CHURCH TO DEDICATE CHRISTMAS BOXES

Needy children from around the world don't often expect Christmas packages, but one area church is hoping to help reverse that trend.

The Senior Adult program at First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau is dedicating its Operation Christmas Child packages during a children's service Sunday morning.

The boxes are simple shoe boxes that have been wrapped and filled with small toys, stuffed animals, school supplies, hygiene items and candies. Each box is filled according to an appropriate age category and then shipped overseas.

First Baptist Church is one of many churches that support the program, a relief and evangelism effort organized through Samaritan's Purse, which is a ministry of Franklin Graham. More than 4 million children in 75 countries will receive the boxes this holiday season.

The boxes will be collected at churches this week and then sent overseas by airlift, ship or rail. Also this year, one child from Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis and Charlotte, N.C., will help deliver boxes in the Dominican Republic.

Last year the project delivered boxes to 3 million children and has reached 9 million children since it began in 1993.

Samaritan's Purse supports projects in 100 countries, including refugee camps, and helps during natural disasters or famines and medical missions. Its offices are in Boone, N.C.

To learn how to pack a shoe box gift or where to deliver it, call First Baptist Church at 334-9691 or Samaritan's Purse at (800) 353-5949 or visit

www.samaritanspurse.org