Dear Editor:
Operation Christmas Child National Collection Week 2024 has come and gone. Another amazing year of shoebox collection transpired at the Trinity Baptist drop-off location in Keystone Heights.
Joyful giving aptly describes our Lake Area. I clearly saw this through Operation Christmas Child, an evangelistic ministry of Samaritan’s Purse. I am the team leader for the Keystone Heights central drop-off location. The 2024 global goal is 12 million shoeboxes filled with school supplies, hygiene items and fun toys. Shoebox gifts have been delivered to over 170 countries since 1993. The incredible number of 5,933 shoeboxes poured in locally to bless poor children all around the world! Five other drop-off locations for the Santa Fe region also transported their cartons of shoeboxes to us. The grand total amounted to 15,665 shoeboxes! After inspection at the Atlanta Processing Center, these gift boxes will be delivered overseas. Through the “Follow Your Box” tracking system, we already know that some of our shoeboxes will be delivered to Cameroon, Honduras, Democratic Republic of Congo, and hard-to-reach areas. An army of volunteers is required to pack, collect, inspect, and deliver shoeboxes to the delighted children, many of whom have never received any gift before.
I am thankful for each hand involved locally in this worldwide ministry. I am always thrilled to see the donors come in with exciting testimonies. Our community unequivocally rises to the occasion. Stores and restaurants advertised with colorful posters. Starke Beall’s Outlet Store donated empty shoeboxes to wrap and pack. Red and green decorative OCC shoeboxes were offered at Clyde’s Cozy Corner Café and Johnny’s Bar-B-Q. Johnny’s famous sign shared the location and dates for the collection of the gift boxes.
McDonald’s once again donated Happy Meal toys as fillers. Ladies crocheted hats and purses. Handmade, embroidered dresses found their way into some shoeboxes. Hundreds of handmade, wooden cars and even some yo-yos added fun to the gift boxes. The Lake Region Monitor published photos and articles. forty-two volunteers served to collect, count and cartonize the shoeboxes at the drop-off over eight days. Strong men loaded 407 cartons onto three semi-trailers. Deserving recognition are the 34 churches and Christian ministries, two civic groups, and 13 individuals and families who joyfully packed the shoeboxes. They came from 13 locations: Gainesville, Hampton, Hawthorne, Jacksonville, Keystone Heights, LaCrosse, Lawtey, Melrose, Middleburg, Penney Farms, Raiford, Starke, and Waldo.
Moments of reflection with prayer were offered as each individual or group came in with their gift boxes. It did not matter if it was one box or 100 boxes; we prayed over each and every one because each gift box represents one child who will receive it and also hear the good news of Jesus Christ.
Sacrificial donors, you did another marvelous job! You are helping to change the lives of 5,933 boys and girls, ages 2-14. Our global world has allowed us to touch the lives of many children in desperate need of hope. Many emails were received this year from recipients of shoeboxes living in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Southeast Asia, and South Sudan. Liam in Cote d’Ivoire shared, “It is with joy I received my gift. I still have my shoebox. I guard it carefully.” Praise’s father in Cote d’Ivoire shared, “It is with love we received the wonderful treasure.”
We are the hands and feet of Jesus when we give these amazing gifts. Pray for the children who will receive our shoeboxes packed in 2024. Imagine the looks of awe as the children open these treasure boxes! Whenever the shoeboxes arrive, it is Christmas! We celebrate each beautiful shoebox packed in this region with a caring heart. A sincere thank you from my heart to each donor. Merry Christmas!
So very grateful,
Diane Michel
Team Leader Keystone Heights Central Drop-off Location
Operation Christmas Child
