5 to 9, and 10 to 14,” Ogle explained, “So once you know boy or girl and what age, then the fun begins, you get to go shopping! It’s always fun bringing kids, because the kids know what other kids like.”
Boxes should contain one “Wow” item, like a soccer ball, stuffed animal, or musical instrument, intended to be the first item the kid sees when they open the box. The remainder of the box can be filled with hygiene items, school supplies, and other fun creative items. A personal note or picture is also encouraged, which Ogle said is often the favorite item of the children.
Items that should not be put in boxes include candy, toothpaste, gum, used/damaged items, scary or war related items, seeds, food, liquids, lotions, vitamins, breakable items, or aerosol cans.
“They’re filled with toys, hygiene items, school supplies.. and those will go to the kids. The cool thing is after those kids receive those boxes, they’re actually presented with a gospel story and they’re told of how God loves them so much and that God sees them, and that God knows who they are,” Ogle said.
The children are then encouraged to come back for a twelve lesson discipleship program which they are encouraged to share with their community.
A ten dollar shipping donation is requested with each box, which also helps cover the cost of booklets and bibles gifted to the kids as well as the training for those who present the gospel message to the children. Ogle said the donation ask is small considering what the cost would be if a box was shipped privately the same distance, “These boxes are going all over the world. They’re riding on donkeys, they’re riding on airplanes, boats, canoes. The journey is pretty amazing and pretty wild.”
Both official Operation Christmas Child boxes and standard shoebox sized boxes are being accepted through the 25th at the Broken Bow E Free Church at 2079 Memorial Drive during these remaining dates and times:
