Enjoying the Many Blessings

We here at Beckley FBC have enjoyed the many blessings that have come from packing shoeboxes for these past 20 plus years and for that we thank God for the opportunity to help spread the name of Jesus around the world. Recently I was part of a virtual shoebox conference and one of the sessions centered around that we are all children of God and are in constant need of his guidance in our lives. We are fortunate to live in a country where we can practice our faith without any repercussions.

Thousands of children around the world have never heard the name of Jesus which is where Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Christmas Child steps in. The shoeboxes that are packed, shipped and eventually wind up in a child’s hand is probably the first gift this child has ever been given and to learn about Jesus through The Greatest Journey lessons which are shared at the distribution of those boxes. This has led many, many children to accept Jesus as their Savior as well as their family members.

As we continue our collection effort, for the month of June we are collecting toothbrushes, hair brushes and small ladies deodorant for the 10-14 year old girls. Your donations can be left in the box located in the Welcome Center. As always, please keep this project in your prayers as the name of Jesus continues to be spread through the power of one shoebox at a time. God bless you !!!

Operation Christmas Child Update

We here at FBC have been doing shoeboxes now for over 20 years and through your efforts and hard work thousands of children have received a box and felt the love of someone they don’t even know who packed a box that God put specifically in their hands and for this I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Even though collection week is still months away, we have been so successful so far in collecting items that we will need to back our shoeboxes later this year and for this I also thank you a bunch.

For the month of May, we will again be collecting small stuffed animals for our shoeboxes and these have to be small to fit in the boxes. (We didn’t quite get enough in April)). You can place your donations in the box in the Welcome Center.

Shoeboxes for Over 20 Years

So we’ve made it through another winter and now spring is in full bloom. We here at FBC have been doing shoeboxes now for over 20 years and through your efforts and hard work thousands of children have received a box and felt the love of someone they don’t even know who packed a box that God put specifically in their hands and for this I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Even though collection week is still months away, we have been so successful so far in collecting items that we will need to back our shoeboxes later this year and for this I also thank you a bunch.

For the month of April we will be collecting small stuffed animals for our shoeboxes and these have to be small to fit in the boxes.

Operation Christmas Child 2022

Operation Christmas Child is another mission project that just passed its 20th year here at FBC. This project has grown and grown over the years and is a year-round venture.

Just in case you have no idea what I’m talking about – here’s the short version. You take an empty shoebox and you put in items such as school supplies, a coloring book and crayons, markers colored pencils, personal hygiene items such as a hair brush, a comb, toothbrush, soap and washcloth, a small stuffed animal and a small “special” toy for a boy or girl ages 2-4; 5-9 or 10-14. Once filled, you add a check for $9.00 to cover shipping, handling and other material costs and bring your box back to the church the week before Thanksgiving where it starts its journey to Princeton, WV; then to Charlotte or Boone, N.C. and then hops aboard a plane to its destination and into the arms of that one boy or girl. Once your box is delivered, the child is given some special printed material and they are given the chance at the completion of the program to ask Jesus to come into their heart. WHAT A MARVELOUS ENDING.

Tracy Salango is going to be your new coordinator starting this year but I will still be involved in collecting items to make our boxes in November. Please remember her in prayer as she takes on this new role. For the month of March, we will be collecting hair brushes, combs and toothbrushes. There is a box located in the Welcome Center for your donations.

As always we covet your prayers as we continue to spread the name of Jesus Christ to the children of the world one shoebox at a time.

Operation Christmas Child 2022

by Debbie Vanaman

First off, thank you so much for your continued support of Operation Christmas Child. You will never know how many lives have been changed through your shoeboxes.

This year will bring a change to shoeboxes here at FBC. After 20 years of being the drop off leader here at FBC, I am stepping down from this role. It has become increasingly difficult to do this job as well as do my duties as church secretary. But never fear, I will still be actively involved in shoeboxes but not be in charge. I prayed for guidance in making this decision after collection week last year and God has placed another person to fill this position and it is our own Tracy Salango. Tracy will be starting her training soon to step into this role and in a month or two, she will be up to full speed. Tracy and I will be working together on shoeboxes this year and I will still be asking for donations each month and hopefully have a packing party in November to fill the boxes with what we have collected.

Speaking of collecting boxes, God has put on my heart to raise our number to 125 boxes. This means 25 more blessings from FBC to children around the world. So keep on shopping, even if it’s not what we’re collecting each month. For the month of February, we will be collecting bar soap and washcloths. A large box is in Fellowship Hall for your donations. As always, I thank you for your prayers and support of OCC.

OCC: Winding-Up 2021 and Focusing on 2022

Let’s start with winding-up 2021. With the help of modern technology, we are able to track where our shoeboxes went that we packed last November. They went to a small country in Africa called Cote d’Ivoire. Here’s something about that country. Located in West Africa, Cote d’Ivoire is a significant exporter of cocoa beans. Otherwise known as Ivory Coast, the nation’s tropical rainforests include African mahogany and teak. Samaritan’s Purse began delivering Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts to children here in 2000 and a year later, we began offering The Greatest Journey, our follow-up discipleship program, to these shoebox recipients.

