Time to fill shoebox gifts for Christmas

As the area coordinator for the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child North San Diego County Area Team, I wanted to thank all those who packed shoeboxes for the OCC Ministry during the 2021 collection season in the surrounding Fallbrook and Bonsall areas.

Over 3,100 individual shoeboxes were packed by the generous donors in our local area and were processed through the Drop-Off Location at CrossWay Community Church on South Stage Coach Lane.

The Samaritan’s Purse Project OCC collects shoebox gifts filled with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items and delivers them to children in need around the world to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way. For many of these children, the gift-filled shoebox is the first gift they have ever received. Last year, many of our collected shoeboxes were delivered to the Philippines, Ecuador, Samoa and Ukraine.

There is still time for those who desire to participate in this year’s collection season. This is an excellent opportunity for those organizations or individuals that want to be part of a service project. If anyone would like to pack a shoebox and needs more information, feel free to contact me at [email protected] or call my mobile phone at 703-395-0608.

The National Collection Week is scheduled for the Nov. 14-21 period and all shoeboxes may be dropped off at the CrossWay Community Church again this year.

It is an honor and privilege to work with so many kind and generous donors in our local communities.

Ed Langston