'Operation Christmas Child' open all next week

Christmas is arriving early all over Washington as a local church prepares to serve as a collection point for Operation Christmas Child. Soon, with the help of local volunteers, First Baptist Church will be brimming with festively wrapped shoe boxes full of gifts.

Through Operation Christmas Child, the world's largest Christmas project, Washington residents are packing shoe box gifts for children in more than 100 countries suffering from natural disaster, war, terrorism, disease, famine, and poverty. From Washington, the shoe box gifts will be sorted and sent using whatever means necessary - sea containers, trucks, trains, airplanes, boats, camels, even dog sleds - to reach suffering children around the world.

"This is a great opportunity to teach kids in America about generosity, compassion and bringing hope to children living in difficult places around the world," said Chris Townsend, Operation Christmas Child relay center coordinator. "Those who help at the Washington drop-off location find it fun to watch as gift-filled shoe boxes stack up that have been donated by our generous community."

Operation Christmas Child uses tracking technology that allows donors to "follow your box" to the destination country where it will be hand-delivered to a child in need. To register shoe box gifts and find out what country they are delivered to, use the EZ Give donation form found at www.samaritanspurse.org.

Shoe boxes will be accepted at First Baptist November 16-20 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; on November 21 from 9 a.m.-noon; on November 22 from 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; and on November 23 from 9-11 a.m.

In 2008, the Washington area contributed hundreds of shoe box gifts to the Operation Christmas Child effort. This year, organizers hope to collect 700 gift-filled shoe boxes from families, kids, churches, schools and civic organizations in the area.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child, a project of international Christian relief and evangelism organization Samaritan's Purse, headed by Franklin Graham, has delivered more than 69 million gift-filled shoe boxes to needy children in some 130 countries.

Anyone interested is encouraged to fill shoe boxes with school supplies, toys, necessity items, hard candy and a letter of encouragement. Step-bystep shoe box packing instructions are available at www.samaritanspurse. org.

For more information, contact First Baptist Church at 706-678-2912, Operation Christmas Child at 770-777- 9342, or visit www.samaritanspurse. org. National Collection Week is November 16-23.