Collection week about to start for Operation Christmas Child
Collection week is about to start at Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Smithfield for Operation Christmas Child’s Love in a Shoebox, a international ministry that sends gifts to children who live in desperate situations.
The public will be able to drop off gift-filled shoeboxes Nov. 14-21 at Mount Moriah, located at 30 Church St. The schedule is noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 14-18, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 19; noon to 3 p.m. Nov. 20 and 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 21.
This is the 11th year the church is serving as the collection center for the Laurel Highlands Collection Network, which handles Fayette, Westmoreland and Somerset counties. Mount Moriah collects shoeboxes from residents in the surrounding area but also receives shoeboxes from relay centers through the district which are then taken to the national processing center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In 2015, Mount Moriah collected 11,859 shoeboxes, an increase of nearly 800 boxes from the previous year.
Mina Brown, collection center coordinator, said, “The Mid-Atlantic Region has a goal this year of 1,255,255 shoeboxes. The Laurel Highlands didn’t set a separate goal. We’re just happy to get as many as we can and do better than last year. The Mid-Atlantic Region had a 11.6 percent increase in shoeboxes in 2015. We did really well.”
Operation Christmas Child is part of Samaritan’s Purse. The ministry asks people to donate shoeboxes filled with gifts, such as hard candy, small toys, clothing and school supplies to children around the world who are in desperate situations, including famine, flood and war. The ministry also gives each child a Gospel in his or her own language with each shoebox and missionaries invite the children to participate in a Bible study.
Collection times for other area centers are:
Fayette City Alliance Church, Fayette City: 2 to 4 p.m. Nov. 14, 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 15, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 16, noon to 2 p.m. Nov. 17, 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 18, 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 19, noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 20, 8 to 10 a.m. Nov. 21.
World Christian Outreach Ministries, Connellsville: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 14-18, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 19, 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 20, 8 to 10 a.m. Nov. 21.
Clinton Church of God, Normalville: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 14-18, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 19, 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 20, 7 to 9 a.m. Nov. 21.
Oak View United Methodist Church, Waynesburg: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 14-16, 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 17, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 18, noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 19, noon to 2 p.m. Nov. 20, 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 21.More information is available at www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child.