If You Could Change the Life of a Child, Would You?

For more than two decades, Marco Presbyterian Church has been helping local residents put faith into action through Operation Christmas Child, an international outreach of Samaritan’s Purse. This year, the effort is expanding as Goodland Baptist Church, The Family Church, United Church of Marco Island and New Life Community Church join Marco Church in collecting shoebox gifts.

Together, the churches hope to collect and ship more than 2,000 shoeboxes to children in need.

Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies, hygiene items, and other gifts to children around the world since 1993. This year, more than 4,700 locations across the United States will collect shoebox gifts during National Collection Week, November 16–20.

At Marco Church, the project has become much more than an annual collection. Each year, church members purchase items throughout the summer and fall in preparation for a packing party. Tables are filled with toys, school supplies, clothing, hygiene items, crafts, and other gifts, and people of all ages come together to pack the boxes.

For many participants, the packing party has become a cherished tradition—an opportunity not only to give a child a tangible gift, but also to share the hope of Jesus.

Over the years, the outreach has continued to grow as members of the community have discovered creative ways to participate. In recent years, Marco Church has received donations of handmade items specifically for the packing party, providing another meaningful way for people to express their love for others.

Since Operation Christmas Child began in 1993, Samaritan’s Purse reports that more than 244 million gift-filled shoeboxes have been delivered to children around the world. The boxes reach children in some of the most difficult-to-reach places, including remote communities, densely populated cities, deserts, jungles, and areas where the Gospel has had little or no previous presence.

Shoeboxes can be packed for either a boy or girl in one of three age categories: two to four, five to nine, or 10–14.

Suggested items include:

Personal care items and school supplies

Clothing and accessories

Crafts and activities

Fun toys, such as a soccer ball and pump or a stuffed animal

A personal note and photo

But the ministry doesn’t end when a child receives a shoebox.

Samaritan’s Purse partners with local churches and ministries around the world to provide opportunities for children who receive shoeboxes to learn more about Jesus and participate in follow-up discipleship. The organization says the ministry has also contributed to the growth of churches in communities where families have responded to the Gospel.

For local churches on Marco Island, the project provides a unique opportunity to work together to make a difference both materially and spiritually.

Marco Presbyterian Church serves not only as a local drop-off center but also as the central collection point for shoeboxes gathered by participating churches on Marco Island and along the corridor from State Road 951 to U.S. 41. After National Collection Week, the boxes are transported to a Collier County collection site before continuing their journey by tractor-trailer to Samaritan’s Purse.

How to Participate

Anyone can participate in Operation Christmas Child. Empty shoeboxes are available at participating churches, or individuals can use a sturdy shoebox they already have at home.

Fill the box with gifts appropriate for a boy or girl in one of the three age groups and return it to a participating church by Sunday, November 22. For those who prefer to participate online, Samaritan’s Purse also offers a Build a Box option. For a suggested donation of $30, participants can select items to create a shoebox gift that will be packed and delivered on their behalf.

To learn more or build a box online, visit marcochurch.com and click on the “Operation Christmas Child” link on the homepage.

For more information about Operation Christmas Child, visit

samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/endsoftheearth/.

Marco Presbyterian Church is located at 875 West Elkcam Circle. For more information, visit marcochurch.com or call 239-394-8186.

This Christmas, a simple shoebox can carry far more than a collection of gifts. For a child somewhere around the world, it can be a tangible reminder that someone cares—and an opportunity to hear the message of hope found in Jesus.