Churches unite for Operation Christmas Child collection
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (Nov. 28, 2022) – Area churches are displaying their generosity for others in need across the globe.
New Philadelphia First Christian Church Pastor Jim Borton says families there recently came together to pack shoeboxes with gifts for the Samaritan’s Purse organization’s Operation Christmas Child program.
“This is a tangible way to make a difference,” Borton said. “A lot of our folks, they do this with their kids.”
Borton says the boxes go everywhere.
“They go to the Pacific Islands, they go to the Far East, to Africa, to eastern Europe, they go all over the world,” he said.
Borton says his church delivered 119 boxes to the New Philadelphia Nazarene Church, which is spearheading the collection, helping that church surpass its 3,000-box goal.
“We were just the ones lucky enough to be at the end where the victory was, not at the beginning where they were just starting,” said Borton. “Our folks got to celebrate with them.”
He says the boxes could be stuffed with small toys, hygiene items, school supplies, and more.
“You kind of have to become a packing engineer to make sure you get everything in the box,” he said.