The North Central Louisiana (NCLA) Division of Samaritan’s Purse announces the kickoff for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox is scheduled to take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 pm on August 29th at First Baptist Church in Minden, LA. NCLA serves 6 rural parishes: Jackson, Lincoln, Bienville, Union, Claiborne, and Webster.
“Join us as we launch the shoebox packing season,” invited NCLA Area Coordinator Brenda Teal. “Come to be inspired and equipped for a successful packing season, and to get to know your Operation Christmas Child (OCC) area team, which includes two people from Jackson Parish.”
Teal goes on to describe the special session further.
“You will hear about packing and distribution of shoeboxes, as well as the graduation of children who completed The Greatest Journey. You will also see exhibits that highlight what OCC is all about and learn how to share OCC’s vision with your church or group and reach more children with your shoebox gifts. Register at https://forms.gle/aKJMTmSPUOgodRag.”
Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering gift-filled shoeboxes to children, including many who are suffering from war, poverty, disease, and disaster, for many years. OCC hopes to reach many children in 2025 with the hope of Jesus. Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, seeks to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world and, together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
“Children need hope, and they need to know that they are not alone and God loves them,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 220 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories.
A step-by-step guide to packing a shoebox, which is fun for individuals, families, and groups, can be found by clicking here or by visiting the How to Pack a Shoebox webpage. “Follow Your Box” participants can pay $10 for shipping/supplies and receive a tracking label to discover the destination of the shoebox at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/
Make a difference in a child’s life by packing a shoebox! Your support is greatly appreciated. Questions can be directed to Brenda Teal, NCLA Area Coordinator, at 318-663-7508 or brendateal16@gmail.com.