operation christmas child
It’s that time of year again….It’s shoebox time! Samaritan’s Purse collects shoeboxes filled with toys and other fun items and delivers them to children around the world in partnership with local churches. Each gift, prayerfully and uniquely packed is an opportunity for the Gospel to transform the life of a child, a family, and a community. Since 2012, our St. John’s congregation has filled and shipped 2,800+ shoe boxes to countries such as The Philippines, Ukraine, Suriname, Colombia, Namibia, Madagascar, Togo, Jamaica, Peru, Zambia and Malawi.
We are looking for small gifts to fill shoeboxes for both boys and girls ages 10-14 years old. Each month leading up to National Collection Week in November, we will be collecting items with hopes to again fill 300 boxes!
CHECK OUT OUR AMAZON WISHLIST! Or see the list of items below.
• August: School Supply Month—crayons, markers, colored pencils, pens/pencils, pencil sharpeners, small notebooks, rulers, stickers, coloring and picture books, solar calculators and other misc. school supplies
• September: Personal Hygiene and Accessories Month— tooth brushes, wash clothes, small bars of soap, girl’s hair items, combs/brushes, travel Kleenex, dental floss, hats, sunglasses, jewelry, etc. NO TOOTHPASTE OR LIQUID SOAPS.
• October: Small Toys Month—balloons, cars, musical instruments/whistles, puzzles, jump ropes, balls, playdoh, travel games, dolls, stuffed animals, etc. Remember, toys must be SMALL enough to fit in a shoebox.
Do Not Include: Used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; out-of-date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans.
All items can be dropped off at church in the gift box in the lobby by November 10. If you prefer to donate monetarily, an envelope can be dropped off or sent to church or put in the offering box labeled “OCC” with checks payable to St. John’s; it takes $10 postage to ship each shoebox.
Most importantly, please pray for the children receiving these gifts that their eyes are opened to our Savior this Christmas! Any questions can be directed to Lindsay Bader by email at lindsaybader@hotmail.com or phone 815-291-9637. We thank you in advance for your love and continued support of this ministry!