LAKE FOREST – Millions of children from impoverished countries will be receiving gifts for the first time thanks to Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child – the “world’s largest Christmas project of its kind.”
“The most rewarding part is knowing that we’re providing a chance for children in underprivileged nations to experience the joy of receiving their first gift, as they are often victims of war or disease,” said Karen Jensen, fourth year relay center coordinator for Christ Church, Lake Forest. “The point is that we can provide them with a gift of love.”
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The organization has been sending gift items in shoeboxes to 135 million children in more than 150 countries since its inception in 1993.
Jensen explained that the relay center has designated hours for National Collection Week from Monday, November 14 through Monday, November 21 where other organizations and churches can drop-off the filled shoeboxes. “It’s like a relay race where you’re passing the baton,” she said. “The people bring the shoebox to me, I put them in cartons, on a U-Haul or Budget truck and transport them on Monday, November 21 to our Grayslake facility, and we usually fill about six semis with shoeboxes before they go up to our distribution center in Minnesota.”
In addition to the distribution center in Minnesota, there are several others throughout the United States. Jensen said the centers open the boxes to make sure there are no liquids, breakables, candy and food items or war-related toys.
Jensen’s suggestions for a “wow toy,” would be a larger item like a doll or a football along with well-needed smaller personal hygiene items. She also offered an important tip, “The integrity of the box is from the heart, as it came from the person who filled the box. We want to preserve the love that went into that to go to the children, so if you just decorate the lid, you can access the box without destroying the decorations.”
In addition to age and gender related gifts, there’s always room for school supplies. “We’ve heard stories of children who’ve received these boxes and were actually able to go to school, because they wouldn’t have been able to attend without pens, pencils and notebook paper,” said Sarah Metraus, media relations coordinator for Samaritan’s Purse.
Metraus explained that this year the Minneapolis processing center will send shoeboxes to Tanzania, Zambia, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe, as one of eight processing centers in the United States that ship overseas.
A total of 11.2 million shoeboxes were sent from Operation Christmas Child last year. “The United States sent about 8.7 million of those shoeboxes, and we also had shoeboxes sent from the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and Canada,” she added.
Metraus encourages interested donors to make it an event by going shopping with friends and family to select gifts. She recommended that people write notes including an email and home address. Some people also include a photo. “We’ve had people get letters back from children who’ve received the boxes,” said Metraus. “It’s been really impactful for people to get a handwritten letter from a child.”
Metraus said there’s a tracking tool called Follow Your Box on the Operation Christmas Child website and those who choose to pay the seven dollar shipping fee online can print out a checking label that will include the age group of the child to attach on the box. Participants will be notified by email which country the box was sent to.
“These boxes have made an eternal impact on a lot of children who have become full-circle volunteers who received a shoebox when they were young and now they go around the country and the world for Samaritan’s Purse showing what a difference the shoeboxes have made in their lives,” said Jensen.
National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child begins Monday, November 14. Below are the details of the two North Shore Locations:
Lake Forest – Christ Church
- 100 N. Waukegan Road
- Monday, Nov. 14: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Tuesday, Nov. 15: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, Nov.16: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Thursday, Nov. 17: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Friday, Nov. 18: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 19: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 20: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Monday, Nov 21: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Northbrook – Covenant Church
- 2737 Techny Road
- Monday, Nov. 14: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Tuesday, Nov. 15: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
- Wednesday, Nov. 16: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Thursday, Nov. 17: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Friday, Nov. 18: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 19: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Sunday, Nov. 20: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Monday, Nov 21: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sorting out gifts at the Charlotte processing center; photo credit: Samaritan’s Purse.
Gifts delivered by canoe in Madagascar; photo credit: Samaritan’s Purse.
Elephants in Zimbabwe deliver cartons of shoebox gifts; photo credit: Samaritan’s Purse.
Children delight in receiving shoebox gifts from Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child; photo credit: Samaritan’s Purse.