Local churches helping children overseas

HATTIESBURG, MS - The world's largest Christmas project, Operation Christmas Child, uses gift-filled shoe boxes to portray God's love in a tangible way to children in need in every corner around the world.

Skip Bean, Collections Center Coordinator at Venture Church says, "Basically we want them (donators) to put one 'wow' item, which would be just a simple stuff animal, and school supplies, things like a pencil, paper, coloring book. These children do not kow these items exist until they received this shoebox."

Operation Christmas child has collected and delivered more than 124 million gift-filled shoe boxes to children in more than 150 countries, some of these kids even giving back as adults.

Bean says, "We have people come through that work for Samaritan's Purse, that are actually going around doing lectures and talks that were actually a child that at one point in time received a box. Then (the child) has gone through school, education, and talks about their time receiving the box."

Children are encouraged to participate because these donations go specifically towards someone their age.

Operation Christmas Child also offers a year-round opportunity to pack personalized shoeboxes online at samaritanspurse.org/occ.