Hays Post

In November several locations in the multi-county Northwest Kansas Area Region, which includes Hays, will serve as drop-off sites for the Samaritan’s Purse project, Operation Christmas Child.

During the project’s National Collection Week, Nov. 13 – 20, Hays residents will transform empty shoeboxes into gifts of hope filled with school supplies, hygiene items and fun toys.

Operation Christmas Child will deliver these shoebox gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine.

Rachel Albin, northwest Kansas area coordinator, said the northwest team will not know where the boxes will be going until after collection week. In years past, boxes from this area have gone to Mexico.

However, Operation Christmas Child boxes were distributed to children living in third-world conditions in 104 countries last year. Many of the children live in orphanages and may have lost both parents.

“It is not just a gift,” Albin said. “It may be the only gift they have received. A speaker came to Hays a few weeks ago who had received a box. It was her first gift. They may not celebrate birthdays and had no Christmas presents. They may have never had a present before.”

Albin said she has heard several people speak about receiving Operation Christmas Child boxes.

“They have said it makes a huge difference, knowing that someone oceans away packed a box just for them,” she said. “They have stated is shows they are loved and gives them hope someone cares about them.”

Operation Christmas Child also shares a Gospel message with the children, and they can opt into a 12-week discipleship course in which they learn about having a personal relationship with Jesus.

Visit Operation Christmas Child’s website for suggestions of what to buy, how to pack the box and information on tracking your box. For a $9 donation toward shipping, Operation Christmas Child will send you a shipping label for your box, which you can use to track your box via the Internet.

A standard cardboard shoe box or a plastic shoe box are both OK for packing the items. Hobby Lobby is marketing green and red plastic shoe boxes specifically for Operation Christmas Child. Literature on the program is available at their stores, and the stores have marked certain merchandise as good items to pack in the boxes.

Albin and the website noted several items that should not be placed in the boxes. These include toothpaste, candy, any type of food, breakables, liquids like lotions, seeds, vitamins and any toy or item that could be war-related, such as a knives, toy guns or military figurines.

Albin suggested including at least one of what OCC refers to as a WOW item. This could be a stuffed animal, a jump rope or a deflated soccer ball. The organization suggests you remove any packing to maximize space reduce the trash. Balls should be deflated and can be wrapped in tape to maximize space. An air pump should also be included. A water bottle could be filled with pencils or other items.

This year, the Northwest Kansas Area Team hopes to contribute more than 6,480 shoebox gifts toward the 2017 global goal of reaching 12 million children.

“We are honored to join the nationwide effort to collect gift-filled shoeboxes for children who may have never experienced the true meaning of Christmas,” said Regional Director Joe Christian. “Through these simple gifts and a message of hope, children learn that God loves them and has not forgotten them.”

Operation Christmas Child will have a ribbon cutting sponsored by the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce  to kick off collection week at 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13 at Messiah Lutheran Church.

See a list below of all the regional collection sites and times.

Hays – Messiah Lutheran Church

2000 Main St.

Hays, KS 67601-2938

Mon, Nov. 13: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Tue, Nov. 14: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Wed, Nov. 15: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Thu, Nov. 16: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Fri, Nov. 17: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Sat, Nov. 18: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Sun, Nov. 19: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Mon, Nov. 20: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM