A Joplin church, as well as one in Miami, Okla., will continue an annual Christmas event next week that touches lives around the world. Operation Christmas Child gets under way Monday at Forest Park Baptist in Joplin and Immanuel Baptist in Miami.
OCC is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief organization headed by Franklin Graham. Anyone wishing to contribute may simply pack shoe boxes with school supplies, toys, necessity items and candy and turn them into one of the two churches. The boxes are then transported to regional distribution centers, where they are distributed worldwide in time for Christmas.
“Each individual gets one box packaged for either girls or boys in age groups of 2 to 4, 5 to 9 or 10 to 14,” said Kerry Lohman, Immanuel Church clerk and Sunday school teacher. “In addition, we include in every box a Jesus booklet, which tells the story of Christ in terms that children can understand.”
Times to turn in boxes at Forest Park, located at Seventh and Range Line, are from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday as well as Friday, 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. Sunday. Collection times at Immanuel, 228 H St. SE, are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to noon Saturday and 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.
Anyone needing more information may call Forest Park at 623-4606 and ask for Pastor Brock Cummins or Immanuel Baptist at 918-542-4241 and ask for Lohman.
Betty Montgomery, administrative assistant to Cummins, estimated the OCC drive began at Forest Park about 12 or 13 years ago. This marks the fifth year for the effort at the Miami church.
“It has been a successful project,” Lohman said. “The first year we got involved we just collected 200 to 300 boxes and last year we received around 850, which was 200 more than the year before. We mostly have area churches involved but we also get some boxes from individuals as well as teachers bringing them over from schools.”
Lohman added that this is not just a Baptist project. In fact, before Immanuel took it over, collection sites were located at a number of different Miami locations, including a Christian bookstore.
“When we started, we had eight relay centers for Tulsa and now we have 19,” Lohman said.
The boxes are taken from Miami to a Tulsa collection center, then transferred to a regional site in Denver, Colo., where the final processing takes place. After the boxes are checked in at Denver to make sure there is nothing inappropriate or breakable, they are transported to ships, which make the final delivery.
“Once arriving at the destination in country, they are delivered by trucks, boats, camels, wagons, caravans, horses and even bicycles,” Lohman said.
Although OCC is a big part of the ministry of Samaritan’s Purse, it is just one of many. The nondenominational evangelical Christian humanitarian organization works worldwide to meet the physical and spiritual needs of people suffering from war, poverty disaster, disease, famine and persecution.
Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, took over as the Samaritan’s Purse president from Bob Pierce in 1979. Pierce, who founded the ministry in 1970, died in 1978.
International headquarters are in Boone, N.C., with additional U.S. facilities in Charlotte and North Wilkesboro, N.C. Affiliate offices are in Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Field offices are in some 20 countries across five continents.
As you might guess, the name is taken from the biblical story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37, where Jesus uses an unlikely example to teach people how to love their neighbors. This year Samaritan’s Purse hopes to deliver eight million shoe boxes through the OCC program.
“This is a wonderful project,” Lohman said. “Americans do a lot of great things but this touches individual children, and the good thing is that it touches the whole family.”
Address correspondence to Rich Brown, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, MO 64802 or e-mail rbrown@joplinglobe.com.
Worship
Related Photos
Discussion
Rich Brown: Churches organize annual drive for kids worldwide
- Worship
-
-
Cowboy church offers non-traditional Bible camp
Vacation Bible school gets under way in full force at Joplin area churches next month, but one congregation offers an alternative. How about Horsemanship and Bible camp?
-
David Yount: Christians still await return of Jesus
Unlike ourselves, the earliest Christians lived in imminent expectation of the consummation of history, when Jesus would return to usher in the kingdom of God. They thought heaven was right around the corner. This expectation explains their fervor.
-
Craig Tally: Today’s idols not as visible, still strong
The early nation of Israel existed in a time when people of differing tribes worshiped multiple gods. They fashioned idols to portray these gods, their features and their powers.
-
Four camps scheduled in Joplin to help children deal with tornado experience
Nearly one year later, emotional scars remain from the disastrous Joplin tornado, and children are no exception.
-
Doctors in danger: Joplin author recalls growing up on the mission field
The year was 1937. Mao Tse-tung and his soldiers were marching north as part of the Communist takeover of China, and nothing would stand in their way -- the least of whom would be 7-year-old Garland Bare, his missionary parents or the three other Bare children.
-
Terry Mattingly: Tension builds between women, Vatican
Truth is, tensions have been building for decades between the LCWR leadership and Vatican leaders. Thus, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith missive stressed that its call for reform was built on a lengthy study of materials created by “a particular conference of major superiors and therefore does not intend to offer judgment on the faith and life of Women Religious in the member congregations.”
- Church briefs (May 12 on)
-
Craig Tally: Parenting ideal for understanding idolatry
It is generally believed that idolatry is wrong because of its connection to polytheism. However, the matter of having more than one god is the subject of the First Commandment, which clearly states that we are to have no other gods.
-
Nazarenes build three homes for tornado-stricken families
The latest effort, spearheaded by the Joplin District Church of the Nazarene in Carthage, which has jurisdiction over 77 congregations in Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas, has come in the form of three new Joplin homes.
-
David Yount: Bible’s length daunts many
The Bible can be a source of strength for young and old alike. But the challenge every reader of the Bible encounters at the outset is that it is formidable in length -- my copy runs to 1,862 pages of tiny type -- and, to all appearances, lacks a coherent plot.
- More Worship Headlines
-
Cowboy church offers non-traditional Bible camp
Syrian Boy Speaks Out, Survives Family Massacre
Judge Tells John Edwards Jury: Keep Deliberating
House Rejects Sex-selection Abortion Ban
Bush, Obama on Stage Together Share Laughs
SpaceX Dragon Returns to Earth
Warming Gas Levels Hit 'Troubling Milestone'
Youngest-ever Speller Disappointed by Mistake
2 American Tourists Kidnapped in Egypt
Chen Guangcheng: 'Historic Transition' in China
New York City Seeks Big Drink Ban
Los Angeles Bans Plastic Grocery Bags
Raw Video: SpaceX Dragon Leaves Space Station
Police: Gunman Kills 5, Self in Seattle
Experts: Americans Must Prepare for Storm Season
Forest Fire Becomes New Mexico's Largest Ever
Montreal Police: Mailed Body Parts From Same Man
Facebook Expands Campus As Stock Shrinks
