Tis the season — the season to begin packing your shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, that is.

Parkway Baptist Church has served as the drop-off center in our area the week before Thanksgiving for the last ten years.  The number of boxes processed out of our drop-off center has increased every year and we want this year to be no exception!

We always need volunteers at Parkway to help us consolidate the shoeboxes into shipping cartons and further transit. Many churches and organizations around the area, pack shoeboxes every year at this time for Operation Christmas Child.

What a blessing this is to all of those that participate in packing a simple shoebox. Many people collect items all year long to go into these boxes and be a part of this act of giving. From children to seniors, people pack shoebox gifts each year to bless children in need around the world.

Parents often use this project to teach their children about giving. Teachers can use OCC as an opportunity to learn about and pray for children of other cultures, languages and world religions.

Choose one of the destination countries to study. Research the customs, flag, geography and current events. Invite someone from one of the countries to make a presentation to your class.

You can make an eternal impact. God can use you to help change a child’s eternity.

Each shoebox gift you pack gives churches throughout the world an opportunity to share the Gospel with those they might not otherwise meet. You can be a part of what God is doing in these communities through Operation Christmas Child. Individual students, youth groups, student organizations, Christian schools and homeschoolers all can get involved in this life-changing effort. Thousands of volunteers serve annually inspecting and preparing shoeboxes for international shipping.

Long before shoeboxes arrive in more than 100 countries, volunteer national leadership teams train pastors and community leaders who want to share the message of the Gospel and bless children. The leaders learn how to host child-friendly outreach events and how to implement “The Greatest Journey” follow-up discipleship program.

Pastors around the world host shoebox distributions in places where people may not know Christ and invite them to follow Him. Other churches use the boxes as resources for outreach in orphanages and other at-risk areas.

God is using “The Greatest Journey” to raise up an army of young evangelists around the world to transform entire communities through the Gospel. Your church or organization can join in this exciting program and see little ones reaching out for Christ in your area. As a result of what they learn in “The Greatest Journey,” boys and girls grow in Christ and share with friends and family.

The students also invite others to their graduations where the Gospel is shared. This often brings parents, siblings and friends to accept Christ and become active members in the local church. Families are reached, churches grow, new churches are started and communities are transformed.

In Natchez, Parkway Baptist Church serves as our drop-off location for shoeboxes and has for the last ten years.  Collection week is Nov. 13-20 this year.

If you would like more information about getting a shoebox packing party started in your group or church or would like to volunteer, contact Diane Lazarus at dianelazarus@cableone.net, Beth Ann Dudley at bethdudley@bellsouth.net, Mary Harris at Marylah1973@yahoo.com or Beverly Laurant at shoeboxes4occ@gmail.com.

Any of these ladies would be honored to come speak with your church or organization or give you information on how you can help.
Beth Dudley is a team member of the Natchez Drop Off Center for Operation Christmas Child.