Dec. 1, 2009 | By Staff
NEW ORLEANS - The Operation Christmas Child initiative in New Orleans collected 9,365 gift-filled shoeboxes for needy children around the world, a new record locally, and 71 percent over last year's total.
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary's Hardin Student Center served as the area collection center for Operation Christmas Child. Churches from New Orleans, Slidell, Covington and surrounding areas collected the boxes.
The shoebox gifts will be sent needy children in more than 100 countries around the world, areas victimized by famine, poverty, war, terrorism, disease and natural disasters. From New Orleans, the Operation Christmas Child team will use any means necessary -from dog sleds to planes, trains and automobiles, to bring the love of Christ to hurting children and their families.
Dr. Lloyd Harsch, longtime coordinator of the OCC effort in New Orleans said Operation Christmas Child personifies the biblical mandate to help those in need. He was overwhelmed with the final count, which exceeded the 2009 goal of 6,000 boxes by almost 57 percent. Harsch is an associate professor of church history at NOBTS.
"For a pastor and a professor to be speechless is a major accomplishment. What God did this year through his people has been absolutely amazing," he said.
The avalanche of shoeboxes was so great, the collection center, as well as several relay centers in the New Orleans area ran out of shipping cartons to pack the boxes.
"We were out of shipping cartons before we began," Harsch said. "We went to grocery stores, office supply stores, anywhere we could to find boxes. Home Depot and Crescent City Packaging both donated cartons. At the end of the day, we had one small carton left, and the shoeboxes stopped," he added. "Like the widow in the biblical story of Elijah, we had just enough to meet the need."
In tight economic times, in an area still recovering from the worst natural disaster in American history, the record-setting total is nothing short of miraculous, Harsch said.
"It's obvious that God has been involved in this," Harsch said. "We had unscheduled volunteers show up to help us at our time of greatest need. We had just enough shipping cartons to meet our needs. Local churches from Bush to Boutte were passionately involved in this. At the end of the day, it all came together. No one person can claim credit for this. It's obviously God who is at work through our community."
"We are very aware of the comfort we have received in rebuilding our lives." Harsch said. "We wanted to share that comfort with others so that they will know the hope and the peace that only Jesus Christ can bring."
The people of New Orleans have embraced Operation Christmas Child, local assistant OCC coordinator Paul South said.
"In post Katrina New Orleans and the surrounding area, people understand what it means to be without, and what it means to hurt," South said. "That understanding, combined with hard working local churches and volunteers and a deeply generous spirit helped make OCC successful here in New Orleans."
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child, a project of international Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse, has collected and hand-delivered more than 61 million shoe box gifts to hurting kids in some 130 countries. The boxes contain candy, socks, school supplies and other necessities. A booklet containing the gospel message accompanies the boxes.
Lifesongs 89.1 joined with NOBTS as a major partner to promote the local Operation Christmas Child effort.
Although National Collection Week was Nov. 16-23, Operation Christmas Child is not limited to just one week a year or during the holiday season. It is a year-round project, requiring months of organization and preparation to reach millions of kids around the world. Volunteers and shoe box gifts are needed during all seasons to help spread Christmas cheer and the spirit of giving that lasts all year long.
This year, donors will be able to track their shoebox gifts online as they are distributed around the world. For more information go online at www.samaritanspurse.org.
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