First Baptist Church helps to collect gifts for global cause
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, November 13, 2019
- Samaritan's Purse delivers their shoeboxes of gifts to children worldwide - even if it sometimes takes unusual delivery methods.
LAPLACE — During the month of November, there will be drop off sites collecting shoebox gifts for children overseas during Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week, Nov. 18-25. Shoeboxes may be dropped off at First Baptist Church of LaPlace, located at 120 Ormond Blvd. in LaPlace. Drop off times are from 9 – 11:30 a.m. Nov. 18 until Nov. 22. On Nov 20 gifts may also be dropped off from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to noon, Nov. 24 from 9 – 11:30 a.m. and Nov. 25 from 8 – 10 a.m.
Empty shoeboxes are transformed into fun gifts filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items. The Samaritan’s Purse project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine. For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have ever received.
This year, LaPlace-area residents hope to collect more than 9565 gifts to contribute to the 2019 global goal of reaching 11 million children.
“I love seeing the local community rally together for a global impact,” said Regional Director Matt McClelland. “We see all ages getting involved – and more and more every year.”
For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 817-595-2230, or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. Participants can donate $9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is 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 168 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.
