Joyce Scammell in front of shoeboxes that will soon be filled, bringing joy to boys and girls around the world this holiday season.

Hub Staff

With Christmas just over 11 weeks away members of Shoreline Baptist Church in Port Elgin want to make sure children in third-world countries are given a special gift that they will open this holiday season. Operation Christmas Child (OCC), organized by the non-denominational Christian organization Samaritan’s Purse, whose goal is to bring relief and aid to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine; will be delivering special presents that fit inside shoeboxes to deserving children over the holidays.

Last year, members of Shoreline Baptist Church packed approximately 250 boxes that were sent off around the world. Some of the counties included in this year’s Shoebox program are Senegal, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Uruguay, Haiti and El Salvador.

Shoreline Baptist member and Shoebox organizer Joyce Scammell said before the congregation October 2, that in a trip to India last year which led her to the Burmese border, she saw first hand the joy that came from children who received the boxes, as Shoeboxes had been delivered to the hostile territory.

Western Ontario Manager for OCC, Chris MacDonald visited Shoreline Baptist Church October 2, assisting Scammell with the Shoebox kick-off event. She told the congregation that packing essential items was really important.

“Bars of soap, toothbrushes, face clothes; school supplies are really important, a lot of these children without school supplies can’t even go to school, which is where they want to be and should be,” said MacDonald. “Those things are really basic for us, we don’t give those things a second thought, but they're really important. And of course you want to put in something for fun, some small toys, something they can call their own and have fun with,” MacDonald added.

MacDonald said that children like toys that they can play and share with other people; like soccer balls and skipping ropes. She also told the congregation that it allows them to give something to someone else like a friend or family member.

MacDonald recalled a story from a member of the OCC that was in a country distributing the boxes to children. One small boy opened his Shoebox to find a XXL sports jersey. The boy, who would have been too small for the jersey, left the distribution centre and came back a short time later with his older brother who could fit into the shirt. MacDonald said the boy was “so proud” that he could give his older brother a gift and that the gift of giving was better than receiving.

Shoreline Baptist Church in Port Elgin is the Shoebox drop off location for the region. The Alliance Church in Owen Sound is another spot.

The Port Elgin church plans to have a few “packing parties” over the next month and the final week to pack and deliver the shoeboxes will take place between November 14 and 20.

You can also pack a Shoebox online at www.packabox.ca.

For more information regarding the Shoeboxes, contact Joyce Scammell by e-mail at joycescammell@hotmail.com or by phone at 519-832-9193 or through the church at 519-832-9390.

Chris MacDonald (left) and Joyce Scammell before the Shoreline Baptist congregation, October 2.