OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

Samaritan’s Purse sends gift-filled Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to children in need around the world together with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
National Collection Week  Nov. 16–23, 2026
You can build a shoebox online year-round, but keep in mind that shoeboxes built after December 31 will not count in the current year’s shoebox total.
Where: Local drop-off locations are Wylie Methodist Church. 3430 Antilley Road, Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, 701 S. Pioneer Drive, and Trinity Baptist Church, 871 Woodlawn Drive. Drop-off locations also are available in several small towns within the Abilene Area. Click here for a drop-off locator map.
Contact: Abilene Area coordinator is Naomi Wood. For more information or to request materials, contact Wood at 325-660-5633 or email her at abileneareaocc@gmail.com
Click here for more information about Operation Christmas Child.
Click here for information on volunteering.
Click here for a link with instructions for packing a shoebox online.
Click here for gift suggestions by age range.

By Loretta Fulton

Halloween has barely past and Thanksgiving is still a few weeks weeks away, but it’s never to early for Naomi Wood to start thinking about Operation Chistmas Child.

Wood is a member of Wylie Methodist Church and is Abilene Area coordinator for Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse. National Collection Week is Nov. 16-23. Abilene has three churches that are serving as collection points.–Trinity Baptist, Pioneer Drive Baptist, and Wylie Methodist. for hours of collection. Click here for collection hours.

The goal this year for the Abilene area is 7,300 box, which would be a 5 percent increase over last year’s 6,932.

“It is always a joy to see all those precious Gospel Opportunities come rolling in,” Wood said. “We are excited to see how the Lord will provide in 2232 million boxes have been delivered to children in more than 100 countries 2026.”

This year, the project will be aid by students from all three universities in addition to all the other volunteer groups who assist.

The annual event began in 1993, and since then 244 million boxes have been delivered to children in more than 175 countries worldwide who otherwise might face a bleak Christmas.

Gifts are requested for age ranges 2–4, 5–9, or 10–‍14. Labels are also available online, as well as an online option for packing a virtual shoebox. Click here for a link with instructions for packing a shoebox online. One change this year for boxes packed locally is that soap is no longer permitted. Click here for gift suggestions.

In addition to the gifts, copies of “The Greatest Journey,” will be distributed. The follow-up discipleship program teaches children to follow Christ and tell others about him. Courses are taught by trained local volunteers. Children who complete the course receive a certificate and and their own Bible in their language. This year, “The Greatest Journey” will be available in 118 languages.

Loretta Fulton is creator and editor of Spirit of Abilene