Bloomington church joins global Operation Christmas Child mission

Image courtesy of Trinity Lutheran Church

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Trinity Lutheran Church is accepting donations for a gift box drive as a part of Samaritan’s Purse, a national organization’s Operation Christmas Child event. 

Samaritan’s Purse sends shoe boxes packed with gifts to children in foreign countries to provide them with holiday cheer and messages from the Church about Jesus Christ.

Each box can be filled with little goodies and a ‘Wow Gift,’ like a ball or stuffed animal. Drop-offs for the trackable gift boxes can be found throughout the country, and Bloomington’s Trinity Lutheran is a participant. 

“We did it because it’s a way to share the love of Christ through a shoebox,” Project lead and Trinity’s Operation Christmas Child coordinator Barb Wells said. “With Christmas, people are wanting to give, and so there are incredible stories with some of the children who’ve received them.”

Along with the gifts, kids are allowed to go through a program called ‘The Greatest Journey’ to learn more about Christianity and complete a course and earn a certificate. Wells noted that the experience is rewarding for many.

“We have project leader workshops and this year, a young man spoke who had received a gift and how much it changed his life, and now he’s here in the United States,” Wells said.

The project serves to serve kids between the ages of 2 to 14, separated into categories for appropriate gifts for each age and gender.

Toys, toiletries and other items are welcome, but lotions, beverages and items that cannot be shipped overseas are discouraged. 

“It’s one of our core values to be helping people, so either locally, in our state, in our country, but also globally,” Administrative assistant Tricia Walker said. “We feel this is the way that we can fill one of those values.”

Trinity Lutheran Church is accepting donations through Nov. 24, with more information found on their website.