Operation Christmas Child, an organization that sends shoeboxes filled with gifts to underserved children overseas, has set a new goal this year.
Regional Church Relations Coordinator Wayne Benson said this year’s goal for the Mid-South region is one million and 50 thousand shoeboxes. Benson said the Upper Cumberland is one of the top-donating regions in the world. Benson said most of the Upper Cumberland’s donations come from small rural churches.
“With bigger towns, you would think, ‘Wow, you know, great big towns are gonna provide just a huge number,'” Benson said. “And sometimes that’s right, but oftentimes it’s the little rural backwoods churches and stuff that are really, really kicking it up.”
Benson said he feels confident that the region can hit the goal, as last year, the Mid-South region provided just short of a million shoeboxes. Operation Christmas Child will host a project workshop this Thursday in Crossville.
“Through the project leader workshops, we try to engage and equip, and really energize people about what they can do in their own church as far as bumping up the enthusiasm, you know, about giving and why we give and remembering why we give,” Benson said. “The shoebox is the how. That’s how we end up doing it. The why is really the gospel message that comes along with that.”
Benson said areas like Ukraine have been war-torn, and a good portion of kids have nothing. The shoeboxes come with personal needs items like food, hygiene products, and money. Benson also said personal letters are included to give the kids a glimmer of hope that things may get better.
“Oftentimes, the testimonies that come back from these people, you know, when they are adults, they were so moved by that gift,” Benson said. “But the one thing that really stands out was that personalized note or that picture of that family that really touches their heart. So it’s a glimpse of hope sometimes in a hopeless state for these kids. That’s why it’s so important.”
The workshop will be located at Central Baptist Church and will run from 6pm-8pm.
