Operation Christmas Child

Now that there is a little “nip” in the weather, Operation Christmas Child moves into high gear. With collection week about six weeks away, there is still much work to be done. Tracy Salango is our new relay center coordinator and she will be asking for your help during collection week in November. Don’t wait for her to ask you – contact her and let her know when you can help.

We will be having a shoebox packing party on a Saturday in October but a firm date has not been set yet. This is where we get to have fun packing the shoeboxes with all the donations we’ve collected all year. Keep your eyes and ears open for that date.

For the months of October and November what is needed are your dollars. We will be packing 120 shoeboxes and at $10 a box – well you do the math. (It’s $1,200). If you are writing a check to the church just put shoeboxes in the memo line.

Finally, please keep this program in your prayers daily. Shoeboxes are being distributed around the world 365 days a year. The national goal is 11 million shoeboxes. While this number sounds very unreasonable, it’s11 million opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and it all happens one shoebox at a time.

As the calendar moves to September OCC collection week moves closer. Tracy Salango has taken over as our drop off leader and she has a workshop scheduled this month to distribute items to the area churches. She will be contacting you closer to collection week to ask for your help that week.

As far as our donations for our boxes, we are aiming to pack 125 boxes and this is where your help is needed now. For the month of September, we need boys and girls socks for ages 5-9 and 10-14. We also are in need of toboggans for the boxes for ages 2-4 if you run across any. These donations can be left in the collection box in the Welcome Center.

We’re gearing up for a great shoebox season for 2022. Here at FBC we’ve been a part of Operation Christmas Child for over 20 years and the blessings that children around the world have received is awesome. Imagine the joy that a child experiences opening a box made especially for them that contains something as simple as a toothbrush or a bar of soap not to mention the toys, crayons and coloring books that are also inside. The school supplies help many of them who may not have been able to go to school because of not having these supplies.

The program that accompanies the shoebox is called The Greatest Journey and it tells them all about Jesus and His Love for them and gives them an opportunity to give their heart to Jesus at the end of the series. That’s a second blessing that they can pass onto their families and villages and help spread the name of Jesus around the world. That’s the power of a simple shoebox

The months of July and August typically are great months to shop for school supplies so that’s what we will be collecting. We need pencils, pens, crayons, coloring books, markers, colored pencils, erasers, small note pads and pencil sharpeners. These items are a vital part of each and every shoebox. Your donations would be greatly appreciated and can be left in the box in the Welcome Center.

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 !!!

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.

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 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.

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.

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.