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With Christmas music playing, volunteers got right to work during a packing party for Operation Christmas Child Wednesday night at Grace Fellowship Atmore.

Operation Christmas Child is a division of Samaritan’s Purse, and volunteers packed shoeboxes, which will be sent all over the world.

Coordinator Paige Jordan said it takes her a year to collect items that’ll be packed into each shoebox.

Jordan said when the children get their boxes, they gather at their local center, not knowing they’re getting a gift.

“They’re coming to eat whatever, and then they get a gift and they learn about Jesus, that’s the goal, of course,” Jordan said. “And then after they do that, they’re invited to take a 12-week program. They get a Bible in their language.”

Jordan said the Bible is called “The Greatest Journey.”
“It’s a notebook that they’ll go through the whole process of,” she said. “Operation Christmas Child is the only program where one out of four children come to know Jesus.”

Jordan said most of the boxes in the area go to Africa. Last year, the boxes went to Burkina Faso in West Africa, and to Chad in Central Africa.

Jordan said this is the 12^th year Grace has held a packing party for Operation Christmas Child.

She said the church is a collection center for more than three counties.

Jordan said once the boxes are packed, they’re put in cartons and then on Monday, will be loaded into trucks.

“Actually, on Sunday, when we get done with church, all of the guys will take them out there, and they’ll get sent to Atlanta (Ga.),” she said. “And in Atlanta, they will have people going through every box just to make sure there’s not a gun, a knife, or liquid stuff like that, for contraband.”

Jordan said once inspected, the shoeboxes will get their token Samaritan’s Purse tape, and are sent all over the world.

Jordan noted that churches in the hurricane-ravaged portions of North Carolina are contributing to Operation Christmas Child as well.

“That’s all God there, you know,” Jordan said.

National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child lasts from Nov. 18-25.