October 27, 2015 - After last year’s record breaking 4,400 plus shoeboxes collected at Northside Christian Center Relay Center, Operation Christmas Child is once again gearing up for the collection week. Something as ordinary as a shoebox can accomplish the eternal when it is packed with toys, school supplies, hygiene items, and God’s love. Powered by prayers, it can help lead children and families to faith in Christ, inspire pastors, plant and grow churches, and encourage disciples in some of the most unreached places in the world.
It all starts when people decide to bless a child overseas through Operation Christmas Child, a Samaritan’s Purse project designed to deliver good news and great joy to boys and girls around the world.
Individuals and families decide whether they will pack a shoebox for a boy or a girl and then look for gifts appropriate for a specific age range. Prayerful shoppers search for items to delight a child: a toy car or a jump rope, a slinky or a doll. They look for practical things like pencils and paper, and necessary items such as a toothbrush and toothpaste.
Whether toys, school supplies, or hygiene items, the giver seeks to pack their shoebox with as much fun and blessing as it will hold.
Before closing the lid, the giver can include a note for the recipient, often complete with a photograph. The person who packed the gift then pauses to ask God to deliver the shoebox to just the right child, the child for whom the things inside would be especially meaningful or even be an answer to prayer.
What goes into a box is fun, but what comes out is eternal. A gift of love in the form of a shoebox softens hearts and prepares them for the Good News of Jesus Christ. Children trust Christ for the first time, inviting Him to be their Savior. This changes families, neighborhoods and entire communities.
One shoebox can also restore hope that there is a God who loves, cares, and is concerned about the details of a child’s life. And when you bless a child, you minister to parents as well. Through shoeboxes, churches grow, disciples multiply, and doors open for the Gospel sometimes even in countries where it is illegal to be a Christian.
You can be a part of this amazing program by packing a shoebox full of fun items for a child. Please join Panola/Shelby County and surrounding areas across the country that will be packing millions of shoeboxes and delivering them to the nearest drop-off location the week of November 16th-23rd.
Hours for the collection week are: Monday through Friday 9:00 a. m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. till noon. The hours on Sunday are 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and on Monday, November 23rd from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. If you need to drop off shoeboxes at a different time that is listed, please contact Venita Judice at 903-685-0247 or 903-471-9157.
The Relay Center is located at Northside Christian Center at 108 East Ash. If you have any questions, please contact Venita Judice or contact Northside Christian Center at 903-633-6366.
