’Tis the season and it’s time for Operation Christmas Child.

Collection week begins Monday and is Nov. 12-19 at First Baptist Church on N. Spring Street. Hours are Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday noon to 4 p.m., and Monday, Nov. 19 from 8 to 11 a.m.

Saint Thomas River Park Hospital and First Baptist Church Awana Children’s program already made donations after holding packing parties.

“Packing parties are so much fun and becoming more popular with groups and churches that collect small gifts all year long and then come together to pack them to send to over 160 countries through the Operation Christmas Child Samaritan project,” said Debbie Patterson, who coordinates Warren County’s Shoebox Ministry effort.

The hospital held its party Oct. 25. The hospital’s Patient Access Teams, with assistance from River Park CEO Dale Humphrey and his wife, purchased items and packed 150 shoeboxes. The goal was 100.

Awana ministry held one Nov. 4 with 65 children participating and packing over 100 boxes.

“The children each packed a box and then prayed over them,” said Patterson. “My heart melted and I was deeply touched hearing the prayers of the children as they prayed – asking God to bless each new friend that will receive their gifts and they hope that Jesus will come into their hearts. Some of them asked for safety for the children and their families and that they will like the gifts in the box.”

The children placed letters in the boxes in hopes of receiving a response from the children who receive the gifts.

Suggested items to include:
• A “wow” item, such as a doll for a girl and a stuffed animal for a boy;
• Personal care items: comb, hairbrush, toothbrush, washcloth, bar soap;
• Clothing and accessories: shirts and pants, underwear, shoes and socks, flip-flops;
• Crafts and activity items: pencils, small manual pencil sharpener, colored pencils, crayons, markers;
•Toys: foam ball, finger puppets, slinky, Etch A Sketch;

• You may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself, your family, or group. If you include your name and an address, the child may be able to write back.

Do not include candy, toothpaste, used or damaged items, war-related items such as toy guns, knives, or military figures, chocolate or food, seeds, fruit rolls or other fruit snacks, drink mixes (powdered or liquid), liquids or lotions, medications or vitamins, breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers, or aerosol cans.

Since 1933, the Samaritan’s Purse Project, Operation Christmas Child, has collected and delivered more than 124 million gift-filled shoeboxes to underprivileged children in more than 150 countries and territories.