The promise of spreading joy to millions of children around the world has many local residents scurrying to find that special item to fill a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child, one of the world’s largest Christmas projects.

    Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to more than 124 million children in more than 150 countries and territories.

    During National Collection Week, Nov. 16-23, locations in the Meridian area will serve as collection sites where residents, families, churches and groups can bring their filled shoeboxes for the annual Samaritan’s Purse project.

    Each location will collect shoeboxes filled with a “wow” item like a doll or soccer ball, other fun toys, school supplies, hygiene items, and notes of encouragement.

    Bubba and Cathy Knight, coordinators for the Fifteenth Avenue Baptist Church site, said this is the fourth year their church has served as one of the local relay stations.

    “Last year we had over 4,000 boxes that came to our church,” Cathy Knight said. “We pack them in large cartons, and take them to Decatur, where they are put on 18 wheelers going to Atlanta. When they get to the Atlanta warehouse they are processed out to different countries around the world.”

    Knight said the goal for their church this year is 600 boxes.

    “We do still have some go boxes, that are already made up,” she said. “If someone wants to come by the church, they can come pick up a list of what goes in it, and bring it back to the church by the deadline.”

    “As they come in we pray over them, and send them on their way,” Knight said.

    There are hundreds of stories on how the contents of the box meet the exact needs of the recipient, she said.

    “One of my favorites is about the little widow woman in Bosnia that had just given birth to twins, a girl and boy,” Knight said. “One of the volunteers was passing out shoeboxes to the children, in the children’s ward, and someone asked if they could do something for the widow. There was only one box left, and inside that box was one pink, and one blue layette. The Lord just has a beautiful way of matching up those needs,” she said.

    Knight said the contents of the boxes are never touched.

    “If the boxes are bulging as we are collecting and packing them, we just try to pull them together,” Knight said. “We never, never touch the contents of the shoebox, because we call that the “integrity” of the shoebox, the exact one the Lord has made just for some recipient.”

    Once the shoeboxes reach Atlanta, material about the story of Jesus and the plan of salvation will be included, Knight said.

    “Bro. Graham does a wonderful job of making sure the material is included,” Knight said. “The material will be in the language of the country where the shoebox is going. The box touches not only the child that receives it, but the whole family.”

    Countries receiving shoeboxes this year include Angola, Belize, Burina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Mali, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia.

    Other area collections sites include:

    • Newton County Baptist Association – Decatur – 14288 Hwy. 15 S.

    • DeKalb United Methodist Church -194 Church St.

    • Scott County Baptist Association – Forest – 415 E. Third St.

    • First Baptist Church – Collinsville – 9241 Hwy 19 N.

    • Trinity Baptist Church – Carthage – 208 Oakhill Drive

    • East Philadelphia Baptist Church – 635 E. Main St.

    Ideas for a shoebox include:

    • Soccer ball with pump, stuffed animal, toys (puppets, trucks, dolls, musical instruments, outfit, shoes, yo-yos, jump ropes, balls, toys that light up and make noise (with extra batteries).

    • School supplies: pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons, markers,     notebooks, paper. solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.

    • Non-liquid hygiene Items: toothbrushes, bar soap, combs, washcloths.

    • Accessories: T-shirts, socks, hats, sunglasses, hair clips, jewelry, watches, flashlights, (with extra batteries).

    •Crafts: Make your own items such as hair bows, finger puppets, and     friendship bracelets.

    The following items are not accepted for the shoeboxes: used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives, or military figures; chocolate or food; out-of-date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers and aerosol cans.