OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
When: National collection week Nov. 13-20
Where: Local drop-off locations are First Baptist Church, 1333 N. Third St., Wylie Methodist Church. 3430 Antilley Road, and Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, 701 S. Pioneer Drive. First Baptist Church, Sweetwater, Church of the Nazarene, Hamlin, Mountain Top Church, Cisco, and First Baptist Church, Ballinger also are drop-off locations. 
Contact: Area coordinator is Naomi Wood. For more information or to request materials, contact Wood at 325-660-5633 or abileneareaocc@gmail.com. 
More information about Operation Christmas Child: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

By Loretta Fulton

Churches in Abilene and the surrounding area will be among the 4,500 locations that will collect shoeboxes full of goodies during the National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child.

Three Abilene churches, and several in the area, will be collecting the boxes during the week of Nov. 13-20. The boxes are filled with school supplies, personal care items and toys that will be shipped to children worldwide. 

“We do have a new drop-off location at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church this year, which is exciting,” said Naomi Wood, a member of Wylie Methodist Church who serves as Abilene Area Coordinator. 

Pioneer Drive joins First Baptist Church and Wylie Methodist Church, longtime drop-off locations, in Abilene. (Drop-off schedule for each Abilene church is at the end of the article).

Operation Christmas Child was started in 1993 by Samaritan’s Purse. The organization expects to ship boxes to 11 million children in 2023. Wood asks that anyone who would like to volunteer with the project or join the prayer team contact her at abileneareaocc@gmail.com. 

“We never know what to expect, but we know that God is responsible for the harvest,” she said, “so we are just praying that hearts would be moved to pack shoeboxes this year, that those efforts would be multiplied, and that it would have a great impact in many children’s lives.” 

In 2022, the Abilene area collected 5,135 boxes. The goal this year is 5,500. Online boxes can be filled until Dec. 31 and be counted in this year’s total. The link to build a shoebox online is: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/buildonline/

You’ll find complete instructions on what is permitted and not permitted in a physical box and how to pack the box. You’ll also find under the online option, gift choices by gender and age range. 

A $10 donation is requested for both physical and online boxes to pay for shipping and for a discipleship program called “The Greatest Journey.” After receiving shoebox gifts, many children participate in the program. The 12-lesson course held at a local church teaches Bible stories and scripture memorization. The $25 charge for online boxes includes the $10 requested donation.

Drop-off locations and schedule

Wylie Methodist Church
Mon, Nov. 13: 12-5 p.m.
Tue, Nov. 14: 12-4 p.m. 
Wed, Nov. 15: 12-4 p.m. 
Thu, Nov. 16: 12-4 p.m. 
Fri, Nov. 17: 1-5 p.m.
Sat, Nov. 18: 10 a.m.-12 noon
Sat, Nov. 18: 1:30-4 p.m.
Sun, Nov. 19: 1:30-4 p.m. 
Mon, Nov. 20: 12-3:30 p.m. 
First Baptist Church
1333 N 3rd Street Abilene, TX 79601-5727
Mon, Nov. 13: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Mon, Nov. 13: 3-5 p.m.
Tue, Nov. 14: 10 a.m.-12 noon
Tue, Nov. 14: 3-5 p.m. 
Wed, Nov. 15: 2-5:30 p.m. 
Thu, Nov. 16: 10 a.m.-12 noon
Thu, Nov. 16: 3-5 p.m.
Fri, Nov. 17: 10 a.m.-12 noon
Fri, Nov. 17: 3-5 p.m.
Sat, Nov. 18: 10 a.m.-12 noon
Sun, Nov. 19: 1-3 p.m. 
Mon, Nov. 20: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 
Pioneer Drive Baptist Church
Mon, Nov. 13: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 
Tue, Nov. 14: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 
Wed, Nov. 15: 4-8 p.m. 
Thu, Nov. 16: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Fri, Nov. 17: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sat, Nov. 18: 12-3 p.m. 
Sun, Nov. 19: 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 
Mon, Nov. 20: 8 a.m.-12 noon

Loretta Fulton is creator and editor of Spirit of Abilene