Now let’s focus on 2022. With this ministry still going strong after 20 years, we are going to switch things up a bit. I usually start with collecting a bar of soap and a washcloth. With it still being winter time, this year I would like to start with collecting gloves and toboggans for the month of January. Hopefully you can still find some around – maybe even on sale. There will be a box located in the Welcome Center for your donations.

Please keep this ministry in your prayers as shoeboxes are being distributed around the world as we speak to help spread the name of Jesus to countries, towns and cities around the world. Remember – a shoeboxes can change a child’s life.

Final Report on Operation Christmas Child 2021

This was another awesome year for our shoebox program. Our final number of shoeboxes collected from the Beckley and Raleigh County area groups, churches and individuals was 2,111. Just think that over 2000 blessings will reach children around the world from right here in Beckley, West Virginia.

If you packed a shoebox, helped in our collection center or loaded our truck, I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation for the hard work that you did. Without volunteers, this program would never get off the ground and for this again I am truly grateful. So sit, back and relax for December. We will start collecting again in January. God bless you all.

November is a Crazy Month

In the shoebox community, November is a crazy month. Crazy may be an understatement but nonetheless it’s very, very busy. You ask why? November 15th through November 22nd is national collection week. This is when all of the shoeboxes from the Beckley/Raleigh County area come back into the church to be counted, put in a larger carton and start their long journey to reach a child halfway around the world. What I need from you first of all is your prayers that this collection week goes smoothly. It always has some rough times but with your prayers I’m sure we will get through it.

November is the month where I usually ask for monetary contributions to cover the shipping costs for the 100 boxes that we will be packing but fortunately through donations throughout the year our shipping costs have already been covered. But that’s not to say that we can’t start working on next years costs which I will only be glad to accept. If you want to write a check, just be sure to put shoeboxes in the memo line and that will assure that it gets to the correct place.

We will probably have a smaller collection this year but that’s good news because Samaritans Purse has opened a new collection center in Fayette County and one in Wyoming County. This will not only encourage more people in those areas to donate but will lessen the tremendous load that we get here every year. So it’s a good thing if we have less but that doesn’t mean you still can’t help. You can either make a box and bring it to the church or you can create a box on line which doesn’t involve any in person shopping. It’s all done on line. If you want more info on that, just give me a call and I’ll walk you through it.

I want to thank you all for your prayers, donations throughout the year both items donated and the contributions you’ve made. This year makes our 20th year officially being a collection center and it’s been great to see how this ministry has changed throughout the years. Please continue to pray as we enter this busy time that God moves these shoeboxes to where they need to be. God bless you !!!

Kicking Things Up Another Notch

As the temperatures start to lean more towards fall, OCC is kicking things up another notch. With collection week getting closer and closer, our focus turns to what kind of difference can I make. My answer to that is, as I always say, a shoebox can change a child’s life and that impact can grow and grow from the child to the family, to their town or village and from there it just multiplies.

Speaking of collection week, the dates for that are starting November 15th and concluding on November 22nd and that’s when I really need your help. We will be open Monday through Friday from 10 until 2 and then have shorter hours on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. So when you see my name come up on your caller ID on your phone, you’ll know what I’m calling about and the answer I want to hear is “yes I can help – when do you need me?” As in past years, we will have a loading time on Saturday the 20th of November. More details on that will be coming.

For the month of October I am asking you to bring in children’s gloves and toboggans. Even though some of these boxes may go to warmer climates, God knows which box needs to go to which child and he will direct it to just that child. As always, a collection box is located in the Welcome Center for your donations. I want to thank you for your prayers and support of the shoebox ministry. It is through your prayers and support that this mission effort can continue.

Please keep us in your prayers as our collection week comes closer that God will put the right person in the right place at the right time to help spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to children around the world.

Something Different for September

by Debbie Vanaman

First of all, I want to thank all of you for your generous support of Operation Christmas Child this year. Your gifts, both of money and items for our shoeboxes, is greatly appreciated. Even during this strange year that we are still living, your support has been awesome.

Now for the month of September we’re going to do something different. What we will be collecting for the month of September is children’s socks. Depending on where you sit on Sunday mornings, that determines what size socks you need to buy. If you sit on the bank side, you are in charge of the two to four-year-old boys and girls. The people who sit in the middle part are responsible for the five to nine-year-old boys and girls. The ones on the college side are responsible for the 10 to 14-year-old boys and girls. If you can’t or would rather not shop, a monetary donation is always acceptable and we’ll do the shopping for you. This is something we’ve never done before and I hope it is successful.

Collection week is getting closer and closer. The dates are November 15th through November 22nd. That’s when the shoeboxes from the area churches and individuals will be collected in our Welcome Center where they will start their journey to a child some place in the world. I will be reaching out to you for help during that week.

Please continue to keep this mission project in your prayers as boxes are constantly being distributed around the world sharing the name of Jesus and the love of God.