November 16-23 is National Collection Week!!
Each year, Middle River Baptist Church and the Child Development Center collect shoe boxes for Samaritan's Purse and its Operation Christmas Child ministry. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has sent over 178 million shoe boxes to more than 150 countries. Last year more than 10.5 million shoebox gifts were collected throughout Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Shoe boxes are packed with small toys, school supplies, small books, and other age appropriate things that children love. More importantly, they are packed with the love and prayers by the person packing the box (That's you and me!). As children receive their boxes, they also receive small, age appropriate Gospel books in their own languages, telling them of the love that Jesus Christ has for them. They also hear the Gospel from the missionaries who deliver the boxes.
The goal is not only to share the Gospel, but to make disciples and change lives through the ongoing teaching of The Greatest Journey, a dynamic follow-up discipleship course for shoebox recipients. Since 2009, 23.3 million children have enrolled in this 12-lesson program to learn how to follow Christ and share Him with others. More than 11.2 million of these boys and girls have made a decision to accept Jesus as their Savior during the course. Many are now praying for and sharing their faith with family and friends. As a result of this ever-expanding witness, new churches are starting and communities are being transformed!
Won't you help make a difference that will last throughout eternity? Instructions, packing labels, and coloring pages can be downloaded in the Resources and Links section on this page. Bring completed boxes to the CDC office on November 13 or bring them to worship on November 15.
Resources & links
Operation Christmas Child Home Page
pack a shoebox online!!
Visit the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child here for instructions to pack your box online.
Want to do more?
Come and volunteer!! This year, Middle River Baptist Church is an authorized drop-off location. Contact our office for contact information for our OCC coordinator.