Drop-off locations opening for Operation Christmas Child

MILAN, Tenn. — Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, where people fill shoe boxes that go to individuals in multiple countries.

Items such as basic hygienic needs, school supplies, clothes, and toys are presented with a gospel message as well as part of the ministry.

“They get to see things that they’ve never seen before,” said Jared Reed with First Baptist Church in Milan. “They get to see colors they’ve never seen. They get to have writing utensils, paper.
Those are things that some children don’t have. And then most importantly, they are presented with the Ministry involved with these boxes and the gospel message.”

There’s a real focus on getting boxes to anyone and any group that needs to know the reason for the season.

“These boxes go to greater than 150 countries,” Reed said. “And there’s a real focus on trying to get these boxes into unreached people, individuals that are either on islands or just separated because of possible governmental reasons.”

Every year, the third week in November is National Collection Week, and thousands of drop-off locations open across the country, with over 20 in West Tennessee.

Monday, First Baptist Church in Milan collected 2,500 boxes, and anticipates collecting up to 15,000 shoe boxes by the end of the week.

“It can impact the exact number of children as to the number of boxes, but the greater reach is that it involves families as well and entire community,” said Reed. “So one shoe box could potentially reach hundreds of people.”

If you would like to help donate or fill a shoe box yourself, click here.

For more local news, click here.