Operation Christmas Child Update
Thank you to the many members and friends of Prince of Peace who have supported the Shoebox Ministry in the past. In 2024, we were blessed to deliver 126 boxes to the collection center-boxes full of school supplies, hygiene items and FUN items, like stuffed animals, musical instruments, dolls, cars and trucks.
We tracked our boxes all the way to Botswana, a landlocked country in the center of Southern Africa. The territory is roughly triangular—approximately 600 miles (965 km) from north to south and 600 miles from east to west. Within the confines of Botswana’s borders is a rich variety of wildlife, including many species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
A country of slightly over 2.3 million people, Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world.
Please continue to pray that the Holy Spirit will touch the hearts of the children who received the boxes and participate in the Greatest Journey discipleship course.
Collection efforts for 2024 are already underway. There are many ways to help:
- Pray for this ministry.
- Donate funds to pay for shipping and purchase shoebox items by placing your donation in an envelope you will find on the collection table or a check made payable to Prince of Peace with OCC in the memo line.
- Purchase items such as socks for boys and girls in age groups 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14), washcloths, Hot Wheels cars, toothbrushes, to name a few.
- Purchase items on the Amazon wish list (see Craig Genser, Emma Genser, Debbie Steigerwald or Tammy Eckstrom for details.
Pictures from Operation Christmas Child boxes in 2022.
History of Operation Christmas Child
In the summer of 1993, Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham received a call from a man in England asking if he’d be willing to fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in war-torn Bosnia. Franklin agreed, but figured Christmas was months away. He forgot about the promise until he received a call back around Thanksgiving asking about the gifts.
Franklin asked his friend, the late Pastor Ross Rhodes of Calvary Church of Charlotte to see if he could help with the need. A Sunday shortly afterward, Pastor Rhodes demonstrated for his congregation how to fill a shoebox with simple gifts and encouraged them to include a letter to the child as well. Within weeks, the church has 11,000 shoeboxes lining their hallways.
Due to their generosity and additional gifts from Canada, Samaritan’s Purse sent 28,000 shoebox gifts to children in the Balkans that Christmas. Through these gifts, we communicated to children and their families what the angel said to the shepherds about Jesus’ birth: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10, ESV).
Every year since, Samaritan’s Purse has collected shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items for children around the world. Since 1993, more that 188 million children in more than 170 countries and territories have received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox. The project delivers not only the joy of what, for many kids, it is their first gift ever, but also gives them a tangible expression of God’s love.
Tens of thousands of volunteers from local churches around the world partner with us to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ at festive outreach events where children are surprised with these shoebox gifts.
For more information, Please visit Samaritan’s Purse: Operation Christmas Child
The $5 Shoebox
If we asked you to go shopping in November and buy $55 worth of shoebox items, most of you would think “That’s a little much, I don’t think I could afford that.” But what if we asked you to spend just $5 each month on items, most of you would say “well, that much I could do….. But what should I buy?”
This year we encourage all of you to go on a $5 shopping spree each month for items to pack in this year’s shoeboxes. At the beginning of each month, we will hand out a shopping list with suggestions of things you can buy. Each month will have a theme such as school supplies or hygiene, but remember, these are just suggestions. If you find a great deal on something – don’t leave it at the store just because it’s not on this month’s list! Many of these items cost less than $5 so you can buy more than one. If you would like to participate but can’t get out to shop for any reason, you can also give $5 to Tammy Eckstrom or Deb Steigerwald and they will shop for you. As you shop, bring items in and give to Tammy or Deb or place on the table in the Fellowship Hall.
