By B.C. Manion
The volunteers were busy.
Some were folding flat cardboard forms into boxes.
Others were moving from table to table, filling the shoe boxes with goodies.
Tables throughout the room were loaded with stuff to fill up the boxes. There were mounds of toys, stacks of school supplies and piles of toiletries.
The gathering, at Van Dyke United Methodist Church in Lutz, was part of Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse.
Each year since 1993, volunteers have been helping to bring Christmas joy and the Gospel to children around the globe.
This year, the project expects to hit a major milestone —surpassing 100 million shoe boxes distributed since the project began.
“Each of these boxes is so important to share the Gospel message with those who have never had a relationship with Jesus Christ,” Jon Brigner told the volunteers.
Julie Brigner added, “We’re doing a really special project. These boxes are going where Christianity is not welcome.”
The Brigners are the area coordinators for West Coast Florida for Operation Christmas Child.
“This is our 14th year involved in the project,” Jon said. “We started out packing shoe boxes.”
But the couple has also seen the joy that recipients experience when they receive the Gospel, as well as the boxes filled with gifts. They witnessed that when they traveled to Uganda, where they helped distribute 10,000 gift boxes, Jon said.
At the packing event at Van Dyke United Methodist, volunteers were packing boxes that could not contain any references to the Gospel.
“We can’t have anything that screams Jesus,” Julie said. In these cases, missionaries deliver the Gospel message directly, as they distribute the boxes, she said.
Operation Christmas Child is a project that goes on all year.
The ministry has several components. It involves various teams, such as prayer mobilization, collection, church relations, community relations, media relations and leadership.
The boxes that are packed are gender and age specific, with boxes assembled for children ages 2 to 4, 5 to 9 and 10 to 14.
Operation Christmas Child National Collection Week is scheduled for Nov. 12 through Nov. 19 this year.
—Follow B.C. Manion on Twitter: @BCManionLaker
Want to help?
There are many ways that people can get involved. For more information, call Jon Brigner at (813) 727-9484 or Julie Brigner, (813) 727-5549. For additional information, visit www.samaritanspurse.org or call (800) 353-5949.
Some gift suggestions:
—School supplies, including pens, pencils, pencils sharpeners, crayons, markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books
—Toys, including small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump rumps, toys that light up or make noises (with extra batteries)
—Hygiene items, including toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth
—Miscellaneous items, including T-shirts, socks, ball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)
Do not contribute damaged items, war or weapons related toys, food, outdated candy, chocolate, liquids, lotions, medications, vitamins, breakable items, aerosol cans.
Local shoe box filling event
Her Way of Networking is sponsoring a local shoe box filling event.
When: 11:30 a.m. Nov. 6
Where: Organic Life Coffee, 1900 Oak Grove Blvd., Lutz
What: At least 20 shoe boxes will be filled. Donations of gift items are welcome to help fill the boxes.
