Photo Provided People pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, a project by Samaritan’s Purse that sends gift-filled shoeboxes to children in need around the world.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Shoeboxes can be filled with gifts to send to children in need all around the world starting next week.

Operation Christmas Child is a program by Samaritan’s Purse that sends gift-filled shoeboxes to children with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, according to its website. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is “to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Through this project, Samaritan’s Purse partners with local churches worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nation.”

Area residents can pack a shoebox and drop it off at locations such as East Richland Evangelical Friends Church, 67885 Friends Church Road, St. Clairsville, to be sent to children.

The church will be collecting Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes starting next Monday through Nov. 25. Dropoff times differ — Monday from 10 a.m. to noon, Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Wednesday from 5-6 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 23 from 10 a.m. to noon, Nov. 24 from 9:30 a.m. to noon and Nov. 25 from 8-10 a.m. People can take shoeboxes to the foyer doors. Flat, foldable and pre-printed shoeboxes and labels will be available at the grand concourse at the church.

East Richland Friends Church has participated in Operation Christmas Child for many years and was designated as a dropoff site around 20 years ago.

Executive Director Pam Skivolocke said the church participates in many local outreach ministries but enjoys the foreign aspects this program has to offer. The church has many small groups and individual families that provide boxes every year, and more people can be a part of that number this year.

The Children’s Ministry at the church packs approximately 50 boxes as a group. The congregation will then pray over them before they are sent out. Skivolocke said as children decide what to put into boxes, they learn about the people and culture of the countries that boxes get sent to.

The church takes a truckload of 800-1,000 boxes to the Relevant Church at 52901 National Road, St. Clairsville, another collection site. It takes East Richland Friend Church’s boxes along with those from other dropoff locations to a distribution center in Boone, North Carolina.

“The ministry is hugely important as it can supply essentials for a child in need,” Skivolocke said, “and also allow them to feel love and kindness through a present sent from someone they’re never met and that might live on the other side of the world.”

Other dropoff locations in the local area include Shekinah Christian Fellowship, 45 W. Main St. in Barnesville and Scott Memorial United Methodist Church, 817 E. Market St. in Cadiz.

To pack, take any shoebox lying around or order a colorful one from Samaritan’s Purse, put a label on it that is available at East Richland Evangelical Friends Church or from the Samaritan’s Purse website and fill the shoebox with gifts, including toys, such as stuffed animals, personal care items, school supplies, clothing and accessories and crafts.

Samaritan’s Purse also wishes for people to pray over the shoebox for the child who will receive it, for their family to be receptive to the good news of Jesus Christ, the pastor of the church who delivers the shoebox and their community to be transformed by the Gospel.

Samaritan’s Purse also suggests donating $10 per box as it’s critical to cover evangelism materials, shipping and other project costs. People can donate online through the label options when getting a label for a box or looking at the different ways on the website.

People can track their labels by activating the label to see the destination of the shoebox. Some receiving countries include Albania, Belize, Finland, Guatemala, Hungary and Slovenia.

“This is a really good ministry,” Skivolocke said. “Pack a box this year and see where it goes to bless a child.”