STE, GENEVIEVE – Volunteers are collecting Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts during National Collection Week, which began Monday and continues through Monday, Nov. 25. More than 4,700 drop-off locations will open across the country in November, and shoebox packers can find their local drop-off locations nearest them.
In Ste. Genevieve County the shoebox packages may be dropped off at the First Baptist Church in New Offenburg. It is located at 14050 New Offenburg Road and will be accepting the boxes Wednesday and Friday from 9-11 a.m.; today (Tuesday) and Thursday 4-6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 1-3 p.m. and 8-10 a.m. Monday. If you have any questions call Glenda Pulley at 573 915-7248.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering gift-filled shoeboxes to children including many who are suffering from war, poverty, disease and disaster. Operation Christmas Child hopes to reach another 12 million children in 2024 with the hope of Jesus.
Shoebox packing is fun for individuals, families and groups! Find a step-by-step guide on the How to Pack a Shoebox webpage. The project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God’s love to children in need. Participants can donate $10 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination.
“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. “Gift-filled shoeboxes open the door for us to share the hope of the Gospel with boys and girls around the world. Please pray that these simple gifts have an eternal impact.”
Participants can find the nearest drop-off location and hours of operation as they make plans to drop off their shoebox gifts. The online lookup tool is searchable by City or ZIP code. Signs at each location will identify the drop-off.
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. 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.