Two churches in Ellis County will be among 5,000 U.S. drop-off locations collecting shoebox gifts for needy children overseas during Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week, Nov. 18 to 25.

Drop-off times and dates at the two Hays churches, Messiah Lutheran and CrossPoint church, are listed below.

Operation Christmas Child is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, a disaster relief organization headquartered in Boone, N.C.  Each year thousands of individuals pack shoeboxes with toys, school supplies and personal hygiene items to distribute to needy children around the world.

For many of the children, this shoebox is the first gift they have ever received.

The Samaritan’s Purse project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God’s love to children in need.  In 2018 more than 10.6 million shoeboxes were collected worldwide, with more than 6,800 of those collected in Northwest Kansas. 

This year’s drop-off days and hours are listed below:

Messiah Lutheran Church

2000 Main St., Hays

Operating Hours:

Monday, Nov. 18, [4-6 p.m.]

Tuesday, Nov. 19, [11 a.m.-1 p.m.]

Wednesday, Nov. 20, [11 a.m.-1 p.m.]

Thursday, Nov. 21, [11 a.m.-1 p.m.]

Friday, Nov. 22, [4-6 p.m.]

Saturday, Nov. 23, [Noon-2 p.m.]

Sunday, Nov. 24, [Noon-2 p.m.]

Monday, Nov. 25, [9-11 a.m.]

CrossPoint Church

1300 Harvest Road, Hays

Operating Hours:

Monday, Nov. 18, [11 a.m.-1 p.m.]

Tuesday, Nov. 19, [3-5 p.m.]

Wednesday, Nov. 20, [4-6 p.m.]

Thursday, Nov. 21, [3-5 p.m.]

Friday, Nov. 22, [11 a.m.-1 p.m.]

Saturday, Nov. 23, [4-6 p.m.]

Sunday, Nov. 24, [4-6 p.m.]

Monday, Nov. 25, [9-11 a.m.]

Participants can find gift ideas at www.samaritanspurse/occ. Those packing boxes are asked to donate $9 to pay the box’s shipping fee overseas.  Participants may do this in one of two ways: 

They may place the $9 inside their shoebox gift before taking it to the drop-off site. Or, they can donate the $9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination.

Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.

More information about Operation Christmas Child is available from Rachel Albin, Northwest Kansas coordinator, at (785) 639-1325 or [email protected]. 

— Submitted