Students from Bradford Area Christian Academy, prekindergarten through eighth grade, collected donated items to fill boxes for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.
On Wednesday, older students walked 28 boxes over to the First Baptist Church of Bradford. The students and volunteers at the church proceeded to pray over the boxes. The shoeboxes, filled with items from all 59 of the school’s students, will help children all over the world.
Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts to children worldwide for nearly three decades.
“This season, children around the world need a tangible reminder that there is hope and that God loves them,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “Through these shoebox gifts packed with special items, children also receive the opportunity to hear about the eternal hope found in Jesus Christ.”
In 2022, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach another 11 million children. This season, there’s still time for individuals, families, and groups to transform empty shoeboxes into fun gifts.
The project of Samaritan’s Purse partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God’s love to children in need. Find a step-by-step guide on the How to Pack a Shoebox webpage, samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box/.
If thinking about putting a shoebox together for donation, consider a few of the following items for inclusion: playing cards; batteries (in original packaging or with both ends taped); wet wipes or plain alcohol wipes; toy spiders, bugs, snakes; superheroes or other licensed characters; items with company logos; all types of scissors; squirt guns (that don’t look like real guns); glow sticks; compact mirrors; lip balm (non-medicated); play dough (store bought); solid stick deodorant; makeup (non-liquid); adhesive bandages (non-medicated); disposable or reusable feminine hygiene products; eating utensils; marbles; Bibles or other religious literature or symbols.
There are items that should not be included in the shoeboxes; some examples include candy; toothpaste; gum; used or damaged items; scary or war-related items such as toy guns, knives, or military figures; chocolate or food; seeds; fruit rolls or other fruit snacks; drink mixes (powdered or liquid); liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans.
The First Baptist Church, located at 71 Congress St., is a designated drop off location for Operation Christmas Child and is scheduled to receive shoeboxes today from 3 — 6 p.m; Friday, 3 — 7 p.m; Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 to 6 p.m.; and Monday, 7 to 9 a.m.
