By Natalie French | Reporter
Operation Christmas Child is a service project through Samaritan’s Purse that collects shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items to children who might not receive gifts for Christmas. According to Samaritan’s Purse’s website, Operation Christmas Child “has collected and delivered more than 220 million shoebox gifts to children in more than 170 countries and territories.”
Two churches in Waco, Highland Baptist Church and Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, serve as collection centers for this service project. They then pack the boxes and ship them off with Samaritan’s Purse.
Jamie Hipp, missions pastor at Highland Baptist Church, said the church has been involved in Operation Christmas Child for 25 years.
“Operation Christmas Child is a very practical ministry opportunity for Highland families to support a terrific ongoing gospel project,” Hipp said.
Waco senior Kathryn Hanscheck attends Highland Baptist Church. She donated a shoebox last year because of the impact it has on children across the world and because it was an easy way to give back as a college student. Hanscheck said that college students like her have a hard time giving monetarily because of their own limited budgets.
“As college students, it’s often harder for us to make bigger donations, but filling a shoebox with school supplies, hygienic products, toys and other fun surprises is a practical way to give back what the Lord has given to us even if it seems small,” Hanscheck said.
Hipp said his favorite part of this service project is the tie back to the Gospel. According to Samaritan’s Purse’s website, children hear the gospel before they receive their shoebox full of gifts and also receive an abridged version of the Bible with 11 biblical stories. The Bible shares the message of salvation and “invites children to follow Christ.”
“I donated a box because of its practicality, but also because even the littlest joys to us can be the biggest joys to others,” Hanscheck said. “As someone who has a heart for kids, it makes me joyful knowing that the child who receives the box I donated will experience the love of Christ in a special way.”
On average, Hipp said Highland fills around 1,000 shoeboxes annually and collected more than 26,000 shoeboxes from the surrounding communities last year. According to Samaritan’s Purse, more than 220 million children have received a shoebox since the operation began. Thousands of volunteers from local churches like Highland Baptist Church and Columbus Avenue Baptist Church have partnered with and contributed to this mission project.
“As faithful followers of Christ, we are to love our neighbors as ourselves,” Hipp said. “[That means] we should look for any opportunity to meet others where they are, compassionately extend grace and kindness and point them towards Jesus in the process.”
Each box should include toys, school supplies and personal care items. It should also be personalized with a note and prayer. Highland Baptist Church is collecting packed shoeboxes the week of Nov. 17 and Columbus Avenue Baptist Church is collecting packed shoeboxes until Nov. 18.
