ELTON, La. (AP) - Mary Brown is on a mission to fill as many shoeboxes as she can with toys, school supplies, toiletries and other items for Operation Christmas Child to deliver to needy children around the world.
“I have 131 boxes so far, and it’s still going,” Brown said.
Brown, secretary at First Baptist Church in Elton, got involved in Operation Christmas Child, an outreach of Samaritan’s Purse, when it was introduced to the congregation in the late 1990s.
“I started out just doing a couple of boxes - one for a boy and one for a girl,” she said. “That was it. I was on a limited income, and that’s all I could afford.”
Last year Brown filled 20 shoeboxes. This year she’s taking that passion to the next level, filling over 130 boxes with two weeks left before this year’s campaign ends.
“I just felt like the Lord was talking to me and telling me to do more,” she said. “Then I’d see the children on TV receiving their boxes and I couldn’t resist the gigantic smiles on their faces. I knew I had to do more.”
As soon as last year’s Operation Christmas Child campaign ended, Brown began collecting items to fill even more shoeboxes this year.
“I felt God was challenging me to do at least two boxes a month,” she said. “Each time I filled a box, I’d hear a voice saying, ’You can do better and do more.’ “
’Before I knew it I had 120 boxes. One box just led to another one, then another one and it just kept going.’
Each time Brown went shopping she’d pick up a few more small toys and other trinkets to fill the shoeboxes.
“When I’d go shopping I’d see things and think that would be perfect for a shoebox,” she said. “I’d end up buying it and bringing it home with me.”
There were ceramic tea sets and small teddy bears for girls and balls and cars for boys. Before long she was buying in bulk.
“Before I knew it I had 120 boxes,” she said. “One box just led to another one, then another one and it just kept going.”
Brown, a widow, said she is blessed to be able to help underprivileged children and share the Gospel all over the world.
“I have a blessed heart knowing that each one of these boxes is going to some child that has nothing,” she said. “Maybe I can bring just a bit of joy to their world and hopefully they will find the Lord as their savior.”
She encourages others to donate shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies, hygiene times and trinkets, during national collection week Nov. 14-21. Drop-off locations and more information are available on the Samaritan’s Purse website.
“Take a box and fill it and see how it changes your life,” she said. “You can’t experience it if you don’t pick up a box and fill it and send it to someone. It opened my eyes to the need and sharing the love of Jesus with others.”
Brown plans to start gathering items for next year’s collection after the boxes are shipped to a distribution center later this month.(backslash)
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Information from: American Press, https://www.americanpress.com
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