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The members of St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Niceville have packed 32 shoeboxes for the Samaritan’s Purse ministry Operation Christmas Child.
It is believed to be the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind. Operation Christmas Child has a 2016 global goal of reaching 12 million children.
Shoeboxes filled with school supplies, hygiene items, notes of encouragement and fun toys, such as a doll or soccer ball are donated by individuals and families. The boxes are delivered to children in need around the world, who walk for miles to receive the shoebox gifts, which are delivered by air, boat, train, and even elephant.
The St. Jude’s children’s Sunday School classes packed several of the shoeboxes themselves as a class project. The children of St. Jude’s learned that for many children their age around the world, the gift-filled shoebox is the first gift they have ever received.
The shoebox gifts donated by St. Jude’s will shine a light of hope to children living in poverty overseas. This is the second year St. Jude’s has participated in Operation Christmas Child. For more information about the project, go to https://www.samaritanspurse.org/occ