Each year, our church is providing you with the unique opportunity to share Christ with a needy child using a simple shoe box. Your shoe box will reach a child in a troubled country like Uganda or El Salvador with the Gospel message.

We are taking part in Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse. Samaritan's Purse is a Christian ministry led by Franklin Graham, the son of Dr. Billy Graham. People across the country are filling shoe boxes with small toys, school supplies, hygiene items, and other meaningful gifts.

This Christmas season, a needy child overseas will receive your shoe box, along with Christian literature in his or her own language. What an opportunity to reach these children with a clear presentation of the Gospel.

For more than a decade, Operation Christmas Child has answered the call to share the love of Jesus Christ with hurting children around the world.

In 2007, more than 7.6 million shoe box gifts were collected internationally from the United States and 10 other countries. Since 1993, more than 61 million gift-filled shoe boxes have been distributed to children in more than 120 countries worldwide. This year's international goal is to collect 8 million shoe box gifts.

In 2007, individuals, families, churches, and groups in the Lower Midwest Region (Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma) packed 360,256 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child that were sent to needy children in Ukraine, Abkhazia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Albania, Estonia, Latvia, Mongolia, and Mexico.

The chairperson for Operation Christmas Child at Pleasant View is Laviece Wilson.

How to Pack a Shoe Box

1. SHOE BOX

Use an empty shoe box (standard size, please) or a small plastic container. You can wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required. Most importantly, pray for the child who will receive your gift.

2. BOY OR GIRL

Determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14. Print out the appropriate boy/girl label by downloading the artwork to the right. Mark the correct age category on the label, and tape the label to the top of your box.

3. FILL WITH GIFTS

Fill the box with a variety of gifts that will bring delight to a child. Use the gift ideas provided on the bottom of this page. You will find the following video very helpful.

4. INCLUDE YOUR DONATION

Please donate $7 or more for each shoe box you prepare to help cover shipping and other project costs. You can give online by using our EZGIVE option, or you can write a check to Samaritan’s Purse (note “OCC” on memo line) and place it in an envelope on top of the gift items inside your box. If you or your family are preparing more than one shoe box, please make one combined donation.

5. DROP OFF

PRAYER SUPPORT

Prayer is vital to the success of Operation Christmas Child. W encourage you to pray for Operation Christmas Child throughout the year.

About Smaritan's Purse

Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan's Purse.

The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) gives a clear picture of God's desire for us to help those in desperate need wherever we find them. After describing how the Samaritan rescued a hurting man whom others had passed by, Jesus told His hearers, "Go and do likewise."

For over 35 years, Samaritan's Purse has done our utmost to follow Christ's command by going to the aid of the world's poor, sick, and suffering. We are an effective means of reaching hurting people in countries around the world with food, medicine, and other assistance in the Name of Jesus Christ. This, in turn, earns us a hearing for the Gospel, the Good News of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Our emergency relief programs provide desperately needed assistance to victims of natural disaster, war, disease, and famine. As we offer food, water, and temporary shelter, we meet critical needs and give people a chance to rebuild their lives.

Our community development and vocational programs in impoverished villages and neighborhoods help people break the cycle of poverty and give them hope for a better tomorrow.

We impact the lives of vulnerable children through educational, feeding, clothing, and shelter programs that let them know they are not forgotten.

We provide first-class treatment in the Name of the Great Physician through our medical projects, as well as supplying mission hospitals with much needed equipment and supplies.

As our teams work in crisis areas of the world, people often ask, "Why did you come?" The answer is always the same: "We have come to help you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ." Our ministry is all about Jesus—first, last, and always. As the Apostle Paul said, "For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Corinthians 4:5, NIV)